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[Twins Mom]

@ Equuleus

I am right there with you and am experiencing lots of anxiety on what I thought should be fun and happy experience. After talking to several appliance salespeople, I am frustrated that life of major appliances actually now about 10 years! Planned obsolescence. Planner told me to pick floor and then move upwards. Because I am rather practical, I would love wood but have laundry area so am leaning toward luxury vinyl. Haven’t seen much vinyl in area homes lately but my 30 year old vinyl served my family well. B

[VaBelle35]

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@151949 wrote:

When we sold our Pa home the heat pump did not pass inspection because the wiring to it was not up to a code that was only a few months old. We had to pay an electrician to replace all the wiring and the breakers.I believe it was around $500.

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I just had a new oven delivered and while the plug was up to code and a 3 prong outlet, the cord from the original oven was not and was only 2 prong.  New ovens come with new plugs, so it wasn't a big deal, but I was surprised that in 1993 only 2 prong plugs were used.

[ScrapHappy]

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@VaBelle35 wrote:

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@ScrapHappy wrote:

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@VaBelle35 wrote:

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@ScrapHappy wrote:

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@VaBelle35 wrote:

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@ScrapHappy wrote:

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@Equuleus wrote:

After 20 years of waiting, it's finally gonna happen.  Problem is, I am totally at a loss as where to begin.  I go and look at all the products (counter tops, sinks, backsplash, flooring, cabinets) and I am very confused.  Where do I start????  Does anyone know of a program to design a kitchen so I can add colors and different flooring and cabinets, etc so I can get an actual picture of what it would look like?

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We remodeled 3 bathrooms (including the master) recently.  Took it all to the studs.  I looked into those "all inclusive" companies that will design and do all the work.  However, I found them to be way too expensive and, for the most part, they want you to choose your materials with them (cabinets, tile, faucets, countertops, etc.)  The price they work up for you is all materials that are the least expensive and not the most attractive.  Of course you'll want to pick out the nicer more expensive stuff.  It took us months to find a contractor, like 8 months or more.  Maybe it's just my area but so many contractors would come in and first thing they'd say is "well...a master bathroom starts at $30,000 in this area."  One all inclusive company wouldn't even consider working with you if it didn't start at $60,000.  NO LIE!  Crazy, I know.  I started looking on line at pinterest and other sites like that to get ideas.  Then I'd go to a granite/quartz place to look at slabs of countertops.  The counter tops and cabinets are the most important, IMO.  Each time I found a slab that I really, really liked and then everything else was picked out to match.  I did go to Ferguson to look at faucets, sinks, etc., but they were way overpriced.  I ended up going to a local company for sinks, faucets and tubs and they were fabulous!  Still expensive, but not things you'd get off the shelves at Home Depot but still less than Ferguson.  My biggest tip is, besides finding a contractor, have everything picked out first.  Run it by the contractor is you have problems/questions and order it and have it on site BEFORE work starts.  Buy extra tile, always need more and always good to have extra.  Remember that you'll need your sinks and faucets picked out so the fabricator for the countertops know what to cut.  I did not think I could go to these places and know what I'm doing and pick out what I wanted and make it all work but at the same time I felt I know what I like more than a designer would.  Going to a designer or an all inclusive company probably would be easier, but you're going to pay for them to do all that.  Another tip if you go the route of finding materials on your own, have it delivered or pick it up yourself.  Most contractors will charge you for their time to do that.  Good luck.  Try not to stress about it.  It can be a lot of fun.

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@ScrapHappy  This is interesting because I just had a call back today from an inclusive company and he told me that my home has to be brought up to code and a 12 x 6 bathroom starts at $40k.  My house was built in 1993 and he said the building codes changed in 1994.  I've had several other quotes from non-inclusive and they ranged from $2500 for a refresh to $10k for a remodel.

I need to ask my neighbors if they had to bring their homes up to code in order to remodel.

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Hmmmmm...did he say how/why your bathroom is not up to code?  I would ask for specifics.  Definitely get more quotes.  As I said, it took me many months to find someone.  Neighbors and word of mouth are the best referrals.  The $10k from the contractor is probably just for labor and some materials.  Sometimes contractors put in an allowance for a countertop of sink or something like that.  I'm glad I went out and purchased all materials on my own.  It saved a lot of money and much nicer than any all inclusive companies were offering.  Our master bathroom is very large, it has two countertops on each side with a sink.  One counter is 9 feet long and the other is 7 1/2.  Our contractor charged us $14k for labor and some materials.  Other contractors quoted us from $30k to as high as $52 and that was just labor.  The all inclusive I went to gave me a price of $25k but the choices of material like tile, cabinet was not to my liking.  When I upgraded that and just about everything else (because everything was the baseline stuff), it went up to $48k.  We spent about $20K on materials that I picked out and had delivered (tile, grout, paint, shower and sink fixtures, 2 marble countertops, toilet, 2 sinks, cabinets, mirrors, lighting (x2) and chandelier, free standing soaking tub, etc.  We did not change the footprint of our bathroom, kept things where they were.

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@ScrapHappy  He said that the building codes changed in 1994 and my house was built in 1993.  

What I'm reading on Home Advisor and Angie's List and other remodeling blogs is basically nobody from the city is going to look at your house when you sell it and there are no laws that require your home be up to code when you sell.  It's more of a safety issue.  So I have to see what he says when he comes out here what exactly is not up to code.  Electric wiring?  Pipes?  Insulation?  We'll see.

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Did this contractor ask you first what year your house was built?  If you said 1995, would of he said the codes changed in 1994?  It's just my train of thought, I'm not a very trusting person.  Let me know how it turns out, I'd be interested in knowing (if this is the guy you choose), what exactly is out of code.  Good luck.

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@ScrapHappy  We're on the same wave length ;o)  I said it was 25 years old in my initial communication to the company on their website, so I imagine he had that information in front of him and did the calculation.  I did ask my next door neighbor who is a master plumber and he said building codes change every few years or so and that there probably have been a few changes to the plumbing codes in 25 years.  But yes, using 1994 was a big tell for me, too.

I actually cancelled my appointment with him for next week.  A $40k bathroom renovation is ridiculous.  I am just going to paint and do a new light fixture.

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Don't go by just one quote (contractor or company).  Get at least three.  In my case, even more.  Whatever you decide to do, I'm sure it will look great.  Good luck!

[VaBelle35]

@ScrapHappy  I have 2 quotes already so I am looking for a replacement third quote now on our Nextdoor website.

[151949]

@Twins Mom  I'm with you on the vinyl floors. I had them in our Pa. home and loved them - so easy to take care of. Then we had the plank vinyl floors in our camper. Everyone thought it was wood - beautiful and easy to care for and well priced.

[ScrapHappy]

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@VaBelle35 wrote:

@ScrapHappy  I have 2 quotes already so I am looking for a replacement third quote now on our Nextdoor website.

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That's great.  Let me/us know how it all turns out.  We have plenty more projects we want and need to do in our home.  It will just have to wait because we ran out of money after doing all the bedrooms and bathrooms and new carpeting upstairs. 

[SouthernBee]

@Equuleus: My concerns were function and being able to cook for a few more years. I walk with a cane . I always wanted a double oven. In my old kitchen the sink was on one side of room and stove on other side making it difficult to move large pots with water like cooking pasta plus needed more counter space. I had a very limited budget. Friend sent over her contractor. I told him my budget, major concerns and needs. Southern BeeTried to include the after photo  but it deleted the before photo.

[SouthernBee]

Tried to upload full photo but not good at doing the. Shows just the corner edge of the refrigerator but the sink is on that side and very easy to fill cook pots with water and slide over to the cook top. Dish washer under the long counter. All new appliances except the dishwasher, all new appliances were on sale and the double oven was the most expensive but totally worth it. Every morning I walk in the kitchen and relived the ktchen is no longer a dream. Southern Bee 

[Twins Mom]

Perhaps some feedback on major appliances purchased during last five years would be helpful. Brand suggestions seem to vary by store.
Would love three door refrigerator but was noticing ice dispenser in door. Small reserve of ice and that got me to thinking. Ice and water are located in refrigerator. Experiences?

[Katcat1]

@Equuleus  Have you done any searches to see if there are any programs out there where you can design your kitchen?  Or, call a place like Home Depot and see if they know of such a program.  Other than that, hire a design team.