Kitchen Remodeling

Celi asked:


We had renovation in our apartment replacing tiles in bathroom and kitchen. How long does it take usually to replace all of the tiles in these 2 places?

This renovation guy is taking in total of…15 hours in total in 3 days and he’s still not done. I feel this is taking way too long…He didn’t replace all of it by the way…he only did like 3 tiles in kitchen, 15 tiles in bathroom and he replaced a new dry wall underneath these 15 tiles. Plus, these tiles he replaced aren’t even matched with others…I mean, not at all.

He did grout work last night…I have no idea how long this will go on and even I asked, he seems to have no idea either.

I can’t fire him because he is hired by new landlord, current one doesn’t have any power over this so there’s nothing I can do. But I was just wondering how long it usually take?

Thanks in advance!
By the way, he’s not kind of a guy who shows up on time…He told me that he’ll be here at 11:00AM today but it’s already 12:40PM…It’s been like this since last Wednesday. He’s also not kind of a guy to call us 1 hours before he shows up even we asked him to since last Wednesday. He didn’t come here on weekends though…He shows up like at 4 in afternoon often, right after my husband leave. He did that 3 days in a row(Thu, Fri, Mon) and on first day, he told me to clear the kitchen then he said he will be right back in 5 to 10 minutes, he never showed up till next day at 4 in afternoon.

He keeps insisting to do extra work, and I keep insisting him to not to worry…but he changes his tone as soon as my husband leaves. He snaps and yells constantly. I’m frightened of this drastic change…But there’s nothing we can do. At least I want to know how long this usually takes.

Micheal

Eugene Makeev asked:


Living in New York requires that you keep up with the pace of its amazingly fast, never ceasing and dazzling lifestyle. With all these to handle, allocating ample time to take care of your NYC home in terms of checking for wear and tear and what needs repair urgent or not is often left undone until such time that the damages are already in a state seemingly beyond repair. The hectic living also makes you want to create a comfort haven out of your cramped space making your apartment, condo unit or small townhouse a welcoming place to come home to. The perfect place to start your renovations is the heart of any home which is the kitchen. So when thinking of tackling a kitchen remodeling project, the big question always remains: Do I do it myself or hire an NYC contractor?

In NYC kitchen remodeling, the first consideration that may pass your mind when you decide to do things yourself is the cost of the project in dollar terms. What you did not realize is that the risks and the true cost of not letting professionals handle the task is a great deal higher. To start with, the very same reason that had you decide to do it yourself is also the ultimate risk posed. The smallest mistake in kitchen remodeling could cost you several times the amount that you saved from not hiring a contractor. Aside from the fact that you would still eventually end up hiring one to fix the home improvement error that you caused, the money spent on the materials would also be wasted. And it does not even end with the amount in dollars as the effort and time you spent on attempting to make the project work would also go to waste.

A kitchen remodeling project is not an easy task. Though you could always find some source on the Internet or a book on such topic, even if the ideas sound good, not all can be applied to specific home improvement circumstances. With a New York kitchen, space is the most common challenge. With this, the perfect solution would be focusing on storage to end up with a result that is both beautiful to look at as well as functional. Well you can be a great shopper and can find the perfect appliances and other kitchen accessories and features for the project. But can you handle the flooring, tiling, carpentry and lighting installation without any flaw?

Even if you already know a lot about New York kitchen remodeling and you have readily available home improvement skills which has come handy in small jobs, without any actual experience on this type of project, chances of creating results to your satisfaction could be slim. Planning and actually working on the project are two very different tasks.

No doubt, hiring the right NYC contractor to do the project for you is the best kitchen remodeling idea that you can ever put to practice. By doing so, you can be ensured of a more on-budget and on-time kitchen renovation job. With less risk on maintenance and backjobs, the time and money you will be saving would surely prove far from the costs you spend when doing things yourself. Aside from having to lavish at the new look and features of your newly remodeled NYC kitchen in the least possible time needed to finish the work, you can also enjoy these for a much longer time.



Dana

kevandtrish@rogers.com asked:


Anyone know of any websites that have a good sample of bathroom and/or kitchens?

Martha

cbmtrx asked:


We’ve just finished a kitchen renovation and we were stunned to find that all of our hard work tracking down good Ikea cabinets & appliances is essentially wiped out by a 20% “owner-supplied materials” costs. What on earth is THAT??
This was for cabinets and appliances that they installed during the renovation–so not only are they already charging for labor and their own materials, but they also tack on their 20% profit/overhead in ADDITION to this 20% fee!!
Many good answers–thanks.

There is a mention of 20% for “labor and materials” in the contract, but I has assumed this meant BUILDING MATERIALS that the contractor would obviously need during construction…nails, caulk, sandpaper…

So, no matter what you do, the contractor makes a profit on, essentially, ANY money you spend in the course of the project, whether it involved them or not. Wow. What a racket this is.

I’m a website designer by trade, and I would never DREAM of turning around and charging my client 20% for a copy of Dreamweaver or web hosting that they paid for!! All I charge for is building the site!

An absurdity…
Yes, there was indeed a line saying “profit and overhead at the rate of 20% on all of the following: all Owner-furnished materials…” OWNER-FURNISHED MATERIALS?? Yeah, maybe paint and screws, but microwave ovens and cabinets?? I don’t get it.

“Materials” is such an all-encompassing term that they could pretty much throw in “dog food” and “water consumption” as billable items. …and all this ON TOP of a 20% profit/overhead on the total job cost! WOW!!

Stacy

Annie asked:


They have infested both bathrooms, kitchen and spreading fast. Just curious how they came in? We have had screen windows open a lot and we recently tore out the plumbing/tile in one bath having plumbing & under the house openings. Renovation almost complete. Could these be the source?

Sara

Vickage asked:


The business does renovations on homes - kitchen/bathroom updates, adding dormers, etc. But some people aren’t able to afford the full price of the renovation up front. How can I find a financing company that would be willing to partner with our business to get loans for the customers?

Jimmy

karamavin asked:


The renovation will include completely replacing a kitchen and two bathrooms, cosmetic changes to most of the rest of the interior, updating the exterior, and possibly building an additional level on one section of the home.

Kim

TotalRecipeHound asked:


My relative is planning a kitchen renovation for the summer. Most meals will be cooked either on the grill or in a microwave. Can anybody recommend a book on microwave cooking that is GOOD!? I’ve had a couple of microwave cooking cookbooks in the past, but the results were less than great, so got rid of them. Suggestions welcome. They can’t grill when it is raining or windy because it is an unprotected area.

Cynthia

Arturo asked:


When you are planning to remodel your kitchen, there are many factors to take into consideration, not lastly of which is what type of kitchen cabinet design you should use. It helps to do a little research and browsing before you begin a project and you can find a ton of information when you research online. You will find out how to begin, where to look and what type of kitchen cabinet design will go best with the other features you have chosen.

Set a budget for your kitchen-remodeling project and try to stick with it. You may begin with your own kitchen renovation ideas or go directly to a kitchen cabinet design and remodeling store and arrange for a consultation at your home. They will present you with ideas and materials to choose from in order to obtain the kitchen of your dreams.

You will probably end up spending most of your budget on a kitchen cabinet design. This will be the most expensive because of the total volume involved in the cabinetry. You may also spend a lot on replacing kitchen countertops or appliances as well.

One of the biggest misconceptions of a kitchen cabinet design is the choice of wood. When you are choosing between particleboard and plywood, most people think of plywood as being better than particleboard. Perhaps it is because the word wood is in the name and particleboard sounds more like a cheap imitation. In many instances, the particleboard is a better choice than plywood.

To help you make your decision it might help to know something about these two materials. Particleboard is made up of small wood particles held together with adhesive. Plywood is made up of thin sheets of wood that have been glued together. Both of these materials are sturdy and strong and make a good choice for a kitchen cabinet design.

Within the categories of these two material choices are different grades and types. Particleboard that is high-density is usually stronger than plywood, and usually lasts longer. All types of wood for a kitchen cabinet design will expand and contract from changes in the humidity. Particleboard is usually more resistant to the effects, so if you live in a high humidity area, particleboard would be your best option.



Javier

JoeB asked:


I’m looking to do some major rennovations on my house and figuring out the best way to finance it has been racking my brain. I just can’t figure out the pros & cons between refinancing, 2nd mortgages, home equity line of credits, etc.

A little background on the house, It is located in North NJ in a very high demand area. I bought the house over 6 years ago for $215k, it’s currently valued around $380k. Our current Mortgage is around $175k. I estimate my renovation to cost around $200k-$250k. We plan to be in this house for a long time. We’re looking to add a 2 car garage, extending the living room, redoing the kitchen and adding a master bedroom.

any advice on what direction I should head in and pifalls to look out for would be greatly appreciated.

Dennis