Thinking about a new kitchen

Rennie Heuer

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Our kitchen is poorly laid out, poorly built, and original to the house - built in 1974. I've looked at a lot of cabinets over the past 10 years that we've been here and there are some nice ones out there - but expensive. I've also given much thought to building my own. I watched the recent kitchen series on NYW with a high level of interest.

Here's the point. We don't live in a high end area. My house is currently valued around $130K. So, putting in a $30K kitchen (it's only 10 x 10) just does not make any sense to me. I'm thinking that something cheaper, a lot cheaper, so long as it's strong and functional, is the best way to go.

I'm thinking (please don't shoot me) of going with an RTA cabinet similar to those offered by this company http://www.rtacabi.net They seem relatively sturdy and offer all of the various sizes and styles I would need. I could change out the cheaper glides easily enough.

I know many of you make your living doing cabinets, so I'm seeking some guidance. Have you had dealings with this company? Can you recommend another? Would you warn me to do something different?

I'm open to any and all suggestions, so don't be shy. I'll try to remember to post some pictures this evening.
 
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Rennie, my parents redid their kitchen about 4yrs ago. They ordered the cabs (don't know who from:eek:) and installed them along with new floor, ceiling and fixtures themselves. It was a burden during the process, but they saved lots of $$ doing the install themselves and lots of time purchasing the cabs. They live in a small town and wouldn't get the return on putting in a high end kitchen when they sell.

On the other hand, my FIL had a high end kitchen put into his home...took 3.5 months and tens of thousands of dollars. It looks great, and his house might sell for more $$ because of it....but not the full amount of the rehab!

BTW...shouldn't you finish the fence first?:D:wave:
 
How long do you plan on living in the house Rennie?

I'm told that the two rooms in a house that have the biggest return on the investment is the kitchen and the bathrooms.

When you consider making an investement in a remodel, you have to consider that ....if you are plan on being there for a while you'll get the enjoyment of using the remodel. And a house that has been updated often sells more quickly even in a stagnant market. Tyler Howell, a member here, recently sold his house in Twin Cities, Mn because he had done some very well thought improvements to the house.
 
BTW...shouldn't you finish the fence first?:D:wave:
Well, I didn't say I was going to start tomorrow!:rofl::rofl:

To be honest, there are a few 'must be done' projects around our house. The fence, the kitchen, and some home office furniture(that I am building myself - it will be my winter project) I'm also finishing up some cabinets I'm building in the master bedroom - which is one of the reasons I don't have time to do kitchen cabs!

It might come down to fence or kitchen. I could prop up the fence and get another couple of years out of it.:rolleyes: The kitchen is driving my wife crazy and that has a big impact on me:rofl:.

Perhaps I'll just toss a coin.:dunno:
 
How long do you plan on living in the house Rennie?
I intend to die here - so anywhere from 1 day to 30 years or so.:rofl:

I'm told that the two rooms in a house that have the biggest return on the investment is the kitchen and the bathrooms.
Yes - I know this to be a fact. I'm not looking to cheap-out on the cabinets - just don't see the need for top of the line stuff. I will be doing the bathrooms myself - another project on a very long list:doh:
For resale, the cabinets need to be attractive, offer a good use of space, and fit well to the style of the house. most of the homes in my area, even those selling for twice as much, have the standard raised oak panel contractor grade cabinets. So, if mine were a little better than that I'd be in OK shape IF I needed to sell. I think...:huh:
 
Custom Service Hardware has a line of RTA cabinets with no particle board. Their sample layouts are in the $1200-$1800 range and they seem to have pretty nice features like dovetailed drawers and some with undermount slides. They are also pre-finished. Of course you have to add counters, floors, new fixtures, maybe new appliances, lighting, trim, wall repair, .....

I've also seen posts by people who've bought Ikea cabinets and made their own drawer and drawer fronts. They are particle board but people seem happy with them.
 
Custom Service Hardware has a line of RTA cabinets with no particle board. Their sample layouts are in the $1200-$1800 range and they seem to have pretty nice features like dovetailed drawers and some with undermount slides. They are also pre-finished. Of course you have to add counters, floors, new fixtures, maybe new appliances, lighting, trim, wall repair, ......
Matt,

The link in my initial post is for the CSH line of cabinets. I was impressed with the construction/price ratio myself. They are exactly what I was referring to. Have you seen them up close and personal? What's your opinion?

I can do floors and fixtures. Countertops are still an unknown. Stone is "in", but pricey. Laminates have come a long way and are much more attractive than they used to be. decisions, decisions....
 
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Oh, I didn't click on your link--didn't realize it was their site because the URL is different. No, I haven't seen them other than in the pictures. I just got a new catalog from them and was perusing it in the reading room this morning.

We are replacing our counters soon. Stone, real or fake, for our kitchen would be in the $5K range. So we are going with laminate, which I'm doing myself, with a tile backsplash.
 
you should compromise and spend a little more on the kitchen if you can swing it.
If a new kitchen is 20 grand with all the bells and whistles, and a knockdown put together kitchen is 3 grand, look to maybe up the quality and put in better appliances.
A new kitchen or updated kitchen is usually the number one selling point on a home, and besides, youre bride would probably be so much happier, so thats enough reason in itself.
 
you should compromise and spend a little more on the kitchen if you can swing it.
If a new kitchen is 20 grand with all the bells and whistles, and a knockdown put together kitchen is 3 grand, look to maybe up the quality and put in better appliances.
A new kitchen or updated kitchen is usually the number one selling point on a home, and besides, youre bride would probably be so much happier, so thats enough reason in itself.
Appliances are going to be upgraded - at least the stove, DW, sink, and MW. I'm not looking for "cheap" cabinets - like the stuff from the borg, but I can't afford to go to Thomasville or KitchenMaid right now either - understanding that those are not even high end.

The prospect of doing the cabinets in our 10 x 10 "U" shaped kitchen for under $2,500 is inviting and worth looking into.
 
Rennie, My 2 cents, You say you will be there till you pass, That being said resale is of no concern. If a forced sale happens it wont be pretty and it will not mater what the house looks like. The bidders are going to want to bye it at a bottom dollar price.
That all said IMO you should be looking at a grade cabinet that is going to last the next 30 years or so. you don't want to have to do this again in 10 years because the cabinets fell apart.
Sound advice and something I should keep in mind - thanks

I would make my own but realize that's not for every one.
I think I'd like that, but there just is not the time to do it.:(

I have had purity bad luck with just about every grade cabinet I have installed. Not to say they are all bad, but there always seems to be one or two that are not square or have bad styles. the cheaper they are the more of them that are out of whack. And I won't even go down the road with the big box cabinets.
I know that this is a possibility - though if I built them myself chances are none of them would be square!:rofl:
All good sound advice - all of you are amazing and very helpful! :thumb:
 
Rennie,

Have you thought about resurfaced cabinets?

http://my-images-in-wood.com/html/resurfaced_cabinets.html

Might be a way to upgrade but keep costs down for other projects.

We replaced our kitchen counter tops and sink, but the cabinets are OK so we left them as is. We had tile before, and put in granite. Added value, and my wife is very happy....(important!!!! :rofl:)
Wait till I post a few pictures of our current cabinets and then you'll see why I din't even consider this option.:eek::rofl::rofl:
 
OK rennie!!!!

i thopught ya were smarter than this,,,,:D first thing that you have missed ..1///she wants a new kitchen and you already subconsiously have said that if she aint happy then you arent either!!! so here is point no. 2 if you were to tell her that you could save your slef money and get new tools too.. now you would both be happy.. you could make them in your garge and put them in your slef.. i know from what you have shown us in your work that you can do this and the idea of having them made the way she wants them is worth it.. thats the no. one thing that the standard cabinets dont offer.. you get what they show you.. i am sure that everyone here that has any expeiernce in cab makin would help you threw it...heck if i can do it to satisfy my dog and my wife too you can do it better:rofl::D MAKE YOUR OWN RENNIE
 
Ditto what Chuck said. If you are going to get carried out feet first, then resale is not your concern. Your concern is to build/buy what you want. (and can reasonably afford and justify within your means)

If you do consider building your own, l would look into prefinished sheets of plywood. I hadn't even heard of this until I started reading about Dave Eisen's kitchen. (He posted several threads about this on canadianwoodworking.org and sawmillcreek.org -- the one he built for his parents) This seemed to be a very good idea, and takes a huge part of the job out of the picture.

OH! I just remembered this: here is a thread by Hans Braul over on the canadianwoodworking forum (I think he posted it on SMC also.) He just redid his own kitchen. He bought the cabinets from CabParts in the US. He installed them himself and also built the door/drawer fronts himself


best,
...art
 
One thing Larry hit on that I missed. If you build them your self it would be a very good reason to get some Festool stuff for busting up the plywood and rabbiting out the shelves. :thumb::thumb:
But honey you want a new kitchen and I need this (in cert tool here) to build it.:D
OK - here's the problem with that logic. 16 years ago, when all I had was a ShopSmith, I tried a little kitchen renovation while the LOML was away for two weeks with the kids at summer camp. New floor, new paint, new counter tops. Sanded and refinished all the cabinets, but, the doors did not get done before she came home. They were in a stack in the basement...... where they stayed for 2 years. We actually sold the house that way!

There is a standing joke, a very serious one, that I am not allowed to remove so much as a single piece of hardware in the kitchen unless every new cabinet is built and ready to install..... or the next sound I hear will be the phone ringing and a lawyer will be on the other end of the line.:rofl:

Now, 16 years later and with a shop full of tools, I am welcome to build anything I want for anyone I want, except a kitchen.:D

My wife is very wise.
 
Rennie,

"If Momma ain't happy, nobody's happy!!!" That's my motto.

Have you also checked into having cabinets made at a cabinet shop or by a local contractor? Might still be competitive to what your looking at and get good quality. Bottom line is to probaby get it done in a timely manor and done right.

I've gone through some of the same trials with what works best and is within budget. We've looked at having the granite counter tops done and for what those cost we can have nice formica tops done over and over again and be able to upgrade the look over the years, so have always stuck with them. Try to go with a good hardwood facing and doors and they should last a good long time.

Good luck.
 
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