What's your kitchen like?

100 bucks she was the contractor too.

i bought a 350k 3 bedroom 2 bath rancher w/ a pool and an in law studio that had been a rental for ten years.....total gut then spent another 350k redoing everything you can imagine...everyhting worked out perfect....never moving
 
gas cook tops are required to be vented by code.....100 bucks she didn't use an architect


I have an electric stove. No gas on my street. I did have a propane fireplace but I had it taken out. Well, not the fireplace insert, that's still there. But I had HVAC put in and had the propane tank removed. I don't know, propane just scares me. Probably for no reason.

My next job is to renovate the front room. What used to be the living room. I want it all taken down to the studs. There's this really ugly brick wall where the fireplace is. I want all new drywall. I want the fireplace converted back to wood burning. I want a formal, white, mantle around it. I have a really pretty mirror from my grandmother that I want to hang there. It'll be my formal dining room.

That'll leave only two rooms left.
 
i bought a 350k 3 bedroom 2 bath rancher w/ a pool and an in law studio that had been a rental for ten years.....total gut then spent another 350k redoing everything you can imagine...everyhting worked out perfect....never moving

Oh I know, you can contract yourself, IF you know what you're doing. Otherwise it's the typical "I'll never do that again" sob stuff.
 
Oh I know, you can contract yourself, IF you know what you're doing. Otherwise it's the typical "I'll never do that again" sob stuff.

Would you mind explaining what you mean?

If you go back and read what I actually said, you would see that I am actually very greatful to my contractor. Jeff gave me the house I wanted.

I'm just very dismayed at how he treated me after I paid him $75,000.

And what was that comment about me being my own contractor? That's what I pay them for. If I could do it myself I wouldn't need them.

All the work that is left won't involve plumbing. Thank Christ!
 
...
I'm just very dismayed at how he treated me after I paid him $75,000.

And what was that comment about me being my own contractor? That's what I pay them for. If I could do it myself I wouldn't need them.

....

Obvious you have no clue what a contractor is, or does..

I'll tell ya this though, as long as you are willing to write $75,000 checks people, all kinds of people, will line up for em. Good luck with the rest of the house, from what you've writen in a few treads you'll need it.

Friendly advise...RESEARCH and LEARN..It's cheaper.
 
Obvious you have no clue what a contractor is, or does..

I'll tell ya this though, as long as you are willing to write $75,000 checks people, all kinds of people, will line up for em. Good luck with the rest of the house, from what you've writen in a few treads you'll need it.

Friendly advise...RESEARCH and LEARN..It's cheaper.

What's your point?

Are YOU a contractor?

I paid $75,000 to have a 12x26 foot addition added to my house. I paid $228,000 for my house and I doubled the size of it with the addition. I added a second bathroom, a utlitity room, and a brand new kitchen from the studs out. The whole thing ended up costing me $110,000.

What do you think a contractor is?
 
Would you mind explaining what you mean?

If you go back and read what I actually said, you would see that I am actually very greatful to my contractor. Jeff gave me the house I wanted.

I'm just very dismayed at how he treated me after I paid him $75,000.

And what was that comment about me being my own contractor? That's what I pay them for. If I could do it myself I wouldn't need them.

All the work that is left won't involve plumbing. Thank Christ!

is jeff licensed and bonded? did you pay him money before he started? did you hire any of the subcontractors yourself? did you do any of the work yourself? who's contract did you sign? who did the drawings? why did not not hold 10% of the contract amount until 35 days after the completion of the job and request conditional and unconditional lien releases?
 
is jeff licensed and bonded? did you pay him money before he started? did you hire any of the subcontractors yourself? did you do any of the work yourself? who's contract did you sign? who did the drawings? why did not not hold 10% of the contract amount until 35 days after the completion of the job and request conditional and unconditional lien releases?


Oh, now you tell me!

I was desperate. I bought a dump that I could not live in for the two years it would have taken to have a legit, recommended, contractor take the job.

I think I made out pretty well.

I did nothing myself except paint. That I did, but that's only because you can't find ANYBODY to paint for less than highway robbery. Everything else was up to Jeff.

Is Jeff licensed? Funny you should ask.

When I found him in the Yellow Pages in the spring of 2004, he had a BBB tag at the end of his half page ad. Now, I happen to work for the phone company and I know that those ads cost a lot of money. A LOT of money. I saw the BBB reference so I checked him out there. No complaints.

Now, I'm not completely stupid. I know that it is VERY difficult to lodge a complaint at the Better Business Bureau. You can't just complain about a company that screwed you over. You have to document that you tried to resolve it with the company and they were not responsive, or would not resolve your complaint to your satisfaction. But you can't get screwed and then complain at the BBB about it.

So if you check out a company at the BBB and they have even one complaint? Run, don't walk, as far away as you can. Because for every 1 complaint at the BBB there are probably 50 more where people couldn't be bothered to go through the hassle it takes to file a complaint in the first place.

But Jeff had no complaints when I hired him.

About 6 months ago I checked him out again and he had 3. AND, there was a disclaimer at the bottom of his listing that said his ad in the Yellow Pages claims he is a member of the BBB, but he is not, and never has been, a member of the Better Business Bureau.

So, yeah, I consider the little things he screwed me about to be minor. Annoying, but pretty minor.

The plans were done by a designer. No, he was not an architect
and that was the first thing he told me when I met with him. He never claimed to be one. And he did make mistakes. He had two sets of french doors on the back wall. One was supposed to be in the bedroom suite and the other was on the same back wall leading from the kitchen/great room to the deck. Lenny told me there was no way to put french doors on that wall. There was no room for a header. The roof line was so low that it wasn't possible.

So we moved the french doors to the gable end of the garage structure for the great room. And Lenny REALLY tried to talk me out of having a door in the master bedroom leading to the deck. But I REALLY wanted a door there. My first house had sliders to a deck from the master bedroom and I really wanted that door. I've always had dogs and it's nice to have a door in the bedroom to just let them out. I wanted that door.

So Lenny custom ordered the door for me. It's pretty cheap. It's like cork that has vinyl clad on it. It's not a full sized door, it's a lot shorter than a full sized door would be. But you reall can't tell.

I think he felt so guilty about the cheap door he got me for the bedroom that he went all out and got me great french doors for the great room. Those are really nice doors.
 
Oh, now you tell me!

I was desperate. I bought a dump that I could not live in for the two years it would have taken to have a legit, recommended, contractor take the job.

I think I made out pretty well.

I did nothing myself except paint. That I did, but that's only because you can't find ANYBODY to paint for less than highway robbery. Everything else was up to Jeff.

Is Jeff licensed? Funny you should ask.

When I found him in the Yellow Pages in the spring of 2004, he had a BBB tag at the end of his half page ad. Now, I happen to work for the phone company and I know that those ads cost a lot of money. A LOT of money. I saw the BBB reference so I checked him out there. No complaints.

Now, I'm not completely stupid. I know that it is VERY difficult to lodge a complaint at the Better Business Bureau. You can't just complain about a company that screwed you over. You have to document that you tried to resolve it with the company and they were not responsive, or would not resolve your complaint to your satisfaction. But you can't get screwed and then complain at the BBB about it.

So if you check out a company at the BBB and they have even one complaint? Run, don't walk, as far away as you can. Because for every 1 complaint at the BBB there are probably 50 more where people couldn't be bothered to go through the hassle it takes to file a complaint in the first place.

But Jeff had no complaints when I hired him.

About 6 months ago I checked him out again and he had 3. AND, there was a disclaimer at the bottom of his listing that said his ad in the Yellow Pages claims he is a member of the BBB, but he is not, and never has been, a member of the Better Business Bureau.

So, yeah, I consider the little things he screwed me about to be minor. Annoying, but pretty minor.

The plans were done by a designer. No, he was not an architect
and that was the first thing he told me when I met with him. He never claimed to be one. And he did make mistakes. He had two sets of french doors on the back wall. One was supposed to be in the bedroom suite and the other was on the same back wall leading from the kitchen/great room to the deck. Lenny told me there was no way to put french doors on that wall. There was no room for a header. The roof line was so low that it wasn't possible.

So we moved the french doors to the gable end of the garage structure for the great room. And Lenny REALLY tried to talk me out of having a door in the master bedroom leading to the deck. But I REALLY wanted a door there. My first house had sliders to a deck from the master bedroom and I really wanted that door. I've always had dogs and it's nice to have a door in the bedroom to just let them out. I wanted that door.

So Lenny custom ordered the door for me. It's pretty cheap. It's like cork that has vinyl clad on it. It's not a full sized door, it's a lot shorter than a full sized door would be. But you really can't tell.

I think he felt so guilty about the cheap door he got me for the bedroom that he went all out and got me great french doors for the great room. Those are really nice doors.

as one that does all this every day of my life.....you did very well....you should be proud of what you got....sounds like a nice house to raise a nice family....congradulations
 
as one that does all this every day of my life.....you did very well....you should be proud of what you got....sounds like a nice house to raise a nice family....congradulations


Well, after $110,000 I pretty much have to tell myself that, don't I?

No, in all seriousness, I was very lucky. I could have been screwed big time and I wasn't. Not in the end.

It all worked out pretty well, considering.

And I got my dishwasher. Which is what started it all.

I wouldn't want to go through it again, but it all worked out.
 
Well, after $110,000 I pretty much have to tell myself that, don't I?

No, in all seriousness, I was very lucky. I could have been screwed big time and I wasn't. Not in the end.

It all worked out pretty well, considering.

And I got my dishwasher. Which is what started it all.

I wouldn't want to go through it again, but it all worked out.

good for you
 
Right now a mess...made three cheese and meat lasagna...yuk..think I will run to the market and buy a six pack of beer...then contemplate the clean up...a batchelors life is a dream....or is that a mess?:sausage:
 
My ex seemd to always be frying fish, and then smear the grease around.
I always wanted a stainless steel kitchen with a drain in the center of the floor, so I could use a high-pressured hose to clean it.
Now I'm considering vending machines.
 
My ex seemd to always be frying fish, and then smear the grease around.
I always wanted a stainless steel kitchen with a drain in the center of the floor, so I could use a high-pressured hose to clean it.
Now I'm considering vending machines.

I like Captian Ds fish.
 
Just finished getting the sub-flooring replaced as well as the surfacing (Tarkett Infinity), not just the kitchen but both of the bathrooms as well. Next step is painting the walls, then putting a new finish on the cabinetry and finally replacing the appliances. Cabinetry will probably be next summer's project and appliances will go in bits and pieces over the next couple of years.

Someone else in the thread mentioned putting a deep, rich color in the kitchen for a dramatic difference from traditional kitchens, and I agree. With the new floor being a faux-stone surface, and reddish-brown cabinetry I figure a darker color such as pine green would make for a distinctive look.

The new appliances will have the polished steel finish....

One thing at a time.....
 
Just finished getting the sub-flooring replaced as well as the surfacing (Tarkett Infinity), not just the kitchen but both of the bathrooms as well. Next step is painting the walls, then putting a new finish on the cabinetry and finally replacing the appliances. Cabinetry will probably be next summer's project and appliances will go in bits and pieces over the next couple of years.

Someone else in the thread mentioned putting a deep, rich color in the kitchen for a dramatic difference from traditional kitchens, and I agree. With the new floor being a faux-stone surface, and reddish-brown cabinetry I figure a darker color such as pine green would make for a distinctive look.

The new appliances will have the polished steel finish....

One thing at a time.....

Color really does make a huge difference. It's a lot of work to paint walls a dark color and have it come out nice, but it's really worth it in the end. And with white, or natural, woodwork? I just don't think there is a better look.

They thought I was nuts when I started painting the kitchen burgandy, and it really looked horrible until I got the third coat up. But 5 coats later, it really looked good. And once they hung the maple cabinets, it really looked great. Then the black granite counters went in, and then the stainless appliances. It really came out better than I could have hoped for.

Even if you do a total kitchen renovation like I did, it's not at all like you see on these TV shows. You don't just come home one day, open your eyes, and have a brand new kitchen.

I had nothing but a stove and fridge for 5 months. My fridge was in the living room all that time. Then I had cabinets, which meant I lost my stove until the new one could be installed. Then the sink and counters went in, but I still had no plumbing. So no water. The appliances got installed, but I still couldn't use the dishwasher.

Then the plumber finally came back and hooked everything up except for the garbage disposer. The one I bought didn't have a plug. So that took about a month before I could find someone to hook that up for me.

It's not like you see on TV.
 

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