The Condo Conversion, RTA Cabinets and So Much More...

[economista]

I saw that on Netflix the other day and chose not to watch it. I remember when Extreme Makeover Home Edition was on tv and they would completely re-do a house in 2 days over a weekend. The houses always looked amazing but I've read a lot of stories since then about how the work was done in such a rushed manner that there were really serious issues with the houses later on. It just seems dumb to me to try and do that in 12 hours. Of course it isn't going to be top-notch work!

[iris lily]

Oh yeah, Instant Dream Home. Blech. I watched the first episode. I wanted to throw my streaming device thru the window when they painted that masonry exterior. No it was not “dingy”you stupid twit of a teevee commentator, it was classic brick bungalow.

My favorite decorating show of all times is the British one, can’t think of the name, it’s a few years old, or they go into architecturally significant properties and decorate, sometimes with renovations. They also we’re limited to a tight timeline something like three or four days. So for that short of a timeline there’s not a whole lot of“nice “work that could be done, but still I very much enjoyed the architecture in that show.

[Dicey]

We haven't been to the Condo for over two weeks, but we managed to have some related fun. DH stumbled on a listing in a complex in a neighboring town that was clearly built by the same developer. We had fun looking at everything that's sold in the last five years. Because that development was owner occupied from the get-go, a lot more of them have been updated. It just solidified all of our design choices. It also made us feel better about the sinking "value" of ours. This other complex is in a much less desirable area and quite a bit further away from BK's work. So much so that riding his bike would not be an option. Interestingly, they're selling for very little less.

[Dicey]

Slowly getting back to work. All the can lights are in. The drywall is finished and DH will mud it tomorrow.

We went on a field trip to a tile/countertop mecca in San Jose. So many choices, so many variables, ack! We've decided we're going to shop at Granite Expo for countertops and Floor & Decor for tile. Every place else we looked at was just too damn expensive, including our favorite tile store (Bullnose Tile), where we bought everything for our last project. We don't know exactly what we're going to choose, but it's going to be from those two places because they are the most reasonable options. We may have to make multiple trips and buy a few samples to get it right, but we will, eventually. Oh, and the kid doesn't care, but we're going to drag him along on his next day off to make sure we don't choose something he can't stand.*

Thanks to @PMJL34 for the Granite Expo tip. We're going to need one large slab and they have a couple of reasonable looking options.

* I know that sounds crazy, but we don't think he'll ever move, so we're looking to make timeless choices. How the heck do we know what will be in style for a decent length of time?

[couponvan]

This is my backsplash at the lake house and our current house. I don’t remember it being that expensive when we got it. It is very forgiving on spots, even though it’s white, as there are slight variations in the finish of the glass.

https://www.flooranddecor.com/glass-decoratives/crystal-white-ice-glass-tile-100088418.html

[Dicey]

This is my backsplash at the lake house and our current house. I don’t remember it being that expensive when we got it. It is very forgiving on spots, even though it’s white, as there are slight variations in the finish of the glass.

https://www.flooranddecor.com/glass-decoratives/crystal-white-ice-glass-tile-100088418.html

Yeah, that's lovely and it's 13.77/sf. We're looking to style this place on a dime, lol. But, you just did me a huge favor! I've been wondering if F&D had a decent website, so thankyouverymuch for that link. I'll putter around on it when I have a bit more time.

[Sandi_k]

@Dicey - we used the Granite Expo in Emeryville for our Oakland place. We got a pre-cut slab of quartz, around 8' long, for a really decent price. And then the second countertop was ~ 6'.

The total, installed, was under $1500. They only had four colors, so we went with the icy green, as it worked with the cream color backsplash and green triangles we'd put in years before.

[Catbert]

Re finding things that will be in style for awhile, don't sweat it.  The sad fact is everything dates.  When we redid our kitchen 5 years ago our designer said he can always tell within 5 years when a kitchen was last updated.  Even something as basic as tile floors reflect the date: square (12", 18", 24"), rectangle (also different sizes), grout (white, same color, contrasting color), arrange in grid or offset, contrasting inset tiles or no, etc.

Find things that are pleasing to the eye, practical and good value.  In 10 years it will look 10 years old and your BK won't care.

[Dicey]

Thanks, catbert!

Well, Granite Expo is out. They sell slabs in a few styles, but they don't fabricate them. Not going to work for us. The kitchen counter needs to be 42 x 106, which is not a pre-fab size.

We did scrounge around while we were near the Granite Expo "Outlet" in a rough town.* We found a hole-in-the-wall place in a warehouse village. They had something avilable that will work. We had them quote the job using 2 slabs (54"×126" IIRC) and fabricating everything. The quote was for $5300, which isn't terrible, I suppose. We  might be able to shave off a few bucks by buying one slab and two prefabs to do the job,  but at least we have a ballpark number to start with. It's a solid-ish med-dark gray and it looks good with the flooring and cabinets.

 

*Literally, a child was hit by gunfire in a road rage incident at the same time and in the same area where we were. (She is expected to survive.)

[couponvan]

Do you mean they won’t cut the sink out for the granite, or that they don’t do full slabs? I am curious about your sourcing and pricing. I hate my mother’s tile countertops with a passion.

[Dicey]

Do you mean they won’t cut the sink out for the granite, or that they don’t do full slabs? I am curious about your sourcing and pricing. I hate my mother’s tile countertops with a passion.

They sell full slabs, but they will not fabricate them, period. You have to hire someone else. If you buy prefab countertops, they will cut the hole for the sink and I'm guessing they'll cut the ends to fit. We didn't get too far into specifics, because we knew it wasn't going to work.

So we've been thinking about the countertops today while I scraped up two layers of linoleum and DH textured walls. (Aren't we the fun couple?) At the moment, we're thinking that we'll do one slab for the kitchen*, then choose a (matching or similar) prefab for the bathroom. In the living room, we have 3 30 x 30 cabinets that we're going to clamp together and float on the wall. Instead of a stone countertop, we're thinking we might do butcher block. Should bring the price down quite a bit. Much pondering still to do.

*We also realized that the kitchen slab only needs to be 102" x 42", which might give us more options.

[MayDay]

If the bathroom is a standard size, we found Menards to have very reasonable prices for countertops. They also have shallower cabinet and countertop options which made a huge difference in our small bathroom remodel.

[Dicey]

If the bathroom is a standard size, we found Menards to have very reasonable prices for countertops. They also have shallower cabinet and countertop options which made a huge difference in our small bathroom remodel.

OMG, I'd love to have a Menard's within striking distance!

We actually made the bathroom cabinets deeper than standard. One, there is a too-large linen closet that DH wouldn't let me remove. (Storage!) Using kitchen-size lowers minimizes the feel of the closet jutting into the room. Two, it also provides: more storage!

In our last project, we used custom cabinetry throughout the house. In order to squeeze his & her vanities into the newly expanded but still compact primary bath, we did 18" depth cabinets with 19" countertops and they turned out great. We added a large, shallow upper wall cabinet to balance an offset toilet and replace any "lost" storage. I specifically designed it with Costco TP quantities in mind. It was expensive, but worth it!

[monarda]

OMG, I'd love to have a Menard's within striking distance!

Yeah, you can "Save Big Money" at Menard's, but John Menard is a billionaire with years of labor and environmental violations. https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2019/05/23/campaign-cash-menard-to-get-honorary-doctorate/
Home Depot isn't a lot better, but we go there given our choice between the two. Menard's has made some changes, https://www.wpr.org/menards-promises-changes-after-violation-federal-labor-laws but I'm still not happy when I shop there. (sometimes they are the only one to stock something we need).  https://www.columbiamissourian.com/opinion/local_columnists/ken-midkiff-buyer-beware-menards-practices-are-suspect/article_7b78cce0-a841-11e6-9026-abb9535310b6.html

[couponvan]

I would like to visit that Granite Expo place. I still think I got the best deal by having a Chicago dude drive 100 miles and pay the mileage and time charge. Is there an option to do something similar in say, Sacramento? It seems like they are cheaper in general? Cutting granite DIY is sadly not in my wheelhouse.

[affordablehousing]

I think you dodged a bullet not getting anything at granite expo. Just go solid surface. Buy a sheet, get it delivered, and fabricate it yourself with a router. Use the leftovers for shelving. Or get Ikea, or get butcher block at ikea or lumber liquidators, or whatever they call themselves now.

[Dicey]

I think you dodged a bullet not getting anything at granite expo. Just go solid surface. Buy a sheet, get it delivered, and fabricate it yourself with a router. Use the leftovers for shelving. Or get Ikea, or get butcher block at ikea or lumber liquidators, or whatever they call themselves now.

We want to do the kitchen counter/breakfast bar extension without supports on the breakfast bar side, which means quartz. It also has a tricky corner, so DIY might not be the best option, though your idea is intriguing.

[lifeisshort123]

Is Lowes any more or less ethical than Menards or HD? I enjoy the 5% off with my credit card I have with them.

[monarda]

Is Lowes any more or less ethical than Menards or HD? I enjoy the 5% off with my credit card I have with them.

Lowes looks better. We don't have them within an hour of here, unfortunately.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/05/24/home-depot-lowes-marvin-ellison-great-placement-theory-boycott/

[Dicey]

Whoa, no updates since September! We had a very busy Sept./Oct., including a two-week vacation centered around the Magical Moab Meetup. We're heading home tomorrow and work will recommence on Monday. We did have the counters installed right before we left and they look good. I think. All the windows are covered as DH is prepping the walls and ceiling, so there's not a ton of light to see by. The non-standard things we did to maximize counter and storage space ended up costing us. We spent $4500 for all the counters. If we had been able to use standard sizes, it would have been a lot less money. In the long run, functionality is key, especially in a small space. I may have mentioned it before, but we managed to create more prep space in the kitchen of this 700sf condo than in our own house, which is four times bigger.

We will be traveling through Sacramento tomorrow and plan on checking out a couple of tile places. If anyone reading this knows of any resources along Hwy. 50, LMK, please.

[couponvan]

I was hoping you’d say you found counters for $2K! I really want to change my mother’s counters to solid. Hers at least are standard size and I think remnants will work.

[Another Reader]

Waiting for the reveal photos...

[ysette9]

Waiting for the reveal photos...

I kept trying to scroll and no photos loaded. Darn! I’ll come back later.

[Dicey]

We're nowhere close to reveal time, lol.

We've been in Moab and thereabouts with very little signal, so no "progress" photos yet, sorry.

[ysette9]

We can wait. We know you are good for it.

[Dicey]

Well damn, I didn't mean to make y'all wait that long. DH has covered all the windows as he preps the walls. He has also removed most of the new can lights so he can do the ceilings. This means the lighiing conditions are crap for photos. I got a couple of the bathroom today, which I will post soon.

Let's see...after looking at 16,785 backslash tile ideas, we finally found one we like at...Floor and Decor. It's a 10" hectagon and they were 5.49 per tile, ack! Happily, we don't need a huge amount and we could return all uncut tiles, which we did. It's prettier IRL, because there is a lot of detail that doesn't show in the pictures. If we hadn't seen it IRL, we would never have chosen it:

https://www.flooranddecor.com/porcelain-tile/sedona-10-in.-3d-hexagon-porcelain-tile-100903798.html

The reason we liked it was it matched counters and the shower tile we found on closeout for 1.59/sf at Bedrosian's on our way home from Moab. The short version of the story is we needed the tile to be 3/8" in order for the shower valve to fit flush to the wall.  Everything at F&D was too thin. Now that the tile is in,
DH realizes he ordered the wrong size shower enclosure glass kit and tempered glass can't be cut down. We were afraid we would have to start over, but DH called the company today and they said we can re-order/exchange it. Whew! $1400 not wasted.

Remember that we went with 24" lowers in the bathroom for more storage? Well, the bathroom sink we had leftover from a different project (so, "free") looked lost in the deeper countertop. Uh-oh. DH decided adding two tall, skinny upper cabinets might add balance, so back to the RTA store he went. I thought it was a crazy idea, but I think it's going to work. While he was making a run to the RTA store, he picked up two more cabinets, which he turned into a one-can deep pantry in a formerly blank wall in the kitchen. Big improvement.

Most interesting of all is that we ran into a realtor we know, and she knows a lot of the history of the complex. She's going to fill us in later this week. She did say the W/D units were added later, which explains the replumbing we discovered when we did the demo. Small world.

[Dicey]

Here's a "Before" and the most current "Durings" of the bathroom.

[ysette9]

Thanks for the photos. Keep them coming!

[couponvan]

Love the side vanity storage in the single bathroom-You can never have enough storage!

[oneday]

Ooo, close call with the shower glass. Exchange for the win!

The hexagon tiles look great in the niche!

Coup is right - all the storage you are adding is really going to make the place so much more livable.

[Dicey]

We've started installing the flooring! It's really starting to look like something now!

[Dicey]

One of the reasons I continued this thread after we had secured the RTA cabinets was to show how unlike HGTV reality actually is. Things cost more, take longer and especially since the pandemic are much harder to get. Then there is the reality of decision fatigue. OMG, there are so many choices to make! It's easy to become overwhelmed. We have had to make compromises on so many things that I got kind of worried how it would turn out. Now that the flooring is going in, it's starting to come together and I'm feeling a bit less stressed. Well, I will be if we manage to get all the flooring in without accidentally putting two of the same plank next to each other, lol.

As things come together, I'll post more pictures, but dang, I'll be glad when this is finished!

On another note,  we were scrambling to get as much flooring down before we had to rush home to host ten of our friends. We were almost done with the DR when a neighbor knocked on the door looking for a tall ladder. Seems her dog had jumped against the door (while she was outside) and somehow managed to trip the door lock. Her parents were visiting and all three were trying to figure out how to get back in. We only had a 4" ladder. DH used it to scale the fence, then scrambled from there onto the balcony.* alas, that door was also locked, so a locksmith was called. We couldn't stay until the locksmith arrived, but at least we got to meet more neighbors. We also learned that the dad is a contractor and had totally redone the place. Hopefully, we'll get to see it soon-ish. Given that all the units were the same to begin with, it's fun to see what changes people have made. From his description,  it sounds like they had a much larger renovation budget.

The wallpaper we rolled the dice on arrived and we think it's going to work. We had to order 4 rolls, so I might use the extra to line shelves, which would be much cheaper than the ribbed plastic stuff I was going to order. Fingers crossed.

*DH's foot surgery recovery was a much longer and more difficult than anticipated. He ended up with a plate in his foot and a big toe that will never bend again. He's always been nimble and I was afraid he wouldn't get that back. While I didn't actually see him scale the balcony, I'm thrilled he could do it and that he was so willing to help out someone out. He's a good egg, and we still made it home in time to clean up and make dessert before out guests arrived.

[hdatontodo]

... We only had a 4" ladder. ...

A cinder block would have been taller.

Sent from my SM-G991U1 using Tapatalk

[ysette9]

Sounds exciting. I’m glad your husband can scamper over fences once again.

As a kid I’d often forget my key to the house. Sometimes I’d climb the tree onto the roof over the garage, then climb up to a bedroom window. When I was thinking ahead I’d leave a window cracked a bit so I could just remove the screen and climb in. I got good at evaluating the house for a way to break in. You’d think it would be easier to just remember to put the house key in my backpack. Hah

In all of your experience remodeling have you ever had a project come in on schedule? R rather, has a general contractor ever come in on a schedule originally quoted? I’ve been wondering if there is a universal law that requires all such projects come in behind schedule or over budget or both.

[MayDay]

I love that hexagon tile! I can't wait to see the shower doors once completed.

I will be honest, the corner cupboards in the bathroom really bother me. Why are they floating above the counter? It looks like a cobbled together DIY and everything else you have shown looks so beautiful. I think I could get used to them if they sat on the counter rather than floating.  None of that matters if your SS doesn't care of course. 

[Dicey]

... We only had a 4" ladder. ...

A cinder block would have been taller.

Sent from my SM-G991U1 using Tapatalk

Gotta say, that's one of my better typos, so I think I'll leave it. DH is so nimble he probably didn't need it at all, but it makes a better story.

[Dicey]

I love that hexagon tile! I can't wait to see the shower doors once completed.

I will be honest, the corner cupboards in the bathroom really bother me. Why are they floating above the counter? It looks like a cobbled together DIY and everything else you have shown looks so beautiful. I think I could get used to them if they sat on the counter rather than floating.  None of that matters if your SS doesn't care of course.

So many answers!! First, it was DH's idea. The one who's doing the work gets the bigger vote. Also, cabinets that sit on the counter tend to get wet and absorb moisture, which never ends well. (Our bathroom has one of those center cabinets on the counter and it's useless). They're floating so that the counter space below can be fully used. DH had to make the trek to the RTA place to buy other cabinets for a really clever idea he had for the kitchen, so he decided to roll with his idea, despite my reluctance... and you win some, you lose some. They're growing on me.

My bigger worry is DH says he can't raise the light fixture due to other stuff in the walls. It's kind of low and I'm concerned it will look out of balance. DH assures me it will be fine, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. The closet is huge, so we can put a larger mirror in there.

This is part of why I decided to continue this thread. There are so many decisions to make, budgetary constraints, supply chain issues, space limitations, unexpected shit within the walls because it's an old condo building, and thousands of design choices. I thought it might be interesting to others considering taking on remodeling projects, DIY or otherwise.

LOL, a good friend came over the other day for a sneak peek and she didn't like the tile. Go figure.

Oh, and Bonus Kid actually doesn't care. He knows if he lets us do what we want, he's going to end up with more. Our plan is to make it completely turnkey, so he only has to move in with his clothing and electronics. He is spectacularly inept at organizing, so the actual packing and moving process is likely to be traumatic. We are toying around with the idea of leaving town once it's done and letting him figure the actual moving part out on his own. TBD.

And one more tidbit. We found two wool rugs (5x8 and 9x12) for $20 on Next Door yesterday. Are they perfect? Nope, but they're pretty damn great for TWENTY BUCKS!

[former player]

I'm currently having a bathroom redone.  It was mostly 1930s with a cheap 1970's surface update, and taking out the bath (a proper cast iron one but with too much rust and surface damage) revealed the remains of the original 1930s lead plumbing plus a very circuitous 1970s copper replumb.  It's great to see someone else struggling with similar issues.  Yours is already looking stylish and practical.

[couponvan]

We have baskets under our floating cabinets-of course that’s in an RV, but I think they could bridge the gap between counter and shelves if BK decides he doesn’t like them. No one thinks floating cabinets are strange in a kitchen, so I say go with it. Extra counter space is usually a bonus.

Decision fatigue is real!

[Dicey]

OMG, it fits!

The stove has one sixteenth of an inch clearance! It fits perfectly under the backsplash, giving us just a hair more room at the front. We didn't plan this exactly, but it sure is a happy accident.

This is the stove we ordered when we bought the condo, then we found the exact model for $600 on Craigslist. We cancelled the stove from our appliance order, saving $900. The person selling it wanted a gas stove in her brand-new house. The builder agreed to put in a gas line, but wouldn't (couldn't?) change out the stove. They used this for two months until their gas stove arrived. Notice it matches the microwave exactly, yippee!

The sharp-eyed among you will see that there is zero clearance for door hardware under the sink, to the right of the stove. DH has ordered recessed cabinet pulls for this cabinet, so nothing will stick out or smash into the glass front of the stove. They're expensive, so we are using traditional 6" squared off pulls everywhere else, because they were cheap. Well, almost everywhere. The utility closet in the kitchen will have a square pull handle so there will be no doorknob to bang into the wall. Photos as steps are completed.

After such a slow start, it's fun to see things finally start to come together.
We've been working on the flooring for days. We only have the bathroom and laundry area left and hope to finish up tomorrow. After that it's doors (reusing the existing flat panel doors), adding new door trim, and new baseboards.

P.S. Forum gremlins strike again. Just click on the image and the kitchen will magically right itself.

[Dicey]

I'm currently having a bathroom redone.  It was mostly 1930s with a cheap 1970's surface update, and taking out the bath (a proper cast iron one but with too much rust and surface damage) revealed the remains of the original 1930s lead plumbing plus a very circuitous 1970s copper replumb.  It's great to see someone else struggling with similar issues.  Yours is already looking stylish and practical.

And I thought 1979 was bad...lead pipes*, egads! I hope you are thrilled with the results when you finally get there.

*"Lead Pipe" always, always reminds me of "Clue". However, real life lead pipes are no laughing matter. Any asbestos issues, just for fun?

[Dicey]

We have baskets under our floating cabinets-of course that’s in an RV, but I think they could bridge the gap between counter and shelves if BK decides he doesn’t like them. No one thinks floating cabinets are strange in a kitchen, so I say go with it. Extra counter space is usually a bonus.

Decision fatigue is real!

BK is fastidious about his personal appearance. (His surroundings, not so much, alas.) There is always a shaver, electric toothbrush and clothes steamer on his counter. With this arrangement, he can keep them on the counter, but push them back under the cupboards where they're a less noticeable but still easy to get to. Another reason for the uppers is there was no way to install a recessed medicine cabinet - too much stuff in the walls. That's also why there is only one plug. DH wanted to put in another or at least make it a 4-plug outlet, but no go. BK will survive with only two plugs, hahaha. At least it's GFCI so he can't overload it.

Thinking a little bit more abut the upper cabinets in the bathroom, it's funny how we get used to what we're used to. On another thread, @Mr. Green was playing around with cabinet configurations. He ran something a little different up the forum flagpole and the idea got soundly trounced.

Coup, I know you know about decision fatigue. We've never built a house from scratch. So many more decisions. Oh, wait, I take that back. I did buy/build a house once, but it was in a Del Webb community that was bought out by Pulte. Del Webb offered 21 floorplans and 14,000 options. Yeah, that was hard to wade through, but I brought a friend along to the design appointment and she had some good advice. Nearly 20 years later, I'm still happy with the way it turned out, but all I did was haggle with Pulte and pay for my choices. Overnight, 14,000 options, "We'll build/modify anything you want" became "No changes, no changes, no changes." Later, I added a kitchenette to the casita. Maximizing utility in small spaces is kind of my jam. I can't imaging designing a whole house from scratch. Design fatigue would kill me or my marriage, lol.

[couponvan]

If you know BK has those items always on a counter, could you put another outlet into the cabinet at the rear of one side so they can remain hooked up at all times? (I know it is late to be making this comment, but electrical outlets and wiring are “pretty easy”.)

We specially added outlets under our sinks to allow our blow dryers (yes plural) to remain plugged in at all times. They are also on separate circuits so that we can run them both at the same time without ruining the GFCI. In a pinch,,you can put one on a stand and distance dry your hair while also running the other one. I know-totally unnecessary expense, but we got spoiled in our second build where we both had to get ready and out the door for work at the same time so added this option. Now we cannot image life running smoothly without it. DH uses the blow dryer more than me. LOL. Hedonistic adaptation, and me tired of blow dryer on the counter because it was too much effort for DH to put away.

[Dicey]

Because it's a condo with 8 units per building, all the mechanicals are clustered together in the walls. We had to be very careful  that we didn't disturb anyone else's lines. Since apparently the units were replumbed when washers and dryers were added, it's even more complicated. In a normal house, everything you see behind the walls is yours. Not so in a condo. Well, this condo anyway. It limits what we can do. That's why we won't be raising the light over the bathroom sink. I hope it will look okay, but we won't know until it's done. As much as I love your idea, it's not an option here.

[former player]

I'm currently having a bathroom redone.  It was mostly 1930s with a cheap 1970's surface update, and taking out the bath (a proper cast iron one but with too much rust and surface damage) revealed the remains of the original 1930s lead plumbing plus a very circuitous 1970s copper replumb.  It's great to see someone else struggling with similar issues.  Yours is already looking stylish and practical.

And I thought 1979 was bad...lead pipes*, egads! I hope you are thrilled with the results when you finally get there.

*"Lead Pipe" always, always reminds me of "Clue". However, real life lead pipes are no laughing matter. Any asbestos issues, just for fun?

No asbestos in the house itself but asbestos in the artificial tiles on the roof.  All properly disposed of and replaced with new slate some years ago.  Luckily so, as when one of the roofers put a hand on the chimney to steady himself it was the chimney that rocked- it looked fine on the outside but had rotted inside - and so got safely rebuilt from the roofline up before it crashed into the house.  Older houses, right?  To be fair to the original builders, I'm in a fairly exposed seaside location and chimneys get the weather from all directions.

(The roofer did tell me that asbestos slates aren't too much of a problem as they are rarely disturbed and removal is done out in the open air.  Its disturbing internal asbestos lagging that's the killer - a doctor I knew died of asbestosis that he probably got using a hospital basement to move around a big old hospital.)

[feelingroovy]

I think those upper cabinets look great in the bathroom. I really like the symmetry. It is really strange how accustomed we all get to certain ways of building things so that it looks 'wrong' if it's different.

I just (pretty much) finished a diy bathroom update and I also appreciate the constraints you just have to live with if you're not designing from scratch. And spending gobs of money. And hiring it all out. It still looks SO much nicer!

[MrGreen]

@Dicey it was interesting to see people's responses. My wife still like the idea if we would move in and find that we just don't have enough cabinet space. I'm still shocked at how cheap our cabinets are. We could replace all the uppers on the stove/fridge side for less than $1,000.

[Dicey]

I think those upper cabinets look great in the bathroom. I really like the symmetry. It is really strange how accustomed we all get to certain ways of building things so that it looks 'wrong' if it's different.

I just (pretty much) finished a diy bathroom update and I also appreciate the constraints you just have to live with if you're not designing from scratch. And spending gobs of money. And hiring it all out. It still looks SO much nicer!

That's another interesting point. Since we're DIY all the way, we can make changes on the fly without a huge hassle.

I'm off to finish the floor installation today. One thing I'm really pleased with are the sight lines we've created. From opposite corners, you can see all the way to the other end of the unit, which helps it feel more spacious. We did this by design, but it wasn't as obvious. Now that the floors are in, it looks like the plan worked. Yay!

[Dicey]

So close! We got all but four floorboards in. We simply ran out of daylight and the saws are set up outside. (Don't worry, we bring them in at night, lol.) Tomorrow we feast and give thanks. We don't shop Black Friday, so we'll finish up then.

[iluvzbeach]

Woo hoo! So you may be empty nesters before year-end? Now that would be worth celebrating!