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April 2, 2009
kitchen reno report, thanks!
Hello Brownstoner! Thanks so much for the help with my kitchen reno, it's done and I'm really excited about it!
I wanted to pass along my experiences/recommendations in case anyone else will find them useful:
-- Contractor, Al Chica, alchica3[at]aol, 646-472-4842. I read rave reviews on Al here, and they were well deserved. I'm really happy with how my kitchen looks, but even more than the outcome--I just feel like Al was honest and respectful and dependable, and you hear all these horror stories about unexpected costs or things taking much longer to finish than people expect, and I just didn't have any of that at all. He did exactly what he said he would do (more, actually!) beautifully, on time, and on budget. And he's just a nice guy. So, thanks to brownstoner for the great recommendation on a contractor and thanks to Al for doing a fantastic job.
-- Ikea cabinets: When I started planning this project I was like "ew, gross, I'm not getting Ikea cabinets." When I took a more realistic look at my budget, I thought "Y'know what? These are not bad and they're a *lot* cheaper."
-- A&K Tile Studio (9th street between 5th and 6th, park slope): A friend recommended them after having a good experience with them for her kitchen. I did *not* have a good experience. They kept forgetting to call the counter company to make set up a time for them to measure my kitchen, delaying things for weeks. They were dismissive when I asked about getting grout with the backsplash tiles. (Al to the rescue!) I'm really happy with the tile and counter top that I have from them, but the customer service was *awful* and I wonder if I might have been able to purchase the same stuff for less elsewhere.
-- Electrician, Carlos Romero, 347-682-8192, again, good quality work, on time and on budget. Al recommended him, and I would too.
That's about it!
If you want to see pictures, look here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/rebeccawidom/Kitchen?authkey=Gv1sRgCKPZt4On6K76nAE&feat=directlink
Thanks again brownstoners,
becca
Comments
This is why I love brownstoner. Thank you very much for sharing your experience, Becca and congratulations.
Posted by: donatella at April 2, 2009 10:30 PM
awww - very cool
i have the same stove - ifeel like everyone in BK has that GE stove!
congrats -you must be thrilled to be finished
also - thanks for your recs above - i love when people come back and review the people they worked with on their respective projects
Posted by: gemini10 at April 2, 2009 11:29 PM
i also used Alberth Chica for my renovation and he really is a great guy. Reliable, friendly and talented.
Posted by: wasder at April 2, 2009 11:59 PM
Hi Becca, nice job. I especially love the butcherblock counters, way underused in new kitchens imho.
I'm a bit concerned about how tight you have the refrig in there, there's supposed to be a certain clearance to allow air to circulate and the heat to dissipate. I'm sure you factored it in.
I used A&K for all the tiles in my reno and had a good experience. Having said that, maybe the trick is to use them only for tiles and not for anything else.
Posted by: denton at April 3, 2009 7:00 AM
those tiles ARE very nice. very nice...
one question, why did you go with butcher block counter (which I love, by the way) on one side of the kitchen, but not on the other where the sink is?
Posted by: townhouser at April 3, 2009 8:23 AM
I also disliked A&K tiles, but I have had great success with Classic Tile in Bensonhusrt. Good customer service, and so much cheaper.
Posted by: kirbykat at April 3, 2009 8:43 AM
Those tiles are gorgeous and your kitchen looks great. I absolutely love it!
Posted by: InsertSnappyNameHere at April 3, 2009 9:42 AM
thanks for sharing becca! i love this part of brownstoner!
love the counter and those cabinets! We put ikea cabinets in our tenants apartment and they're absolutely gorgeous.
Really lovely job!
We're looking for someone to redo our kitchen soon too...i'll be sure to give Al a call. To what extent was the work? Did he do the floors or any sheetrock or just replacing cabinets etc?
How long did it all take?
A&K tiles is an absolute nightmare...on my list of worst
home experiences along with garfield kitchen.
Posted by: CGmodern at April 3, 2009 12:02 PM
Becca, great job! Great tiles.
My neighbors also used Ikea cabs in their reno and they are stunning.
Really appreciate you sharing your experiences.
When's dinner?
Posted by: TownhouseLady at April 3, 2009 12:13 PM
Good job - thanks for photos they are always so helpful when considering this sort of renovation. If you dont mind my asking - ball park, what were the costs involved for something like this ?
Posted by: 10thStreetReno at April 3, 2009 12:14 PM
Like it. Thanks for sharing! Really dig butcher block surface. Neat, warm.
Posted by: Johnny at April 3, 2009 12:16 PM
Very nice!
Is the counter near your sink SS? Is it an IKEA product?
Posted by: HmmWhichNeighborhood at April 4, 2009 9:35 AM
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