The kitchen is now complete.

So, here we are. Most of the work is complete and the punch list should be worked out in the next few days. The Ikea cabinets have, surprisingly, been a dream to work with. Big cost saver for anyone looking to remodel their kitchen. Spending money on tile, countertops, and lighting make a much more aesthetic impact.

Everything has been functional for the past week, aside from the range, which is waiting to have the gas line run. Hopefully today. Sink, oven, microwave, and dishwasher have all been in use.

We've decided to make a bit of a change to the island area to make it more stable and to match the rest of the kitchen motif. Pictures of that will be up soon, as will updated pictures with pendant lights, undercounter lights, and cabinet doors in place.

February 25-2009
Because we had cabinets sitting in the living area, I decided to start installing to free up some room in the rest of house. Not the best way to go about remodeling process, but then again, every remodel is so different and each family has different needs. So, we did it this way and it has worked out quite well.

February 20th

The ceiling is framed, drywall is going up, wiring has been run, plumbing is waiting....

February 15th
These were taken the day demolition began. Everything is coming out; cabinets, range, ceiling framing, walls, sink, counter... The homeowners have had this kitchen set up temporarily as a way to determine the livability of the layout. So, much of it will remain the same, albeit with great new finishing touches. We'll be using a Paperstone countertop and island, environmentally friendly Marmoleum flooring, low-voc primer and paint, and Oceanside recycled glass tiles recessed, pendant, and undercounter lighting. To limit the environmental footprint typically demanded by any remodel, we'll recycle all cardboard and metal, re-use as much of the old framing as possible, limit dust from entering the rest of the house via dust-barriers and high-powered air filtering, donate or re-use the old cabinets, range, and sink.

Additionally, we'll shorten the distance the hot water must travel to arrive at the kitchen sink. This should save significant amounts of water and time waiting for the hot water to arrive.

Kitchen Remodeling 101

Today begins the remodel of my neighbor's kitchen. If anybody ever gets the chance, try to get a job working directly across the street from your house. Today, we'll demo the existing kitchen. I'll take some photos and post some info when I finish this afternoon.