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January 14, 2008
How much to install a rental kitchen?
Hello. My husband and I are moving towards purchasing a two family home, which is currently being used as a one-family. We would like to use it as a two family, but we would need to add a kitchen to the rental unit. The current space has plumbing and gas hook-ups as well as built in cabinetry that we think is usable. The floors are in good shape. It lacks a stove, refrigerator, sink, and probably needs some counter space next to the sink. It also needs to be painted. We are trying to get an estimate of how much it would cost to finish out the kitchen with as much DIY as possible. How much did you spend on your rental kitchens? Is it possible to do this work for less than $10,000? Less than $6,000? Thanks for your input.
Comments
We completely redid our tenant kitchen for $10,000. It included Ikea cabinets, Ikea sink and fixtures, corian countertop, all new appliances(fridge, range, hood, no dishwasher)and a nice tiled backsplash. Plumbing was updated but the floor was not touched.
Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 1:49 PM
If you're not even thinking about putting cabinets in, you've reduced your cost already. Plumbing already there? You're in great shape! REALLY! so You can finish that for less than $5,000. Tiles, backsplash, flooring, and appliances can be had for less than $3,000. Seems like the heavy lifting has been done. But if you want to go high end, you'll obviously increase your cost.
Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 1:50 PM
Sounds like most of the really expensive work - the plumbing, cabinets, floors, are done. There is where most of your money goes. You didn't mention lighting, but if all of the outlets and fixtures are updated, you can easily change out lighting fixtures yourself. Putting in a decent counter isn't that hard, they come premade at HD/Lowes in several laminates. Or you could buy a butcher block or stainless steel work table on casters. Ikea has a stainless one that's not very expensive, and looks very industrial.
Buy decent middle of the road appliances by GE or Kenmore, paint and spruce up. I would think you could do it for under $6K easily, especially doing most of it yourself. You would only have to hire a plumber to hook up the stove to the gas line and hook up the sink and faucets.
Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 1:55 PM
You could definitely create a nice rental for under $6,000 if you already have good cabinetry and a nice floor. If you are doing the painting your major costs are basically the appliances and hook up. A short run (under 6 feet) of granite countertop appeals to renters and can be inexpensive at one of the 3rd ave stone shops. We just installed very attractive Ikea kitchen cabinets for under $2500.00
Posted by: Jane at January 14, 2008 1:56 PM
How can anyone answer this without having any specifications or a design. Sure you can do it for $6,000. You can also do it for $25,000.
Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 2:19 PM
Guess 2:19 never learned to read, or am I imagining the four specific and detailed answers above?
We spent $6,000 for IKEA, mid-range appliances, butcher block counter (6 ft) incl. $1200 for plumbing and electrical.
Posted by: cmu at January 14, 2008 2:51 PM
As a sometime renter, sometime owner, I would say you must include a dishwasher to attract most tenants, unlike the first responder. Once I finally had an apartment with one, I'd never again rent or buy one without. Matters more than counter surface material - I'm happy with plain old white formica - but give me a dishwasher!
Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 3:10 PM
I second the dishwasher vote--I think it adds good value to a rental for very low cost. And one of the smaller 18" dishwashers will be just fine unless it's a really large apartment.
Posted by: tinarina at January 14, 2008 3:19 PM
As a tenant that is waiting for my landlord to keep part of my deposit, I encourage OP to not skip the back-splash. Big surprise: scrubing splashed food off the wall over the stove and the sink is hell on latex paint.
Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 3:39 PM
Speaking as a 2-fam landlord, very amateur cook, former co-opper, and former tenant, I have to respectfully disagree with Tinarina. 18" d/w is very frustrating. You may get some 23-year olds who don't care when they see the apartment, but they will be much happier in the apartmetn with the real deal in the long run. Go to 24" if you can. Between added rent and water usage saved, a d/w the tenants can really use will pay for itself over time.
Posted by: slopefarm at January 14, 2008 3:51 PM
I'm the first poster and I love my dishwasher. Tenant preferred the storage space over a dishwasher. If we didn't already have a tenant, I too, would have put one in.
Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 4:51 PM
Do dishwashers really save on water?
Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 5:51 PM
as opposed to handwashing dishes? yes.
although i am sure if you run the dishwasher before it is full, you aren't saving much water.
Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 9:46 PM
Thanks 9:46. I suppose I will have to look into getting one for my new home.
Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 11:29 PM
I've done this. You don't have to hire someone to hook up the stove and sink. When you buy your stove, pay for the installation also. When your stove get delivered, your new one will be hooked up and the old one discarded. I got my appliances from PCRichard and they delivered the next day, installed the new and discarded the old. Also, hooking up the plumbing to a sink that is already placed isn't hard. If you must buy some cabinets, Lowes and Home Depot have nice stock cabinets that with some cool hardware would look nice. Doing it yourself, you can definitely spend less than $6000.
I also WOULD NOT buy a dishwasher for a tenant for a few reasons:
1. Whatever you put in the apartment has to be maintained - you put in a dishwasher, whatever goes wrong with it (even, stupidity) is your problem to fix.
2. Since a dishwasher only saves water when it is run full, how do you intend to make sure your tenants don't run it every night to wash 2 pots, a plate, glass and 4 four utensils? You can't. There's a reason most tenants don't get dishwashers or individual washing/dryers.
3. Since you didn't mention the condition of the interior plumbing (inside the walls), you might want to check that before adding a dishwasher. The fastest way people get into trouble is instead of just replacing the appliances, they add new ones without properly updating the plumbing and electric. 'something to think about.
Sandy
Posted by: guest at January 15, 2008 1:11 AM
To OP.
Pay attention to Sandy, she is right!
Whatever happens in your rental is your responsability.
It could cost you more money than you think.
The more mechanics you have, the more they break.
Posted by: Ysabelle at January 15, 2008 10:02 AM
Our (totally renovated) rental has a dishwasher AND a washer-dryer--two factors that enabled us to charge a very good rent AND attract very nice tenants.
Nothing has broken yet, but yeah, things happen--so you fix it.
I think folks who do down-and-dirty no-frills rentals attract tenants of the same persuasion.
Posted by: tinarina at January 15, 2008 10:17 AM
To tinarina
Just because someone has more money, does not make them a better human being.
It means they have more and that is it.
You want the tenant to pay on time and not bounce checks,
The perfect tenant would be a mensch. (mensch=german noun, look it up)
Well-bred people always pay on time.
It is the noueau riche that's a pain in th ass!
Posted by: Ysabelle at January 15, 2008 12:28 PM
ahhh ysabelle...you're always good for a laugh.
"mensch=german noun, look it up" are you kidding? you're in nyc do you thing people dont know what mensch means?
i believe when tinarina was saying "I think folks who do down-and-dirty no-frills rentals attract tenants of the same persuasion." it means if a tenant knows that you dont take care of a place why should they? it's more than just "You want the tenant to pay on time and not bounce checks" i want to to take care of the place and not destroy it! maybe you're ok with it...
Posted by: guest at January 15, 2008 1:35 PM
Thanks 1:35.
Ysabelle, regardless of income there are folks who put a higher priority on their living space, want amenities, and tend to take good care of things. Those are the tenants I want.
Posted by: tinarina at January 15, 2008 2:17 PM
Tinarina:
"regardless of income there are folks who put a higher priority on their living space, want amenities, and tend to take good care of things. Those are the tenants I want."
We all want things - doesn't mean we get them. Show me someone who wants bad tenants.
Also, be careful about offering amenities "regardless of income".
Let me give you a scenario: You have a rental untit available with a dishwasher and a washer/dryer. You have to charge more rent to cover more water, electric and gas. You just excluded renters with less income. How, you ask. If someone is broke for the month, laundry can be handwashed and a DW IS a luxury. However, if the DW and W/D come with the apt., they are being paid for whether or not they are being used. That, is a budget-breaker.
Yes, people do put a high priority on their living space BUT they have to be able to first afford it.
Sandy
Posted by: guest at January 16, 2008 1:22 AM
An apartment nicely renovated with a dishwasher (and a W/D, though there isn't the room for them in many brownstone apartment) would attract more in rent over the years than you would ever pay to maintain the appliances...those who say "don't install them" are what's called penny-wise and pound-foolish...
Posted by: guest at January 16, 2008 4:43 PM
http://www.centurykitchens.com/intro.htm
I am willing to provide you with my Employee Discount 35% off any interest?
Posted by: sandro at January 18, 2008 6:38 AM
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