Name: Claire & Jeffrey Type of Project: Kitchen remodel
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Type of building: Single-family bungalow, 950 square feet
The Renovation Diaries are a new collaboration with our community in which we feature your step by step renovation progress and provide monetary support towards getting it done in style.Last week we saw Claire and Jeffrey's inspiration for their new kitchen, and this week we're getting down to nuts and bolts. It's time to talk about the budget.
From Claire:
We will be DIYing the project from start to finish. We are going to bid-out a few things that may be better left to professionals (like refinishing the hardwoods) and there are a couple items on the list that must be done by professionals according to the code (installing the new gas range, for example.)Budget Specifics:
LABOR:
Free except for when it's not!
Additional labor provided by DIY buddies in exchange for beer.DESIGN AND PERMITTING:
No design fees, but appx. $500 in building permits. (Grrr.)
APPLIANCES:
Integrated IKEA dishwasher (can't recall the brand): $860
New range, currently undecided on make/model: $900-1200FIXTURES:
CABINETS AND COUNTERTOPS:
IKEA Abstrakt high gloss white cabinets: $2000
Countertops TBD: appx. $300-400 in materials.PAINT:
Behr Irish Mist (or equivalent): appx $60
FLOORING:
Repair, sand, stain, poly: $200-600, depending on whether we hire it out.
FINISHES:
MAYBE backsplash tile someday down the road. Appx $300-400.
OTHER BUILDING MATERIALS:
I'm budgeting in $1000 for all the things that I can't visualize or expect!
Total Budget:
$7786 (high guess)
Check out the full series (so far) and be sure to join us next week for #3 of Claire & Jeffrey's Diary.
(Images and diary text: Claire Moyle)
Before & After: Emily Henderson Transforms a Senior's Studio Space
Danielle's Charming, Classic Walk-Up
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
White Enamel Four-P...
On Saying No to Paleo: Why Eating Isn't One Size Fits All
Perfect Summer Cocktail Recipe: Honey Bourbon Lemonade
FYI, you have sink in there twice :)
not a bad budget at all, really shows how you can save by installing yourself
I like this budget much better than the other kitchen renovation! I understand the other one they are using a contractor and there may be more changes to the foot print and space itself, looks like they may be moving walls etc. But still this is a more realistic budget for the majority of us. Sure some items are expensive but thats just how kitchens go, but nothing is outrageous or wasted here. Cant wait to see more.
Well, she didn't include a budget for labor. "Free except for when it's nott" doesn't mean anything. Labor can cost thousands of dollars.
I don't find this budget very realistic right now, because it's so vague. Unless they're putting down butcher block counters or pouring their own concrete (and there's a "TBD" next to countertops) $300-$500 in materials won't buy much.
you're gonna need drywall, tape, plastering. a disposal for the sink? faucet? A dumpster rental? plumbing stuff. shop vac rental. You might have to upgrade your electrical -- make sure you get someone good to check that out for you. If you are adding in new appliances they can overload what look like they are probably very old circuits.
I just did a bare bones kitchen,starting with nothing there, for $18K. With a little more belt tightening it could have been $17 or $16K. About 5K on appliances, $5K on supplies/electrical/plumbing, $8k professional labor. If you are as good as a pro, you could do this for $10K. Always estimate an additional 30 percent on what you think it will cost so you don't have a nasty surprise.
oh and dont forget lighting. Lighting can get weirdly expensive.
pam
howtorunyourlife.blogspot.com
Hi Pi! Claire here.
Labor is all DIY except for when it's required by law to be performed by a licensed professional (in Mpls, that means certain electric, gas, and plumbing work and moving/building a new wall.) Fortunately, we have a licensed professionals in our family/friend network. So, aside from the cost of the permits and the time it takes to obtain them, professional labor will not be an expense. Yes, we are lucky.
And we do intend to DIY our concrete countertops. Great article via AT here on how to achieve it with such a low material cost: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-make-diy-concrete-count-151138
We just finished patching, sanding, staining, and finishing the hardwoods for a total cost of about $280. And 18 hours of labor! Stay tuned for images of that progress.
We are very interested in sharing this process as we are first-time homeowners with a limited budget and truly believe there is a best-case scenario for any situation at any price point. Even tiny little houses and budgets like ours. :)
This is really amazing and inspirational! I am totally rooting for you--I hope that you can get it done in that budget. I know on our renovation the $500 materials that we budgeted for at Home Depot has ballooned to $1,500.... everything adds up.
When I see what a "low-budget," mostly DIY kitchen remo costs, I make peace with my kitchen as it is, especially considering that what little DIY experience I have has typically yielded decidedly unprofessional results. The Goodwitch just ain't that kinda gal, I suppose. Good thing that her little castle was built in 1993 and hasn't started falling apart around her just yet.
I look forward to seeing what y'all come up with. I'm thinking that an older home, such as yours, lends itself to the approach you're taking, at least more that a more recently built place might. What might be regarded as an "imperfection" in a newer house could be seen as "character" in an older one. I mean, it will be apparent that your remo'ed kitchen isn't original to the structure, not matter how seamless and stylistically sensitive you make it.