I love to challenge myself! I strongly believe that we get better when we push our comfort zones and stretch our limits. If you’re just moving with the crowd, you’re going to arrive at the finish line with the crowd. No thanks.
I like working in short, intense bursts. I can’t stand it when projects drag on and on. This means that when I start something, my days go from 5am to 10pm in a mad rush to get the project behind me while still putting in at least 8 hours at my normal job.
Over the weekend, I finished the floor tile in two bathrooms. Mrs. 1500 grouted today and sometime tomorrow, we’ll go from having 1 toilet to 3! Happy, happy day!
However, the next project is right around the corner. It’s the kitchen. Our current one is ugly, ugly, ugly. The cabinets are worn out. The tile looks like it belongs in a fast food restaurant. We don’t like the layout. This weekend, everything changes. Starting Friday evening and over the course of the next four days, I’m going to attempt to remodel my kitchen. Here is what I need to do:
- Take down the old cabinets
- Take out the old tile
- Move the gas and refrigerator water line (we’re moving the appliances)
- Run electricity for under-the-cabinet LED lighting
- Reconfigure part of one wall so we’ll have a counter-depth refrigerator (I’ll explain this when I do it)
- Install the new cabinets including building support for the new island
- Install a new electrical fixture over the island
- Lay 18″ travertine tiles and grout them
I’ll start Friday night after work and then go all day for the next four days. At the end of every evening, I’ll keep you updated with a recap and post a bunch of pictures so you can see my progress.
I won’t be able to complete everything. The counter-tops will be installed by someone else and I can’t do the back-splash tile until after they’re in. However, the vast majority of work will be behind me if I succeed.
The really cool thing is the money I’ll save. I was talking to a neighbor who was quoted almost $20,000 for just labor for her kitchen remodel. By the time mine is done, even with its nice maple cabinets, granite counter-tops, new appliances and fancy tile, I’ll have spent less than $7,500:
- Maple cabinets: $2,400
- Granite counter tops: $2,600
- Travertine tile: $300
- Lighting (can lights, island fixture and under cabinet LEDs): $150
- New refrigerator and oven: $1,400
- Used (but completely awesome) dishwasher: $50
- Back-splash tile: $90
- Miscellaneous stuff: $250
So, tune in late Friday evening for the first update. Wish me luck. Send me beer. And perhaps we’ll work on a project together someday.
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