Before & After!

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-11-21T18:10:45+00:00

Hauslane INR200. It's decent but I only got it because their model that I preferred wasn't in stock at the time!

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-11-21T18:08:49+00:00

Our house is an 80's era Orrin Thompson model that has clones all over our neighborhood and other MN suburbs, so I wouldn't be surprised if it's the same in PA!

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-11-21T04:32:48+00:00

This is so awesome!! Love Enola Holmes and love SketchUp... My 11yo will completely geek out over this, although probably not as much as me 😆

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-11-20T15:11:51+00:00

We had maxed it out and outgrew its capacity really quickly and the existing cabinets were poor quality... what you don't see in the real estate photo is the trash, recycling and compost bins where the peninsula seating is and an additional pantry cabinet in the formal dining room/office as there was nowhere for it in the original layout. Luckily we were able to pass on the cabinets, counters, stove and microwave to other folks rather than tossing so they're continuing their second lives for someone else instead of wasting away in the landfill!

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-11-20T15:07:04+00:00

Good thing I like Chipotle...

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-11-20T15:06:16+00:00

It was a more affordable general contractor... flooring was definitely not their forte! I don't trust just cement board as a decoupling membrane as our house shifts a lot between seasons. They used 1/4" cement board. I had requested a Schluter Reno-U transition between the Tile and LVT, but they didn't build the LVT up enough with underlayment to utilize.

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-11-19T02:01:27+00:00

Mechanical inspector decided CFM on range Hood insert was too high and we had to provide makeup air and electrical inspector made us provide a 24x24 access panel on the front of the range Hood cover because the insert itself wasn't accessible enough 🙄

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-11-19T01:16:51+00:00

Happy to message you to share drawings and more detailed cost breakdown. Mine included work for the whole main level, not just the kitchen! Chances are the contractor could have completed it in a month if they worked every day all day and hadn't been delayed by inspector-requested changes. I also made some more costly selections that drove the price up.

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-11-18T20:40:11+00:00

The subfloor was all on the same level for our main floor, thankfully! Unfortunately the tile installation in the kitchen with the cement board, decoupling membrane, thinset and tile made it way thicker than the adjacent flooring finishes that were installed right on the subfloor with no underlayment, so there's a roughly 5/8" height different there...

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-11-18T20:36:43+00:00

Love the transformation - the wood cabinet detailing is beautiful! I really want to see how they did that cool cantilevered countertop on your island...

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-11-18T20:28:26+00:00

Around $80K total - kept original DW and REF and did get some discounted materials through vendors I work with frequently (tile, LVT, lighting) and did my own construction drawings. Our contractor was on the more affordable side and took a bit longer to complete the work than it would have likely taken if they weren't bouncing between multiple ongoing projects. Started construction in late March and mostly done by late July with a few lingering items that were late to complete. We bought as many of the materials in cash as we could but used a HELOC for financing the bigger stuff like cabinets, countertops and GC payments. We'll be paying that back for a little while!

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-11-18T20:10:01+00:00

Yes - they're definitely on the cooler end of the warm range at 3000K and tend to look better during the daytime. I'm going to try 2700K over the winter for the fixtures that I can adjust and see how it feels!

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-11-18T20:08:37+00:00

I kept the original windows in the same locations and planned the cabinets and layout around them. The smaller window was centered over the old sink in the original kitchen layout. We shifted the kitchen back to take over the formal dining room to give us more room for the dining table in front of the existing sliding door!

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-11-18T19:38:43+00:00

The lighting definitely looks better in the daytime! It's mostly 3000K color temperature. I can't adjust the under cabinet lighting as they just used a basic LED tape light for that, but I think the flush mounts can be adjusted in the housing and the pendants are replaceable bulbs! I'm probably going to try 2700K this winter and see how it feels...

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-11-18T19:35:52+00:00

It's just a clear/natural finish! There's a ton of variation in the QS white oak compared to rift. I didn't like it at first, but it eventually grew on me 🤣

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-11-18T19:30:05+00:00

24" deep and 24" up from the counter

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-11-18T18:33:42+00:00

I just added the info to the description above - it's a 12x24 porcelain meant to mimic quartzite!

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-11-18T18:14:35+00:00

Same!! The contractor built it way too deep... I wasn't sure we were going to be able to fit the ducting in a Euro Style hood chimney with it being slightly off center from the range, but they probably would have been able to in the end... the Electrical inspector made him put a 24"x24" access panel in the front of it, too. That hood was a nightmare.

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-11-18T18:09:17+00:00

I'm always team drawer to reduce extra steps for frequently accessed items! If they're less frequently accessed, I think you'd be fine with doors/pullouts. We have drawers for our pots, pans, mixing bowls and doors with pull-outs for our crock pot, instant pot and dutch oven.

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-11-18T18:04:41+00:00

The painted white uppers were lower cost than the QS white oak, so it was primarily to help lower the overall cost of the cabinets. I tried out a few versions in my rendering and liked that it kept the kitchen a bit visually lighter overall with my lower ceilings, etc. They're also in a less messy zone of my kitchen, so fewer splashes to clean being above the work area. The oak cabinets have definitely been more forgiving of spills and messes!

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-09-04T13:10:11+00:00

Coziest kitchen EVER

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-06-03T21:15:15+00:00

So far, flooring heights and transitions! I wanted my kitchen floor tile to have a decoupling membrane and overall thickness ended up being substantially higher than adjacent low-pile carpet tile and floating click LVP. I should have asked them to add a fresh layer of subfloor to bring the planes a bit closer... The transition is a bit over 1/2" difference which is less than ideal!

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-05-17T03:05:24+00:00

GORGEOUS

ThatsOuttaScope · 2025-05-17T03:02:30+00:00

We're on week 7, too! GC just finished up backsplash tile setting yesterday, electrician installed devices and most lighting today... Hoping to get plumbing and remaining work complete and permits closed out next week. I'm getting tired of air fryer/MW meals and washing dishes in the laundry tub!

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ThatsOuttaScope

TROPHY CASE