Shivani said:We plan to remodle our kitchen. I need some advise. Here's what needs
to be done.
Kitchen:
6 * 12 feet kitchen needs remodeling.
1. Demolish the existing kitchen (cabinets etc)
2. Remove the current vinyl floor and install ceramic tiles
3. Install new appliances (all electric)
4. One of the kitchen walls needs a 4 * 4 feet hole to open it up. The
job includes making this hole and finishing the wall with plaster.
5. One pantry and one coat closet needs to be knocked off to make space
for the cabinets and refrigerator.
6. This project may need minor electric and plumbing work in the
kitchen
7. The 1300 square feet condo needs crown molding
8. The bathroom door needs to be changed such that it opens on the
outside (towards the room) instead of inside (towards the bathroom)
9. The vanity, sink in one of the bathrooms need to be lifted 6 inches.
10. The medicine closet in both bathrooms need to be replaced
11. Master bedroom wardrobe door needs to be replaced with a glass
door.
12. The door for the washer dryer closet needs to be replaced with a
sliding door
13. Minor - change the locks of 3 doors.
I will pay for the materials. Home depot will do the granite counter
top installation.
The cabinets will cost 5-6k, counter top with island, back splash and
installation will cost about 4k, appliances 2k, floor 500$.
Question:
- How much should I pay for labor?
The on sight supretendent in my complex is a handy man and knows the
condo complex better than anyone. He is asking for 10k flat. He'll do
everything. He'll even get the electrician and pay him. If something
goes wrong, he'll be there.
Is 10k$ reasonable? It sounds a lot to me.
Very reasonable... from perusing your list $10,000 a steal.... hurry
before he changes his mind. The labor for installing crown moulding
for a typical 1,800 sf living space is about $2,000. Redoing the
flooring another $2,000. Changing a bathroom door can be very
expensive, if there is wall tile and a marble saddle involved that job
alone can easily run a Grand.
My only reservation would be whether one person would possess the
required expertise in all those trades, and is he licensed and
insured... probably not, he works way too cheap.
I think you will be far better off hiring a general contractor, they
obtain the various trades person to perform each particular task. With
some handyman you will likely end up with an abortion. Btw, regardless
who does the job, make absolutely sure to get it all in writing.
The fact that you are not willing to do much of that work yourself
tells me you know nothing about home remodling. Much of what you
listed is pretty easy for the average home owner, just requires some
sweat. It's fairly simple to demolish kitchen cabinets and even easier
to install new... the most difficult part is what to do with all the
trash, you'll need to rent a dumpster and so you'll need to work
quickly or you will be paying dumpster rent up the kazoos. Oftentimes
if you remove the old cabinets carefully then someone else can use
them, for storage in a garage, basement, workshop... put them out at
the curb neatly and they'll be gone so quick you'll think it was by
magic.
Installing ceramic floor tile is pretty simple, especially if it's on a
cement slab... totally uneducated Mexicans and Italians can install
tile, you can install tile. Be sure the tile is installed on the
entire floor, right up to the walls even under the cabinets. Most home
builders these days cheat, they install the cabinets first, then tile
only around the cabinets... that's a [censored] job.... especially in
bathrooms where they don't tile under the vanity, yuck... they save a
few bucks and figure no one will see... reminds me of folks who only
keep the front yard neat, don't look in the back... these folks don't
do anything no one will see, don't even wipe their ass.
Generally the store where you purchase your appliances will for
relatively little money do the install... the dishwasher is probably
the most involved, Sears installed mine recently for $35. Most any
idiot can plug in the fridge. Buy all your appliances from the same
store and pay for the install, will cost very little and will be an
expertly done job.
I'm not going to run through your entire list, but many of those jobs
can be done yourself (nothing difficult about changing door locks), and
none of the others are contingent on each other so can be addressed
individually at some later date... I think it's better not to contract
the same individual to do everything all at once, wait to see how
someone does a job before deciding to give them the next job.
By doing most of those jobs yourself not only will you save most of
that ten Grand, more importantly you will save yourself a lot of grief.
Face those jobs one at a time and then it all won't look so
overwhelming/scary.
Even installing crown moulding is easy, if you have a quality power
miter saw... buy one for under $200 and save two Grand, and at the end
still have the saw. And don't use a nailing gun, use real nails... get
the finishing nails that are coated, they glue themselves in and hold
like forever. In fact any workmen ever shows up with a nailing gun
immediately show them the door, do NOT let them start.
Good luck
Sheldon
