Good luck! Looking forward to your posts along the way :)

you are a joy. love the attitude the frankness and the funny. keep us posted.

good luck! the challenge is on!

whoa...its good to be optimistic but don't forget to be realistic as well! you've picked the two most expensive rooms a home to renovate! Can't wait to see your process and final result!

I saved a bundle on my kitchen reno by doing the demo myself...never mind that I sent a sledge hammer out the window which added $300 for a full replacement.

Good luck. I am in year 4 of renovating our house & it has costed WAY more than $30k to do kitchen, 1/2 bath, floors. Way more. Ok, so I'm in Boston area & contractors cost more here. But still, I used Ikea for the kitchen cabs & that bill alone for all the cabs, the butcher block counters, sink & faucet (in a K just a tiny bit bigger at 11X14) was $5500.

Plan, plan, plan. Go over all the details with your contractor (and make sure you check references, the BBB & Angie's list!) Be prepared for overages. When we were planning our kitchen reno, we'd heard to expect cost overruns to be about 30%. That sounded scary, so we had our final $ number, worked back 30% & then told the contractor that was the budget. So when the projects did go almost 30% over, we didn't spend any more actual money. I don't want to frighten you, but I am totally serious. Can lights in our kitchen required the entire ceiling to come out- there were 3 layers of ceiling that cost $750 at trash disposal. Then $2000 for new ceilings to be put back up. I wish I were joking. And the new kitchen required 7 new electrical outlets at $175 each. We were prepared & had items that could fall out of the reno (we held off on getting a new fridge, didn't refinish the upstairs floors, etc).

Ok, I'm stopping now b/c I'm getting depressed remembering how much it all cost. I do love the kitchen though & wouldn't change much :)

I re-read the original post and was reminded this apartment is in St. Pete! My parents just moved away from Sarasota and I'm already missing Florida. There is a really great salvage yard/thrift store place I used to go whenever I visited home. I think it was on the Tamiami trail, and was called something like Sarasota salvage or architecture or something like that. I stumbled upon it and just knew how to get myself there, sorry my directions/descriptions are not exactly helpful.

There are also AMAZING antique stores in the Fruitville area of downtown Sarasota. Look for a street named Pineapple and you're there :) I seem to remember these being mostly higher end, but there were some inexpensive thrifty places in the mix as well.

I'm so excited to take this journey with you! I am currently saving to renovate my 750 sq. ft. apartment so I will be taking detailed notes on working within your $30K budget. Based on my estimates as well as the cost of labor, I was expecting to spend that amount just on my kitchen reno - AND it's a small galley kitchen! So it's very self serving when I say I hope you're able to stick with the budget. Good luck!

Thanks for posting. I would love to see a breakdown of the budget. Seems like you could eat up a lot of that 30K on materials alone if you're doing hardwoods, replacing appliances, cabinets, counters, and a bunch of new fixtures. If you can get it done for that price, you will be my reno hero. :)

Based on my experiences reno'ing a kitchen from ground up, I would say $30K sounds reasonable IF you do a LOT of the work yourself. Basically everything but electrical and plumbing.

Generally you want things done well, done fast, and done cheap. You can typically only have 2 of the 3. Choose wisely ;)

That last sentence is the most optimistic...hiring a contractor to get the job done within a limited amount of time. Whoever you interview...ask for references. In managing new construction and remodeling projects, I have found the MOST frustrating aspect is just getting people to show up. And when there is a clock ticking, it is even worse. Make sure you discuss a completion penalty...a per diem deducted from the job for every day they go over. I would also delve into material costs BEFORE you hire a contractor. Any guy who says you're getting a "contractor discount" on materials is lying.

I wish you well in this project. I hope it is ok to offer advice? I'm not a designer or contractor, but, like tallsarah, I think I can see that your plan requires a much much bigger budget. The floors alone look like at least $10k. Sanding the ceiling and repainting, $5k. Kitchen cabs $5k. Removing stuff, knocking out wall, Redoing soffit, $5k. Durarock, several $k. You see where this is going - you've knocked everything out but don't have money left to replace anything.

I'd say prioritize your list, and have alternatives. Do you really need hardwood floors in a second, or would a nice wall-to-wall be ok? Are the ceiling and soffit really that bad - wouldn't a high-end repair and paint job do the trick?

That should have been "hardwood floors in a second home".

I commend you for sharing the budget as well as what that budget is, considering how much you are undertaking. Yes, there is a lot of very frugal DIY on AT - and it's awesome - but some things do cost money. A fair amount of money. Luckily, renovations are not only improvements to your surroundings, but they are also an investment. Good luck - can't wait to see the progress!!

I remember in the first post there was mention of an abundance of cockroaches. I'm curious what the plan is for that, and, if items from the house are going to be resold, can't cockroach eggs be carried on furniture, etc. into new homes?

Just curious if there is a plan on how to keep your parents home cockroach free, as well as any homes that end up with new cabinets, etc. from their place.

I know this probably sounds obsessive. Roaches freak me out.

Very interested to see how the project turns out. Thanks for sharing the budget as well. Makes it far more interesting.

Is that $30K for reno alone, or reno and furnish?

You can do it! I am excited to see the journey and hopefully get some ideas for our place. I do see now why your reno is going to go so much quicker than ours. . .I would guess that it's the budget and the contractor. We will end up spending that much and more probably, but we do not have it all at once:

http://suburbiahappens.blogspot.com/

In regards to the soffit, I knocked a big hole in ours and there was nothing there, or so we thought. Then we removed the whole thing and found pipes. It would be over $1200 to move them, so they are staying, as is a small piece of the soffit. So my advice is make sure you know what is under there before you knock it down.

Good luck!!

You need extra time for discount shopping if you must work on a budget.

You didn't mention what countertops you want for your kitchen and vanities. When we built, we learned that the local granite yard offers "leftover" granite, even the $450 a square foot kind, for $7 per linear inch, finished (I think that's the right number). If you could find slabs that work for your project, it was a Deal! We also found pre-finished counters with pre-attached undermount porcelain sinks for bathrooms ordered through Home Depot for much less than other options. You have fewer choices, but the products work well and look fine to us. (Our vanities came from Lowes. We liked the style and they fit the space. Also relatively inexpensive.)

What I guess I'm saying is that if you take the time to look at your lower end outlets, often you can find perfectly acceptable options that help conserve money. They might not be dream-house choices, but who "Dreams" within a $30K budget, after all!? Upgrades can happen in the future...

I did two baths, a kitchen, blinds, paint, and new floors throughout my 750 sqft condo for about 5K. I would HOPE that 30K is enough!!! I got newer appliances from craigslist, refaced the cabinets, did my own porcelain tile counters, tiled/wood the floors, hung my own blinds, and painted everything. I also did new sinks and faucets, but didn't touch the tubs.

Best of luck!

I don't think these folks are going to save any money by doing any of it themselves - they stated in their last post that they are "renovating long distance from Missouri." In their budget, they will need to include the costs of travel/food/lodging when they visit to monitor the work. Otherwise, the work could be done in a way they never expected and they'll never know (eg, different materials, shoddy installation).

just wanted to jump in quickly and clarify the budget. it is for reno work only, not furnishings.

okay, carry on as if i'm not even here...

don't forget to check salvage places for cabinets and flooring. You're going to need to get all the materials majorly discounted or free to stick to your budget. We did out kitchen ourselves entirely and spent at least $5K on materials (tile, cabinets, paint, backsplash tile) and that's not including stoves, fridges etc. We got our backsplash tiles cheap on craigslist, you might find floor tile that way too, but it's hard to find large amounts.

i just realized this number doesn't include the appliances (it was in my overall budget but not part of the reno costs that i broke out for you all). so add another 4K to that. and now i'll go see if i neglected to include anything else :)

sorry about that folks.

So this series will probably stretch out to winter? (If you're lucky with your contractor, I mean? XD) Pretty cool!

Good luck doing all of that on $30 K. I presume there will be a lot of sweat equity? This is going to be really interesting; looking forward to seeing how it all comes together. Good luck with your contractor/subcontractors.

I think like most projects, it's gonna be tight, but it will be really fun watching this unfold. Best of luck!!!

The budget sounds about right, if you're not using high-end materials. I did a complete renovation of a similarly sized appartment for slightly less than this, including new windows, lighting, repainting, and all bathroom and kitchen fittings.

this is going to be fun! I just found out that our budget is not quite lining up for the kitchen reno to begin. MAJORLY bummed out here!! Keep us posted! Your budget sounds right on target. I would say don't skimp on things, because you might regret it later :)

Also looking forward to hearing from the project !

I live in France, and we redid the kitchen, 2 bedrooms, 1 home office and turned a walk-in closet into a laundry room for 18 k euros. This included hard wood floors, tearing down and rebuilding the kitchen, and buying all-new kitchen appliances. So, I'd say 30k is enough if you do most of the work yourself, and are prepared to spend a lot of time on this. It may be much harder if you use contractors for everything. Then again, I'm the one who won't compromise on quality but will save tons of money by DIY everything. The kitchen alone took 6 months, from the day we tore down the first cabinet, to the day we ate our first meal. It'll be a year in June, and we still have some minor adjustments to make.

Good luck !

before you touch that popcorn ceiling I suggest your shell out a little cash to get it tested for asbestos. Asbestos was banned in 1977, but since 1981 (I'm assuming thats when the condo was built) is so close to that date, I'd say better safe than mesothelioma. Also if it is asbestos be prepared to live with it (sealing it by painting over it) or spending another 15,000 to get it abated.

I am also looking forward to seeing the progress! My husband and I are building a house, so our budget looks quite different. We found that everything takes at least three times as long and costs twice as much as we expected, but we are also doing the majority of the work and didn't have a lot of experience budgeting/planning for building.

We've had good luck with the few contractors we have hired, and I think it is because we found them through our excavator who we trust and is a great guy. If you are going to be out-of-state for part of the work, I would highly suggest finding someone who can vouch for your contractors, and who ideally knows about construction/remodel work and would be willing to check in on the progress. I've also read that breaking up payments is a good way to get work done: 1/3 up front (to get them out there), 1/3 half way through if it looks good, and then a third at the end.

There will always be critics either way. Thanks for sharing the budget and details, and I look forward to following your progress along the way. We are planning a middle of the road reno of our kitchen, which is about the same size as yours there, and it sounds like it's going to be hard to keep that, alone, under $20k, using contractors for all the work and buying new, mid-grade stuff (we are keeping our appliances and the basic configuration of the room, but we are getting new cabinets [semi-custom, painted wood], floors [tile], counters [quartz], sink, light fixtures, and removing a bulky radiator and switching to radiant floor heat).

I am so excited for your project and this post. I would like to suggest making your kitchen and bathroom as neutral as possible by following a black and white theme. For example white subway tiles for both kitchen in bathrooms, black and white hexagonal tiles, white cabinets and great 1930's style lighting. This classic palate lets you add color and pattern with easy to change things such as blinds, curtains, area rugs, shower curtains and accessories. You can check out my blog on blogger called tenantproof.

If your inlaws are planning to use the place you might want to check out things to help them age in place in case they encounter any kind of mobility issues as they age.

I also recommend the book "Make Your House Do The Housework" by Don Aslett it is a bit dated but full of good ideas so you and your inlaws can spend less time cleaning and maintaining their condo and more time enjoying time with their friends and family.

For lighting and house parts I recommend Rejuvenation Hardware www.rejuvenation.com. If you want to follow the black and white theme the following lighting from rejuvenation for the kitchen and/or bathroom is in keeping with the theme: The Echo in black porcelain, the Adrian, the Selma or the Rufus. I also recommend Rejuvenation's medicine cabinets.

not to be a buzzkill but i just completed my own renovation, very similar to yours, in honolulu, on a 535 sq ft, 1 bdrm condo & it cost me twice your budgeted amount, including materials & labor. i did some small things on my own, upcycled some closet doors, but most of it was handled by the contractor. i wish you luck. it was THE most stressful thing i've ever endured, but i love my home now. be very picky re: your contractor choice. i had a limited time frame also (1 month), so i bypassed the entire 3-bid process and just went with the contractor who could get me in the quickest. in the end, i put up with some inappropriate behavior, some shoddy craftmanship, and had to fix a few things myself, but it's over. and they're out of my condo. finally.