Here I am

My Kitchen Remodel

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Well, been working on this remodel for probably 9 months, maybe longer, but I am just about finished... Finally! Its my kitchen in the basement. The original kitchen was done when my parents lived here when I was in 3rd grade. I remodeled it due to the fact that the upstairs remodel is going to take me a good couple years probably, so we'll be living down here for a while. Plus, other people have lived here over the years, and many of them didnt take care of the basement. The rest i remodeled years ago, but the kitchen was the last room left down here. Anyway, here are some pics!



Old Kitchen in the process of getting torn out. As you can see, it was in rough shape. The doors were on the cabinets, but I already had torn them off by the time I figured I should take some before pictures.

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And now, the new and MUCH improved kitchen!!!



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I still have some painting to finish on the trim, and have some trim pieces for the cabinets I still need to make. Plus put the white 1/4" on the bottoms of the cabinets to finish off the bottoms where the lights are mounted. There is a piece of decorative molding that wraps the bottoms of the upper cabinets, but I need to go to the shop and make that still. And some smaller crown for the cabinets under the sofet area (wish that wasnt there, but there is mechanical there I couldnt move). And still need base shoe for all the cabinet lowers, but its alot nicer than it was! Dont mind actually using the kitchen now! Only regret is that I didnt put in heated flooring, I thought about it, and now wish I had, but oh well. Its just a little chilly by the door.



Cabinets are Walnut that is stained. Countertops are a natural stone look alike laminate, to be honest, I actually like it better than natural, easy to clean, doesnt scratch to easy, and there is no seams in the corners like most granite. Back splash is Natural Travertine, with polished stone inserts. Best part is, that is left over from different jobs. The 6x6 pieces were left over because a lady changed her mind on where she wanted stone, so I ended up with a large enough amount left over to do the entire back splash, and I couldnt return it, and she didnt want it. The polished stone decoritive pieces are left over from a shower floor I did. And the 4x4 were from another back splash I did. Never pays to return the stuff when they hit you with a 25% restock fee.



What ya'll think?
 
Thanks everyone for the compliments! This stuff runs though my veins! My dad owns a custom cabinet shop, and one of my brothers works for him. He built the cabinets for me. I can do it myself, but for how fast he can build them, it didnt pay for me to try and do it myself. Pretty much the rest of the project I did with the help of two of my brothers and a very understanding patient wife! It was only a month or two of gutting, to the point it was usable again. Since then I have just picked at it when I have had time. I do this every day for other people, as its what I do for a living, so my stuff always gets put on the back burner, but the final result was worth it. This remodel would have been close to 20-25k I am guessing, luckly I have family! LOL!



My Uncle is actually the contractor that is dealing with the Garage addition to the Olsen home in St Paul, the house next to Garrison Keillors place that has been all over the news. My dad is actually building the cabinets for that addition.
 
Nice!! Good choice of layout!



Thanks! It was a challenge to be honest. There wasnt much space to work with. It took a couple different layouts and ideas until we got something that worked out and didnt feel to cramped, but still gave us lots of counter space.
 
It'll suck to live in a basement for a couple years, but I'm sure y'all'll make do. :D

I worked for a custom cabinet maker (damn, almost 30 years ago!) That is one nice looking kitchen. I fully expect the main kitchen to be *far* more impressive when it's done. (The pressure is on!)

N
 
It'll suck to live in a basement for a couple years, but I'm sure y'all'll make do. :D



I worked for a custom cabinet maker (damn, almost 30 years ago!) That is one nice looking kitchen. I fully expect the main kitchen to be *far* more impressive when it's done. (The pressure is on!)



N



Oh you should see what I have planned for that. :D I'll have to get pictures of my brothers kitchen remodel we did a few months back. His was a complete redo as well. His is even more impressive then mine is if you ask me, but his is the main kitchen and had alot more room to work with. We had his done in a matter of 2 weeks from start to finish. But, he took time off from work to do his, mine was during free time. Something I didnt have much of, and considering I was gone all summer up north building two cabins, I dont think 9 months was to bad considering. I love this stuff, and I honestly wish I could do it for everyone for free, but obviously it doesnt pay the bills. I know for a fact, that if I didnt have the family connections and the God given talent, this wouldnt have ever happened, because there is no way I could afford to pay someone to do it.
 
Outstanding work Alphacowboy, you put that small space to really good use. Don't forget to put up pictures of the main kitchen when you finish!
 
I like the old kitchen. It reminds me of my bathroom!:-laf Can't wait to get that sucker done, though it won't be me doing it.
 
I like the old kitchen. It reminds me of my bathroom!:-laf Can't wait to get that sucker done, though it won't be me doing it.



:-laf



I wish more of ya'll lived closer, I would offer up my services! I do really need to start advertising or something. Business is ok, but it could be better.



Really glad you guys all like it. Now that its pretty much done, I want to start on the next project! Problem is, my remodel I want to do is going to cost me 100k and I just dont have it, and I dont want to borrow it if I dont have too. We'll see, if rates keep dropping like crazy I might just pull the trigger and do it.
 
Honeydos...

Hey, I remodeled my brothers condo in Charleston SC... so Colorado isnt that far. But, sorry, couldnt do it for free though.



The kitchen is on my list, my retirement is turning into a full time job. I just hope I can do as good of job as you did! Hey give me the name of that laminate on the countertops, that does look darn nice.



You are still welcome to come visit, got some work on the mountain property that is going to get put off this year... Nice spot to listen to wind in the pines, view of Sangres, hummingbirds, and thunder showers in the afternoons. . No cell phone coverage is always a plus... :D
 
Really nice work. It certainly does help to have family. My wife and I just remodeled the basement. All the help that we got was our kids telling us that it looked like a lot of work and why didn't we hire someone. Now I just smile and say "We took all the help that was offered. "



In the end WE did it. Just like you we have to pick at things that need to be comepltted, but, we have usable space that we did not have before.



Congradulations - Good job - AC
 
The kitchen is on my list, my retirement is turning into a full time job. I just hope I can do as good of job as you did! Hey give me the name of that laminate on the countertops, that does look darn nice.



You are still welcome to come visit, got some work on the mountain property that is going to get put off this year... Nice spot to listen to wind in the pines, view of Sangres, hummingbirds, and thunder showers in the afternoons. . No cell phone coverage is always a plus... :D



sounds nice... Colorado is where the wife and I will most likely hang our hats when the time comes to retire.



I'll have to look through my paperwork to see what laminate it was... I had a local company build them for me, for how cheap I get the tops from them, I couldnt even build them for what I paid. We use them on all our jobs, as they have a CNC system that they make the tops with. They come out and use a laser system for measurements, and it also cuts the top to fit the walls. So, there is vurtually no fitting to do at all, drop it in, and screw it down. Heck, they even cut out the sink for ya! :)
 
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