Working With Kitchen Contractors
We have a coop apartment in a brownstone building with a 30+ year old, 10×10, basic kitchen. We’d like to do a “budget” (under 25K) reno and are trying to find contractors but also seek advice about working with contractors. Besides recommedations from other Brownstoners, what are sources of reliable/trustworthy GCs? We’re keeping all the…
We have a coop apartment in a brownstone building with a 30+ year old, 10×10, basic kitchen. We’d like to do a “budget” (under 25K) reno and are trying to find contractors but also seek advice about working with contractors. Besides recommedations from other Brownstoners, what are sources of reliable/trustworthy GCs?
We’re keeping all the water & gas lines as is and the floor just needs a new shine (sturdy wide planks are great). We’re talking new cabinets, paint, counters, appliances, backsplash. No structural changes. No granite, glass tile, professional range, or other fancy stuff.
Do we have to find and purchase all the materials ourselves or do contractors get better deals if they go direct? Is IKEA our only budget cabinet option? (We priced Kraftmaid from Home Depot and it was about 7000K!) What about those Amish places in Pennsylvania for basic all-wood cabinets, discounters in NJ, or Green Demolitions for slightly used cabinets? Anyone have experience with alternative sources like those?
Any books to recommend that would help us get started? We’re so eager to do this but are so nervous about the process.
I’ve looked through some archives and couldn’t find an exact answer. Thanks for any advice and ideas!
Just don’t ask Torchwood to do it – WAAAYY too expensive, and you’ll probably end up with a huge Dalek problem.
setancre, thanks for the thoughtful and detailed breakdown. Everyone has been very helpful. Thanks for all the comments!
Also, use this forum for kitchen renovation info: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/kitchbath
Better than any book you will find. Good luck with your project!
We did the same project you are starting out on about 2 years ago in our co-op and were able to do it for $12,000 including professional labor. If one of you can be home most of the time that the work is being done, it is definitely doable.
We used Ikea cabinets (they are definitely the best quality at lower price points), and used Ikea’s stone dealer to source the granite countertops (usually cheaper going through Ikea than directly to stoneyard because Ikea gets discounts for doing so many orders). We also had the cabinets installed by Traemand the Ikea installer; they were superfast and very efficient.
Cabinets: $1700 (Ikea)
Counters: $2200 (Granite)
Install: $1250 (Traemand)
We ordered all other materials ourselves ahead of time. Got appliances from AJ Madison in Brooklyn (great website at http://www.ajmadison.com). Got the backsplash tile custom ordered on sale (www.hakatai.com). Chandelier from lightingdirect.com, remaining kitchen lights from Ikea. New sink and faucets from faucetdirect.com.
Appliances: $2850 (AJ Madison – stainless: refrig, range, OTR microwave, 18″ dishwasher)
Light Fixtures: $600 (Ikea, lightingdirect.com)
Backsplash Tile: $400 (custom http://www.hakatai.com)
Sink/Faucet: $700 (faucetdirect.com)
Once we were ready to start, we took apart the old formica kitchen and appliances (not difficult) and had it all removed by a carting company. We had a licensed electician come because we needed a new outlet for the over-the-range microwave, and they installed the chandelier and new lights and moved some switchplates. The plaster was in awful shape so we had a laborer patch the walls prior to cabinet install.
Carting of demo (N&M Demolition): $275
Electrician (Adanuncio) : $500
Day laborer: $200
Then we had the cabinets installed, the countertops installed and the appliances installed. We also needed a licensed plumber to install the dishwasher (needed new connection) and move the gas line a tiny bit.
Plumber (Aladdin): $390
Last thing was the backsplash, paint and window treatments. We had a tile guy come in, took him 2.5 days. New blinds from JCPenneys. Painted kitchen and rest of apartment, not sure what kitchen would have been alone (probably about $500).
Tile install (Rob Mara): $575
Blinds (jcp.com): $150
Slowly put together the plan using Ikea cabinet software and started buying materials over about 4 months. Took about 2 weeks to complete once demo started, and the final damage: $11,790 (not including paint).
Again, thanks for the ideas!
allans, I will drop you a email. Thanks.
Denton, there is a vent to the airshaft fairly close to the stove, so it is a possibility. In the past, we’ve tried to do some minor diy stuff around the house and have failed miserably. We’re both mechanically “declined.”
the_why, I went to BIG once and was quite overwhelmed. The Green Demolitions website shows the full kitchens, but you have to dig around at BIG. At the time, I wasn’t looking for kitchen stuff though. If a contractor is willing to re-configure, it certainly would be worth another look. Thanks for the recommendation too!
Try Build It Green NYC for cabinets, etc. (bignyc.org). I recently bought a sink, countertop, and kitchen cabinets from them for a total of about $2500 and they are spectacular!!! My contractor will install the cabinets, including making necessary modifications and enhancements. I’ve used him for about 20 years and recommended him to many people who are very pleased with his work, and they have recommended him to others. He’s a licensed and insured general contractor and his prices are typically in the mid-range. I don’t even bother with competing bids since I trust him and know his work. His name is Ben Ligotti, and his number is 516-659-1052. You could feel free to discuss with him whether you or he should get the components for the kitchen, and how scheduling with sub-contractors works. He’ll be honest with you about the advantages, disadvantages, and costs of doing it however you want.
a real hood to the outside is probably one of the best investments you can make… but it will cost you. I would gently disagree w cmu about lighting tho. You are working with dangerous things like knives and hot pots and lighting is important just as it would be with any other job.
Also why not see what you can do yourself to save money? If you painted yourself maybe you could save enuf to afford something that you want instead. Like those counters.
Thanks very much!
BHS, I had thought access to an architect only came with going the Design/Build route. Since we’re not changing the layout, I didn’t think of using one. That is very good advice about the GC making the purchases then being responsible for delivery.
CMU, we have been seriously looking at IKEA for some time. (There was an older post about someone looking for a GC that was comfortable working with IKEA and he/she didn’t get too many responses.) Also, our budget listed is really the absolute most we can spend, but would rather go lower. We might want to install a real hood vent and widen a narrow doorway so each of those optional items could be pricey. And depending on the quotes we end up getting, our one real splurge may be an IceStone counter (slightly less than granite). Thanks for the tip about overlighting. I’ve been working with one lone bulb for so long I probably would have wanted to many.
Hi Gwen,
I can help you. I went through the same pains in 2006 when I started my GC search for a brownstone gut. I was new to the game and extremely nervous due mostly to my inexperience and large budget I had to manage. Needless to say it was extremely intimidating but I survived and learned a lot. I now own a second house in NJ (my primary residence) which I also gut renovated last year. You can email me at allans1935@gmail.com to talk off-line.
Best,
Allan S.