Remodeling: 1 room down, 2 left to go(Kitchen Started)

[Codewiz]

Since people are sharing their handy work, I thought I would share some of mine.

I will provide cliffs because I want to relay how this turned from something simple into 3 rooms getting redone. It all started in that my wife wanted new countertops. We went through the whole process of going through quartz stone trying to pick a color. We finally found one that looked ok with our ugly oak cabinets. We got a large sample and took it home. While it looked as good as it could, we made the decision that we hate our cabinets and it was forcing us to make a countertop choice we weren't happy about.

So down the path of installing new cabinets. We start down this path and I mention that our cabinets in the bathroom are the same crappy stuff so while we are doing the kitchen, we might as well swap those out.

That turned into turning my son's bathroom into a monster room. Striping the wallpaper down(got someone to do the kitchen and 2 baths for $500 total) because in the kitchen there were two layers of paper.

Back to the bathroom. New floor, new toilet, new cabinet/vanity top, and patched/painted walls. Took me about a weekend to do all of it.

Next I am onto the kitchen. I received the shipment of cabinets this week. I am cheating on the base cabinets as I bought a system to help with getting them level and plumb called ez-level. Once I have the cabinets in the kitchen, I will have the countertop people come measure and install the countertop. Somewhere along the line i will put in a new floor.

Then it will be off to do the other bathroom. We will have to pull all the shower and bathtub tile and shower base pan.

Link to some before/after of the existing bathroom and some before pictures of the kitchen and other bathroom.

https://picasaweb.google.com/cutiger02/Remodel?authkey=Gv1sRgCJjar4Xb1enYKA#

CLIFFS:
Remodel started with just kitchen countertops
Turned into 3 room remodel




EDIT:

Started on the kitchen. Installed all new cabinets. I will NEVER own another concrete slab home. The floor is so unflat, it is absolutely stupid. I had to jack up the cabinets all over the place due to high and low spots. Really not happen about that.

Here are some pictures of the kitchen prior and after.

http://imgur.com/a/ADkEF

So what do I have left? Countertop people are coming to measure today for an install on Thursday. I have to figure out what type of floor to put in. I would like to put in tile but the concrete isn't even close to flat as already mentioned. Not sure tile would handle it well. Then I have to paint and do all the finish work.

Once that is done, off to redo the master bathroom.

Update June 22:

I know it has taken a while. Between work and kids, I did not have much free time. Just finished putting in the tile and grout on Monday. I barely survived it. Doing it all by yourself is a major hassle. I also recommend renting a higher end wet saw. I spent about $160 on a wet saw from lowes and it sucked. I had to recut so many tiles.

Here are pictures with the tile and painted walls.

http://imgur.com/a/0P2TO#4Phpz

I still have to do some touch up painting and finish putting the caulk in around the edges. Then I will need to repaint the baseboards.

 

[Zargon]

very cool

Im interested how EZ Level works out, I will be doing a ktichen remodel in the next 18 months or so

 

[joutlaw]

I like the vanity in the remodeled bathroom. Where did you get it?

 

[Codewiz]

very cool

Im interested how EZ Level works out, I will be doing a ktichen remodel in the next 18 months or so

I will let you know how it works. It is a pretty simple design. Basically it is a steel rectangle with a steel triangle inside on a pivot point. When you screw in, it pushes the triangle down. The only way for it to fail that I can see is if the steel screw threads strip or the pivot point fails. Considering you typically screw cabinet backs into wall stubs, I think this will be an easy way to level base cabinets. I will let you know how it works in about 2 weeks

I like the vanity in the remodeled bathroom. Where did you get it?

We went relatively cheap due to it being a child's bathroom.

Both came from home depot. The cabinet was around $400 and the vanity top(with sink) was $200.

 

[dfuze]

Those pics look very good, especially really liking the deco for the kids bathroom.

 

[ScoobMaster]

Nicely done!

Welcome to the "remodeling your home club"

Isn't it amazing how projects beget other projects. How a small upgrade of a room turns into multiple room overhauls

 

[Anneka]

love the drywall model in the bathroom. so classic and chic

 

[Codewiz]

I know this taught me an important lesson.

NEVER NEVER NEVER ask for wallpaper while a home is being built. Unless you want to screw the next homeowners.

We bought the house from the people that had it built. They decided to go with wallpaper from the start so that gave the drywall guys a license to do the shittiest job ever. I mean why does it matter, wallpaper will hide all the stupidity. I was almost tempted pull all the drywall out and hang new. Instead I just used a bunch of joint compound trying to make it look somewhat respectable(I am not very experienced with fixing this type of crap).

So do everyone a favor, if you like wallpaper(i don't understand it) and are building a house, have it put up after the house is completed and the walls are primed.

 

[Codewiz]

Updated the thread with my work over the weekend.

 

[richardycc]

3 words - self leveling concrete.

 

[Codewiz]

3 words - self leveling concrete.

Never worked with it but I imagine it would be a nightmare to use now that the cabinets are in.

 

[Greenman]

Never worked with it but I imagine it would be a nightmare to use now that the cabinets are in.

Not at all. Prime the concrete floor, seal the gap between the cabinet base and floor with tape, mix and pour material. The floor will be perfect.

 

[vi edit]

Remodels are fun.

And yes...wallpaper should be outlawed. Horrible...horrible stuff. Not just in gawdy style...but pure evil trying to remove it too.

 

[Zargon]

yeah wwallpaper sucks, and working on a slab blows

 

[TheSlamma]

Congrats on tearing out that wallpaper.. man that stuff is nasty *shiver*

 

[nanette1985]

Nice work! And I love the monster room. Sweet.

That exact same wallpaper from the first bathroom is on the dining room wall of my former house - I have tons of pictures of my kids with that wallpaper in the background.

 

[Codewiz]

Guess I will look into doing some leveling compound and keeping it from running under the cabinets.

 

[ShockwaveVT]

Not at all. Prime the concrete floor, seal the gap between the cabinet base and floor with tape, mix and pour material. The floor will be perfect.

It's my understanding that the cabinets (and appliances like dishwasher, stove, etc) should sit on a finished floor. It's how all those systems are designed. Re-doing the floor after the cabinets are in is the wrong way to go, IMO.

 

[Greenman]

It's my understanding that the cabinets (and appliances like dishwasher, stove, etc) should sit on a finished floor. It's how all those systems are designed. Re-doing the floor after the cabinets are in is the wrong way to go, IMO.

Well, you're opinion is wrong. Finished floor under the dishwasher is a good idea, the stove as well if it's a slide in unit. Finished floor under the cabinets is done because it's easier, not because it's better. If you should ever decide to change the flooring, you're in for a nightmare of chipping and chiseling to get the old flooring cut off even with the face of the toe kick. It's also very likely that you'll beat the snot out of the flooring installing cabinets and counter tops over it. The proper sequence of events has the finished floors going in last.

 

[DrPizza]

Looking nice, OP.

 

[stinkynathan]

Well, you're opinion is wrong. Finished floor under the dishwasher is a good idea, the stove as well if it's a slide in unit. Finished floor under the cabinets is done because it's easier, not because it's better. If you should ever decide to change the flooring, you're in for a nightmare of chipping and chiseling to get the old flooring cut off even with the face of the toe kick. It's also very likely that you'll beat the snot out of the flooring installing cabinets and counter tops over it. The proper sequence of events has the finished floors going in last.

...and I'm going to tell you that your opinion is wrong (in my opinion). I work in the industry. I'm an installer for a high end custom cabinet shop. I groan every time I walk into a house and we're putting our cabinets onto subfloor or an old floor that is going to be covered. Sure, it makes my job a *little* bit easier, but the result is MUCH more clean if the flooring is done first. First, you'll have to run a shoe molding. Second, if we have to sand cabinets down to fit a drop or rise in the floor there are going to be height problems. I take off a 1/2" (not uncommon) to level the cabinets, then you add in 1/2" of laminate flooring and now all of a sudden you're going to have a hard time getting your dishwasher in the opening and your stove could sit above your counters. Done properly, cabinets should be sitting on the finished floor, scribed to fit the contour of the floor and walls, with no gaps....anywhere.

To the OP:

I don't mean to be harsh, but I think you're going to be running into some problems with your tops when you get templated and have them installed. Are you getting corian? That's the only thing I can think of that can be templated and installed that quickly, unless they're templating laminate tops for you? Anyway, throw a 6' level across the back panel of your peninsula. It looks like you have a pretty significant drop from left to right facing the back of the peninsula. That will be a pretty big problem if you're getting solid surface tops (granite, quartz, cultured stone, etc...)

Also, IF you are getting solid surface tops, I can't forsee your leveling system holding up to the weight, but I guess I've never used that system before. Again, it's best to have as much of the cabinet touching the floor and wall as possible. It's the best way to get a solid, lasting install.

Again, in my opinion, the correct way to do it is to:
1. Use a laser or long level to find the highest and lowest points on the floor and find the difference between those two points.
2. Start in the corner (usually a susan). Level that cabinet with shims and scribe to the height of the difference in the floor.
3. Work away from that cabinet in each direction scribing the bottom and back of each cabinet to fit the wall and floor.
4. Use a 6' level across the tops of the face frames to make sure you're running in a straight line.
5. Set your upper cabinets to 18.5" above the bases (no tops yet), level them, and scribe to the wall behind them. Make sure you're always screwing into studs or use plenty of anchors if you have to.
6. I won't get into scribing counter tops, because that can be a pretty complicated topic depending on the circumstances.

I wouldn't worry about how uneven your floors are. Sometimes concrete is bad. Sometimes floor trusses are worse. I've worked in brand new houses with 1" sags in the floor. I've worked in a house that was built in the 70s that have 1.25" difference in the floor in less than ten feet of cabinets. I've worked in houses built pre-1950 where the floors and walls were all within 1/4". It really just depends on who built the house and how much time and care they put into the construction.

 

[Greenman]

...and I'm going to tell you that your opinion is wrong (in my opinion). I work in the industry. I'm an installer for a high end custom cabinet shop. I groan every time I walk into a house and we're putting our cabinets onto subfloor or an old floor that is going to be covered. Sure, it makes my job a *little* bit easier, but the result is MUCH more clean if the flooring is done first. First, you'll have to run a shoe molding. Second, if we have to sand cabinets down to fit a drop or rise in the floor there are going to be height problems. I take off a 1/2" (not uncommon) to level the cabinets, then you add in 1/2" of laminate flooring and now all of a sudden you're going to have a hard time getting your dishwasher in the opening and your stove could sit above your counters. Done properly, cabinets should be sitting on the finished floor, scribed to fit the contour of the floor and walls, with no gaps....anywhere.

To the OP:

I don't mean to be harsh, but I think you're going to be running into some problems with your tops when you get templated and have them installed. Are you getting corian? That's the only thing I can think of that can be templated and installed that quickly, unless they're templating laminate tops for you? Anyway, throw a 6' level across the back panel of your peninsula. It looks like you have a pretty significant drop from left to right facing the back of the peninsula. That will be a pretty big problem if you're getting solid surface tops (granite, quartz, cultured stone, etc...)

Also, IF you are getting solid surface tops, I can't forsee your leveling system holding up to the weight, but I guess I've never used that system before. Again, it's best to have as much of the cabinet touching the floor and wall as possible. It's the best way to get a solid, lasting install.

Again, in my opinion, the correct way to do it is to:
1. Use a laser or long level to find the highest and lowest points on the floor and find the difference between those two points.
2. Start in the corner (usually a susan). Level that cabinet with shims and scribe to the height of the difference in the floor.
3. Work away from that cabinet in each direction scribing the bottom and back of each cabinet to fit the wall and floor.
4. Use a 6' level across the tops of the face frames to make sure you're running in a straight line.
5. Set your upper cabinets to 18.5" above the bases (no tops yet), level them, and scribe to the wall behind them. Make sure you're always screwing into studs or use plenty of anchors if you have to.
6. I won't get into scribing counter tops, because that can be a pretty complicated topic depending on the circumstances.

I wouldn't worry about how uneven your floors are. Sometimes concrete is bad. Sometimes floor trusses are worse. I've worked in brand new houses with 1" sags in the floor. I've worked in a house that was built in the 70s that have 1.25" difference in the floor in less than ten feet of cabinets. I've worked in houses built pre-1950 where the floors and walls were all within 1/4". It really just depends on who built the house and how much time and care they put into the construction.

I'm in the industry as well. I've been a general contractor for 25 years, and high end remodeling is what I do. On custom cabinets, you order them with the proper toe kicks, if you're using modular boxes, you fir up the toe kicks to the correct height. After the finished floors are installed, you skin the toe kicks, no shoe molding required. The finished product is perfect, the flooring never gets damaged, and when the owner decides to change the floor, it's an easy demo job. Working over a brand new anything is always to be avoided when you can. If the floor isn't there, you can't damage it.

 

[ShockwaveVT]

I'm in the industry as well. I've been a general contractor for 25 years, and high end remodeling is what I do. On custom cabinets, you order them with the proper toe kicks, if you're using modular boxes, you fir up the toe kicks to the correct height. After the finished floors are installed, you skin the toe kicks, no shoe molding required. The finished product is perfect, the flooring never gets damaged, and when the owner decides to change the floor, it's an easy demo job. Working over a brand new anything is always to be avoided when you can. If the floor isn't there, you can't damage it.

so your reason for putting cabinets in first is that its easier... and your criticism of putting the floor down first is that the only reason to do it is that its easier.

face it, you'd rather have it easy as the cabinet guy and toss stuff around the site while making it harder on the flooring guy, rather than doing it right and being careful during cabinet install.

 

[Greenman]

so your reason for putting cabinets in first is that its easier... and your criticism of putting the floor down first is that the only reason to do it is that its easier.

face it, you'd rather have it easy as the cabinet guy and toss stuff around the site while making it harder on the flooring guy, rather than doing it right and being careful during cabinet install.

I'm astonished that you can't grasp such a simple concept.
What I'm telling you, and what every professional builder I know does, is put the cabinets in first. There simply isn't any reason to do it any other way. You can argue all you want, but the fact remains that working over brand new finished floors is to be avoided. There is no benefit, and a great deal of added risk. Why on earth would anyone want to expend extra effort and cost to make a job more difficult? Why would you want to have added risks when your installing cabinets? It's a no brainer, I can't believe you'd argue such an ill conceived idea.

 

[amdskip]

LOL, nice discussion here. I am just a do it yourselfer but I agree that installing the floor first produces a better end result.

On custom cabinets, you order them with the proper toe kicks, if you're using modular boxes, you fir up the toe kicks to the correct height.

This statement here is where your opinion is wrong. Most people use non custom cabinets as custom are too expensive. And to the second part of that, fir up the toe kicks, no thank you. That sounds like a really sucky job and I am not volunteering for that. It's hard enough to make unlevel level and then try to fir the boxes up too.