New-ish kitchen jam

Brutal. Much mojo sent. As JBJ said, it will be worth it in the end. Mine was (we also did 2 bathrooms and floors).
Took 6 months longer than expected but it got done. Been about 2 years now and I can see we will need floors again next year. The floor guys quit mid job too, then the designers husband tried, I threw an absolute shit fit because it looked like my 8 year old was working on it, so they hired some CL randos to finish. The floor is coming up in a few places and loose. Pretty sure they just speed laid it and didn't even glue anything.
 
Workers were supposed to start back this week.
They did not.

Maybe Saturday.
That’s nice because I don’t have anything to do….
 
No showed for Saturday.

Contractor had a funeral, but was too sick to go to that, too.

It’s fine, actually. I’m not in the mood for the disruption.
 
Kitchen renovations are not for the faint of heart. The stress from all the ups and downs causes some marriages to end in divorce.

“Over 50 percent of those surveyed reported that the renovation process caused a significant amount of stress in their marriages. In fact, approximately 12 percent of those polled indicated that the stress of renovation caused them to consider or pursue divorce or separation.”
~Breeden Law Office
 
They’re baaa-aaack.

Two days of sanding off all of their previous work.

Contractor said he’d use chemical remover so as to keep the dust to a minimum.

Nope.

60-grit, 100-something grit, and 400 grit.

Cabinets are smooth and naked now.

Dust shields went up before any work started.
Might as well not bothered. Dust everywhere. Can’t sit in the family room as it’s coated with dust.

At least I’m making the best of my vacation…

Walls are still shit and need to be done again as well.
 
JFC!

They brought a couple of the cabinet doors that had been done in the shop.

The decorative scroll that was in the doors is filled in, but not completely.
You can see it from a mile away. There’s still wood grain visible in the field of the panel.

I’d be fine with wood grain, but unless they’re going to carve faux grain into the filled groove. I don’t think the contractor has the capacity to do it. It needs to be all smooth.
All it needs is wood filler for fuck’s sake. He filled in the groove. How much of a leap is it to fill the wood grain?

At least the paint colour is right now.
 
Continued kitchen remodel mojo.
That's almost the same color my brother painted his cabinets. Yours is much better, as his looks like TV Batman's mask and cape.

1723818723155.jpeg
 
With the re-do, we got a bit of a different blue. It’s a bit less bright.
I’d call it a wedgewood blue.

This is the best they say they can do with filling in the groove.
IMG_4279.jpeg


But the right side of the smaller door is almost gone. Almost.
IMG_4280.jpeg



Either way, the paint job is shit.

The final finish is supposed to be sprayed.
These are just samples for us to choose from, but they are our cabinet doors…

We gave him the weekend to come up with better samples.
 
As it sits.

All the stuff that was contracted is fine.

Counter and backsplash are good. Although the backsplash is just as thick as the counter, it’s really only an issue behind the fridge where that outlet is in the pic and it might not be that bad.

IMG_4282.jpeg


Lights and sink/faucet are great.

IMG_4281.jpeg


Anything paint is a gong show. Except for the window trim and sash.

Anything to do with managing the project seemed to be out of order.
That cove where the lighting is: was just sanded and primed today for the first time.
 
More mojo. Sounds like the correct decision to dump them though.

Are the doors redeemable at this point? I'd be minded to have the contractor replace them for new in the colour you want. If they haven't already taken them, the tools in your house = collateral in the discussion...
 
Doors might be salvageable, but we’re already looking at replacing them ourselves.

I suspect the GC hadn’t gotten around to doing anything at all with all of them - just the samples he provided - after having them for 52 days.
We’ll see this afternoon when he returns them.
We did pause the project for 2 weeks while we went away, but he had the doors and could have completed them. If he didn’t get to all of them, I’m glad because his idea of “perfect” is not even close to acceptable.

We do owe him some money, and I’ve rationalized it out as fair.
We’ve paid at every milestone when his sub contractors did their work. Demo, electrical, countertop, plumbing.

The bulk of what’s left to pay is really part of the labour cost and project management, and if I work it out right we are getting the benefit of that labour even at this stage. Project management, not so much.

What we’re not paying on the whole project quote is probably enough to get the job done. So, we could still hit our original budget.
We just don’t think this guy can do it without more hassle.

We’re not that picky, but it seems like we have to always push and pull to get what was agreed to up front.
We hired this guy so that we wouldn’t have to do that. He’s turned out to be the biggest part of the problem.
If I had to point to one thing, I’d say it was lack of communication and/or supervision of the painters.

The other subs were fantastic. So much so, that I’ve asked the electrician to quote another project for me, and we’re thinking about getting the plumber to quote to finish the painting as he does full projects as well.

We’re also looking at other companies of course. I’m kind of leaning more toward “corporate” like companies rather than smaller companies like this guy. It sucks, but that’s where my head is at now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jbj
dodgechargerfan said:
Doors might be salvageable, but we’re already looking at replacing them ourselves.

I suspect the GC hadn’t gotten around to doing anything at all with all of them - just the samples he provided - after having them for 52 days.
We’ll see this afternoon when he returns them.
We did pause the project for 2 weeks while we went away, but he had the doors and could have completed them. If he didn’t get to all of them, I’m glad because his idea of “perfect” is not even close to acceptable.

We do owe him some money, and I’ve rationalized it out as fair.
We’ve paid at every milestone when his sub contractors did their work. Demo, electrical, countertop, plumbing.

The bulk of what’s left to pay is really part of the labour cost and project management, and if I work it out right we are getting the benefit of that labour even at this stage. Project management, not so much.

What we’re not paying on the whole project quote is probably enough to get the job done. So, we could still hit our original budget.
We just don’t think this guy can do it without more hassle.

We’re not that picky, but it seems like we have to always push and pull to get what was agreed to up front.
We hired this guy so that we wouldn’t have to do that. He’s turned out to be the biggest part of the problem.
If I had to point to one thing, I’d say it was lack of communication and/or supervision of the painters.

The other subs were fantastic. So much so, that I’ve asked the electrician to quote another project for me, and we’re thinking about getting the plumber to quote to finish the painting as he does full projects as well.

We’re also looking at other companies of course. I’m kind of leaning more toward “corporate” like companies rather than smaller companies like this guy. It sucks, but that’s where my head is at now.
Click to expand...

I'm lucky in that my dad is a painter and decorator. We've saved literally thousands on the new house with him coming in and undoing the abundance of bright blue paint and wallpaper we inherited.

It means he knows loads of tradies too and I know a bunch through the football so there's usually someone we know for any job we've needed for the new place.

Again it's a pain in the arse but it'll be all worth it.
 
Clean break after some misunderstood back and forth emails.

So, we start planning and interviewing again.

First, we clean!
 
New guy is pretty cool.
Lots of ideas.

Referring back to the pics up above:

See that big, stupid microwave box?
That’s going to get ripped out.

See the bulkhead dividing the ceiling into two rooms?
That’s getting ripped out.

See the backsplash sticking out into the spot where the fridge goes?
That’s going to get ripped out. There’s a seam just on the other side of the box and in line with the upper cabinet. So it’s a small piece that needs to get swapped.
That outlet is getting moved so it’s not over the edge of the counter.
Another outlet is going in over the counter instead of where it is now.

The backsplash on that wall will get replaced and cover the wall where the box will come out.

Pot lights will get redistributed across the ceiling over the two spaces. 8 in total. 2 dimmers.
Centre light fixture that you see will get turfed.
The same fixture is in the eating area. That’ll get replaced with a pendant style light.
We’ve got a spot for those fixtures.
Pots lights over the sink - there are 2 now - will get reduced to 1 and on its own dimmer.

New shaker style doors are being made.

Lots of little touches here and there to modern up the lines.
The trim you see around the top of the cabinets will get replaced. The piece over the window will be gone.
The wall will get filled on an angle over the corner cabinets.
New baseboards and casing around the door.

We also ordered shutters for the windows.

We discussed returning the new microwave and new stove vent fan and getting a unit that combines both to go over the stove.
We’re going to wait and see. We’ll just plunk the microwave on the counter and put in the vent.
If we decide to change it later, it won’t be difficult to get some money out of those two pieces selling them used.
 
Part of me says, “This is a stupid waste of money.”

However, the room has never been updated other than the floor, and we had the old laminate counter and tile backsplash sprayed to look like granite once.
So, I guess it’s time.

And it’s an investment. Right? RIGHT??
 
dodgechargerfan said:
Part of me says, “This is a stupid waste of money.”

However, the room has never been updated other than the floor, and we had the old laminate counter and tile backsplash sprayed to look like granite once.
So, I guess it’s time.

And it’s an investment. Right? RIGHT??
Click to expand...
dude, i can't even imagine the crap you've gone thru trying to get your kitchen upgraded.
i hope that this whole C.F. turns out good for you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top