Chicago Happenings

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by Cletus Miller
Sort of depends on how bad your current kitchen is. If it hasn't been redone since the 80s, I think its pretty important. Just don't spend $40,000 on a wood-fired brick oven and you should do okay on the ROI. From what I recall, in recent years, kitchen remodels have the 2d best ROI after bathrooms.

That said, I also think, with the major slowdown in construction, if you wait 6 months, you can get much better pricing (and responsiveness) on the work as there will be a glut of underemployed construction workers.

We had planned on starting on April, so hopefully our timing will be right.

The kitchen is pretty bad. Green formica countertops, white appliances, late 80s cabinets with gold hardware (the kitchen hasn't been upgraded since it was built in '88).

We want new countertops, appliances and cabinets (either new or refaced*). I don't want to spend more than $20k (and would prefer $15k).

Thanks for the input, Cletus.

*the cabinets are actually of decent quality, but significantly out of style.

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
What sort of remodel are you talking? I am trying to figure out if mine is going to be a $5,000 remodel (new floors, cabinets from IKEA (which as far as I can tell are pretty damned good) and countertops), a $10-15,000 remodel (above plus new appliances) or a $50-75,000 remodel (expand kitchen, add laundry room, half bath and master suite to that side of the house). I tihnk any of the above will add value to the house, but Houston hasn't really been hit by any discernable housing slump.

Your mid-range remodel is what we're shooting for, except that we won't need new floors.

[robustpuppy]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
Your mid-range remodel is what we're shooting for, except that we won't need new floors.

i just read this on cnn money last night. a midrange kitchen remodel can be expected in the current market to recoup about 80% of the cost. midrange was estimated at, gulp, 54,000.

i'd say your own enjoyment of it over 4-6 years is worth 20%, even your kitchen weren't so bad as to make it harder to sell the house down the road.

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by robustpuppy
i just read this on cnn money last night. a midrange kitchen remodel can be expected in the current market to recoup about 80% of the cost. midrange was estimated at, gulp, 54,000.

i'd say your own enjoyment of it over 4-6 years is worth 20%, even your kitchen weren't so bad as to make it harder to sell the house down the road.

I agree.

I can't spend $54k, though. Yikes.

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
Your mid-range remodel is what we're shooting for, except that we won't need new floors.

If you do new appliances, you may well need new floors because of the differing footprints. Unless you have, e.g., everything sitting on wood floors.

[Cletus Miller]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
We had planned on starting on April, so hopefully our timing will be right.

The kitchen is pretty bad. Green formica countertops, white appliances, late 80s cabinets with gold hardware (the kitchen hasn't been upgraded since it was built in '88).

We want new countertops, appliances and cabinets (either new or refaced*). I don't want to spend more than $20k (and would prefer $15k).

Thanks for the input, Cletus.

*the cabinets are actually of decent quality, but significantly out of style.

Based only on my own observations, yours is exactly the sort of kitchen which must be upgraded to improve resale. And, whatever you do, make sure you have a significant holdback in your progress payments or you may never get the project done--everyone I know that has had major work done recently has had problems with getting things completed.

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by ltl/fb
If you do new appliances, you may well need new floors because of the differing footprints. Unless you have, e.g., everything sitting on wood floors.

It's all hardwood, and the appliances are hopefully going to be installed in the same location as before (as are the countertops). The layout will not be changed.

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
Your mid-range remodel is what we're shooting for, except that we won't need new floors.

Mine started because of the floors. An appliance leaked, which seeped under the floor, and I have to rip the floors out (which I don't really mind, since they were Pergo installed as a DIY by the previous owners and I've never really liked them, and I found a really nice tile that will look good instead). In order to get the floor fixed, I have to rip out the cabinets on that side of the kitchen (and of course, get that appliance fixed). Since I'm ripping out the cabinets on that side of the kitchen, I might as well rip out the cabinets on the other side of the kitchen.

It's a giant expensive snowball from what I suspect was just a clogged drain.

I've been doing a lot of research on kitchens in the last six months, though, so if you're looking for advice on how to keep costs down (IKEA, Silestone, Sears), lemme know.

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
Mine started because of the floors. An appliance leaked, which seeped under the floor, and I have to rip the floors out (which I don't really mind, since they were Pergo installed as a DIY by the previous owners and I've never really liked them, and I found a really nice tile that will look good instead). In order to get the floor fixed, I have to rip out the cabinets on that side of the kitchen (and of course, get that appliance fixed). Since I'm ripping out the cabinets on that side of the kitchen, I might as well rip out the cabinets on the other side of the kitchen.

It's a giant expensive snowball from what I suspect was just a clogged drain.

I've been doing a lot of research on kitchens in the last six months, though, so if you're looking for advice on how to keep costs down (IKEA, Silestone, Sears), lemme know.

Huh. Mine started about 3 hours after we closed when my wife said, "we're really going to have to do something about that kitchen".

I don't understand why cabinets are so expensive. They're freaking boxes of wood.

I will probably email you some questions if that's okay (sometime down the road). Thanks.

[Cletus Miller]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
cabinets from IKEA (which as far as I can tell are pretty damned good)

Having only looked at them out of curiousity, the potential issue I see is with the runners on the drawers--I get frustrated with flimsy drawer runners and the Ikea cabinets I looked at seemed to have less than robust runners. May be that I was looking at the cheap, cheap stuff, but it's something to consider.

Coltrane--if you're existing cabinets are good quality and you're happy with the layout and storage options, it's definitely a good idea to just reface everything.

[nononono]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
What sort of remodel are you talking? I am trying to figure out if mine is going to be a $5,000 remodel (new floors, cabinets from IKEA (which as far as I can tell are pretty damned good) and countertops), a $10-15,000 remodel (above plus new appliances) or a $50-75,000 remodel (expand kitchen, add laundry room, half bath and master suite to that side of the house). I tihnk any of the above will add value to the house, but Houston hasn't really been hit by any discernable housing slump.

You can do all that for $50-75K? What kind of state is Texas??

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
It's all hardwood, and the appliances are hopefully going to be installed in the same location as before (as are the countertops). The layout will not be changed.

I've had known a fair number of kitchen remodelers to find out that standard sizes have changed slightly, and if the floor is built around the replaced appliances (instead of running underneath, and still being in OK shape underneath), finding that they ended up having to do stuff to the floor.

Anyway, just something to keep in mind.

[nononono]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
Huh. Mine started about 3 hours after we closed when my wife said, "we're really going to have to do something about that kitchen".

I don't understand why cabinets are so expensive. They're freaking boxes of wood.

I will probably email you some questions if that's okay (sometime down the road). Thanks.

I'm happy to help as well, if you need it. I had my kitchen (and whole main floor) gutted a couple years ago. I was very involved in the design (I did the elevations) and made pretty much all the selections after ridiculously thorough research. It was a relatively high-end project, so I don't have a lot of cost-cutting advice, unfortunately, but I do have a lot of experience with evaluating materials, design, working with builders, etc.

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Penske_Account
I will be visiting Chicago in January. Any tips on hot new restaurants and other interesting things to do and places to be seen for a preternaturally youthful hipster doofus?

Quartino is a new Italian place that specializes in small plates. They cure their own prosciutto and salami, and they make a plot of risottos. They are also supposed to have an extensive selection of Italian wines.

Custom House is a steakhouse opened recently by Sean McClain, the chef behind Spring. It's supposed to be very good.

Vermilion is an Indian fusion restaurant that is one of the best places I've eaten at in a while.

Of course, you'll want to indulge in a nice cold martini with an aging hipster doofus at Encore, a delightful little cocktail joint in the heart of the Loop.

Drop me a line, Skirt-boy.

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
We had planned on starting on April, so hopefully our timing will be right.

The kitchen is pretty bad. Green formica countertops, white appliances, late 80s cabinets with gold hardware (the kitchen hasn't been upgraded since it was built in '88).

We want new countertops, appliances and cabinets (either new or refaced*). I don't want to spend more than $20k (and would prefer $15k).

Thanks for the input, Cletus.

*the cabinets are actually of decent quality, but significantly out of style.

Definitely go for the reface if the cabinets are in good shape.