Author Topic: Project - New kitchen!  (Read 35807 times)

MrSal

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 889
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #100 on: May 13, 2015, 10:52:42 AM »
I know I'm late to the party, but I wanted to clarify/correct some things about the electrical wiring question.

--The minimum gauge for a 20A circuit is 12 AWG.  For a 15A circuit, it's 14 AWG.
--Yes, according to code, you have to run the full-size wiring for the whole circuit.  So even though your LED lights will only be drawing a few dozen milliamps at most, you have to put in the 12 or 14 AWG wire.

That's what I ended up doing just in case since I couldn't find any info regarding that I went with what I was certain was required.

MrSal

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 889
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #101 on: May 13, 2015, 09:59:22 PM »
Update:

Only grout needed





I also need to buy new outlet covers ... does anyone know where to find decorator screwless covers? I tried Lowes but didnt find it there... and the ones they had were super expensive. Oh I also need switches decorator as well.

Any online store that sells those and good ones?

MrSal

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 889
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #102 on: May 15, 2015, 10:15:04 AM »
Before:



After:



Just doing some last details!


HairyUpperLip

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 893
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #103 on: May 15, 2015, 10:18:58 AM »
Wow, it looks amazing.

The black cabinets look so much better! Very good work in my opinion!!

waffle

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 286
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #104 on: May 15, 2015, 10:56:06 AM »
Looking good. I'm starting to work on my kitchen and you've given me some great ideas.

couponvan

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8670
  • Location: VA
    • My journal
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #105 on: June 01, 2015, 02:35:58 PM »
I am so stealing your lovely wiring diagram for my kitchen renovation.  It looks so nice! 

At the end you'll have to post the summary before and after to remind everyone how far this kitchen has come and how little you spent to  accomplish the project.

greenmimama

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 718
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #106 on: June 01, 2015, 03:37:42 PM »
The backsplash pulls it all together, I can't believe that kitchen only cost you that much, it looks like a high end kitchen.

Great job!!

MBot

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 506
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #107 on: June 04, 2015, 03:11:33 PM »


time to start researching on how to make concrete countertops!

First, the renovation looks amazing! I'm quite impressed by the level of work and scale done.

Why the concrete question though? Those countertops you already have look awesome! Is there any reason you want to switch to concrete?

Mr. LC

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 4
    • Loose Change Living
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #108 on: June 17, 2015, 06:43:22 PM »
Wow - what a nice thread to follow. You have done a fantastic job of telling the story of your remodeling efforts.

I've enjoyed watching the progress as I read through the thread.

The upgrade to your kitchen is an excellent way to raise the value of your home.

Thanks again for sharing.

MrSal

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 889
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #109 on: June 17, 2015, 07:18:55 PM »


time to start researching on how to make concrete countertops!

First, the renovation looks amazing! I'm quite impressed by the level of work and scale done.

Why the concrete question though? Those countertops you already have look awesome! Is there any reason you want to switch to concrete?

I dont like the countertops... they look cheap its just a melanine thing.

The kitchen is changing a little bit more.

I now have the outlets on as well as a NEW STOVEEE!

I know its not mustachian but I got a great deal!!! I bought 800 USD of Lowes gift card for 400 dollars!! I took advantage of one of their promotions and using the cashback portals and discount and also the sale of my stove - sold it for 200 USD - I am only going to pay out of pocket about 60 dollars!! which is great!!

I am now in the estimates of doing our backyard fence! I will probably open a new thread for that too... I got an estimate from a Menanite guy the other day and it jsut gave me even more willl to do it myself! He asked me 10k !!!!! for the fence!!! a wood fence! ... cost of materials that he broke down was around 2700 dollars. I am considering doing it myself.

I will try to have pictures of the whole kitchen done soon!

MrSal

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 889
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #110 on: June 18, 2015, 09:03:03 PM »
Just bought a new stove!!!

It looks pretty sweet!!

Out of pocket... cost was about 80 USD!

Originallly the stove was 700 USD but Lowes was running a sales on it and they were selling it for 549 USD.

I bought Gift cards on 90 cents on the dollar...

I used the cashback portals with 6% along with 2% for buying the gift cards... also... when i got there to pickup the item i noticed they had the ad price as 494 USD so I asked them to honor it!

Not only that... but the guy couldnt find any model in stock and he said the only one was the floor model... Well I asked then that in order to take it he had to bring the price down further...

They discounted an aditional 60 USD for 434 USD!!

All in all, I bought it for 434 which cost me 390 USD in gift cards and got a cashback total of 87 USD... also, i got a credit of 20 USD for them not providing the item in the 20 minute guarantee they advertise... so all in all i got it for a grand total of 283 USD!!

Considering the 200 dollars i sold my previous stove... I got it out of pocket for 83 dollars total this new stove!!!

YAAAAAA!!!



along with it you can probably see the faucet already installed!!!

couponvan

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8670
  • Location: VA
    • My journal
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #111 on: June 25, 2015, 04:38:39 PM »
I was afraid to say it before, but your old stove was starting to look like the worst part of the kitchen. Glad you were able to score a new one for such a good price! We installed our upper cabinets at our FIRE house this past weekend, and just the color change made such a huge difference. You've spent a tenth of what we have and it looks just as nice (ok nicer, but I still like mine too).

HairyUpperLip

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 893
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #112 on: July 06, 2015, 09:18:46 AM »
Stove makes a huge difference. Good job. :)

couponvan

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8670
  • Location: VA
    • My journal
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #113 on: August 06, 2015, 06:18:40 PM »
Updates?? :-) we just did our lower electrical for the dishwasher and now I have to give up under cabinet lights to get the granite countertops I love.

couponvan

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8670
  • Location: VA
    • My journal
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #114 on: August 10, 2015, 08:31:10 AM »
"Oh and another badassity ... we went to lowes and picked our new knobs...

Instead of buying there, we took the reference looked it up online and got a supplier in China that sells in AliExpress the same handles/knobs ... instead of 7 dollars each at Lowes we paid 1.80 dollars each! They should be here in around 10 days ..."

I am admiring your knobs....imitation is flattery, right?  Which supplier did you use if I might ask?  Finished my peninsula priming over the weekend - still need to sand and repaint with high quality foam for the final coats. 

MrSal

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 889
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #115 on: August 10, 2015, 05:30:20 PM »
"Oh and another badassity ... we went to lowes and picked our new knobs...

Instead of buying there, we took the reference looked it up online and got a supplier in China that sells in AliExpress the same handles/knobs ... instead of 7 dollars each at Lowes we paid 1.80 dollars each! They should be here in around 10 days ..."

I am admiring your knobs....imitation is flattery, right?  Which supplier did you use if I might ask?  Finished my peninsula priming over the weekend - still need to sand and repaint with high quality foam for the final coats.

Here it is the webpage:

http://stores.ebay.com/contempolivinginc/pages/cabinet-handle-page

you have several designs available... my knobs are the first on the top left.

couponvan

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8670
  • Location: VA
    • My journal
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #116 on: August 10, 2015, 08:28:58 PM »
"Oh and another badassity ... we went to lowes and picked our new knobs...

Instead of buying there, we took the reference looked it up online and got a supplier in China that sells in AliExpress the same handles/knobs ... instead of 7 dollars each at Lowes we paid 1.80 dollars each! They should be here in around 10 days ..."

I am admiring your knobs....imitation is flattery, right?  Which supplier did you use if I might ask?  Finished my peninsula priming over the weekend - still need to sand and repaint with high quality foam for the final coats.

Awesome - thank you.  We just ordered our granite tonight, but it won't be installed until 9/4....That's what you get when you can only be around on M/F for measuring/installing.  Which means another two weekends of washing dishes in the bathtub at the FIRE house.

Here it is the webpage:

http://stores.ebay.com/contempolivinginc/pages/cabinet-handle-page

you have several designs available... my knobs are the first on the top left.

MrSal

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 889
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #117 on: December 19, 2015, 06:17:13 PM »
Wow! I guess I havent updated this thread for a while!

The kitchen is pretty much done other than a few details that we have been post poning (fridge, the accent wall and the countertop).

One of the projects that was overdue was the under cabinet lighting.

I have had many issues with it trying to find the perfect lights. These were either super expensive or it didnt fit the bill. I wanted lights with no transformer - which means hardwired, that wouldnt be super expensive and that would be LEDs most likely.

Finally the other day at Lowes I found the perfect lights! Truth be told the way they were sold were not still perfect - these were direct plug puck LED lights.Each puck had its own plug to plug it into the outlet.

The way they are intended to be used is silly and ugly... but I though - "Hey just cut off the plugs and hardwire it to the switch I had it installed.

That's what I did.

But I found other problems. I wanted a clean install so I pigtailed everything:



I put some wood blocks on the back because the front of the cabinets have a type of trim of 3/4 of an inch so my idea in order to hide the wires if needed be, was to buy a white MDF sheet and just screw it in.

After this a problem arose again. In order to have the puck lights, I need to have the holes perfect. This was a problem because I didnt have the tools and I did want to have some margin for error.

Also, I wanted that in case I needed to access in the future, it would be simple and clean to go in again.

So I though - why not use mini-plugs from the source wire that I had in series and then mini plugs in each puck?

This meant I could make my holes after covering the underneath of the cabinets and have a plug right there and all I needed to do was "CLICK"

And so I did ...after lots of research to buy the correct plugs - most of the plugs that are sold are for hardwire and not stranded wire - I finally found them.

So here's the installation finally of such lights.

I am super happy with the results and so is the wife! All in all I spent after discounts at Lowes 39 dollars for all the lights in the kitchen (9 pucks of lights).







It just needs a bit of caulk to cover the gap between the cabinets.




reader2580

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 219
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #118 on: December 20, 2015, 08:27:24 AM »
Im getting them for 1.9 dollars each instead! And yes they are solid! If I chose the hollow ones it would be 0,90 dollars each instead!

What advantages do you think the solid pulls have versus the hollow ones?  I ordered 50 of these handles from Gobrico through Amazon for $1.20 each.  I didn't realize they were hollow versus solid until I got them.  The only downside I can think of is maybe they will come apart over time.  They function just the same as solid ones from what I can tell.  (I only needed 27 for now, but I have future projects I will need more for.)

I have wasted money on cabinet pulls.  I originally bought 30 of some brushed nickel ones for $2 each.  They look real nice, but I can't fit my hand through the pull.  I am afraid I will end up scratching and wearing the cabinets over time since my hand doesn't fit through.  That is why I ended up buying the bar style pulls.  My hand fits the pulls without touching the cabinets.

MrSal

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 889
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #119 on: December 20, 2015, 10:26:44 AM »
i think the disadvantage is they can bend easily especially if there is some pressure from the screws or something.

Also I read somewhere since they are hollow they are only stainless steel coated which means the coat is skin off easily with time.

For the price difference i think solid are the way to go... i think mine the solid ones were only 20 cents more expensive or so.

reader2580

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 219
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #120 on: December 20, 2015, 10:36:08 AM »
I guess I'll have to see how my pulls hold up.  It may be that I wasted $60.  I guess I thought they were all solid when I was shopping for mine a week ago, but mine are hollow.

I just looked at five different brands of pulls on Amazon and only one states if they are solid or hollow.  The only one that states solid or hollow is a solid one.  It looks like a good way to determine if solid or hollow is to look at shipping weights on Amazon.  The solid ones are around 8 pounds weight for qty 25.  The ones I got are only about 3 pounds for qty 30.

MrSal

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 889
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #121 on: December 20, 2015, 11:03:57 AM »
use eBay for this.

I dont think Amazon had much diversity and they are usually more expensive. Try ebay there are a lot of vendors even inside the nation that sell these for cheap. And they usually say if its solid or hollow.

reader2580

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 219
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #122 on: December 20, 2015, 12:32:29 PM »
I checked both Ebay and Amazon and decided to go with Amazon for some reason.  I wasn't aware of hollow versus solid when I ordered mine a week ago.

zolotiyeruki

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5603
  • Location: State: Denial
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #123 on: December 20, 2015, 07:28:39 PM »
I may have missed it, but what did you use on the underside of the cabinets to hide all the wiring?

reader2580

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 219
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #124 on: December 20, 2015, 09:17:08 PM »
He said he used white painted MDF with spacers to conceal the wiring.

MrSal

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 889
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #125 on: December 21, 2015, 05:51:36 PM »
I may have missed it, but what did you use on the underside of the cabinets to hide all the wiring?

Some kind of Wood board or composite. it was already white.

screwed it to the wood blocks, drilled some holes for the lights and just connected the plugs.


jacksonvasey

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 134
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #126 on: December 29, 2015, 02:12:45 PM »
So did the lights end up wired in series?  Forgive my ignorance, but that would mean you don't need to run a separate wire back to the power source, right?  I've been wanting to get some hard wired under cabinet lights, and I like how yours look, and the price.

MrSal

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 889
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #127 on: January 07, 2016, 09:55:48 AM »
nop no need.

Just power source and connect both neutral and hot wires and thats it.


MrSal

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 889
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #128 on: January 19, 2016, 06:12:54 PM »
here are some more final recent pictures...








couponvan

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8670
  • Location: VA
    • My journal
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #129 on: January 19, 2016, 09:51:01 PM »
Looking good!

warmastoast

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 128
  • Location: Austin Tx
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #130 on: January 24, 2016, 01:31:29 PM »
I'm looking for a new kitchen faucet too.  Would you be able to share your alibaba link?   How is the faucet working out?

Great looking kitchen!  Good job on the cabinetry....


MrSal

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 889
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #131 on: January 26, 2016, 06:44:08 PM »
Faucet is working great although the spray part some holes are getting blocked but that si because my water is very hard around 12 grains - i dont have a water softener - nothing that a dip in vinager wont solve it.

i will look thru my records and post the link here. i do remember i paid half the price because he ran a special... normal price is around 99 dollars.

goosefraba1

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 77
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #132 on: January 28, 2016, 11:26:17 AM »
This looks amazing! Great job! My wife and I are looking at buying our first home... and will be doing a similar kitchen update. Plan on buying new countertops, new cabinet doors (and repainting the old cabinets), new backsplash. We won't be needing new appliances as they are all great. I was wondering... do you have a price breakdown of this project? Thanks so much!

MrSal

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 889
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #133 on: January 28, 2016, 04:48:43 PM »
This looks amazing! Great job! My wife and I are looking at buying our first home... and will be doing a similar kitchen update. Plan on buying new countertops, new cabinet doors (and repainting the old cabinets), new backsplash. We won't be needing new appliances as they are all great. I was wondering... do you have a price breakdown of this project? Thanks so much!

Yes I do.

About 1500 USD counting with a new stove and dishwasher as well, where dishwasher alone retail value is 1100 usd that I snatched for 390 USD out of pocket. Stove 700+ retail value and out of pocket came out to be 120 USD (sold old stove for 170 ish plus a conjunction of discounts, gift cards at discount and coupons, etc).

Backsdplash was with tiles, grout, compound, spacers, trowel, drywall, mastik around 110 USD.

Undercabinet lighting about 50 USD including the panels and the mods i had to do to the wires.

Most money was spent in appliances and good quality paint and GFCI's and LED switches (one of these cost 15 USD while others about 1-2 dollars)
« Last Edit: January 28, 2016, 04:52:24 PM by MrSal »

MsGuided

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1033
  • Location: Colorado
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #134 on: April 16, 2016, 06:32:07 PM »
It's been awhile since this thread was active, but this kitchen looks incredible!  I can't get over the low price and how high end it looks. Wondering where you bought your subway tile and what kind/color of grout you used. Would also love new pictures.  Did you do a concrete countertop?

Thanks!

MrSal

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 889
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #135 on: April 17, 2016, 09:00:03 PM »
No concrete counter tops yet. But they will come. Thanks!!

Subway time I bought it at lowes... The smaller kind that comes in a 12*12 grid.

I used a darker grayish grout.  I believe the name was DeLorean gray. At the time I wished for a darker gray but then I got used to it.

As far as updates I bought a few things from ikea like lamps and such.

The low price is all due to being flexible on what you buy and doing the work yourself. Yes I was rather lucky to have bought such high end appliances for cheap though discounts and coupons and used gift cards.

SamFinn

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 6
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #136 on: May 12, 2016, 04:31:27 AM »
great work !

couponvan

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8670
  • Location: VA
    • My journal
Re: Project - New kitchen!
« Reply #137 on: May 12, 2016, 05:40:57 AM »
Loved your grout choice - I was too chicken and just did plain white. Actually, I was afraid my less than perfect tile setting would be more apparent in a contrast color.