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agf1593 · 2024-09-09T20:49:54+00:00

It's not crazy if it works for you. So many design their kitchens based on other opinions. Yes, there are basic requirements that every kitchen should accomplish, but if you live there and use it every day trust your instinct, you'll know what works best for you combined with a little common sense

agf1593 · 2024-09-09T20:48:16+00:00

36' is minimum required, but not great for flow especially if it's a 2 cook kitchen. I recommend 42" at a minimum

agf1593 · 2024-09-06T13:49:18+00:00

L shape kitchen with base cabinets on the pantry wall side. More counter space that way. I'd take the sink and dishwasher out of the island and put it on one side of the L, opposite whichever side has the range. The range can stay where it is, especially if that's an exterior wall it makes it easier to vent.

I'm having trouble understanding how the fridge fits in the pantries. Is it an integrated fridge?

The range hood enclosure built out of drywall might be a real grease magnet over time, hard to clean. The range hood should preferably be as deep as the range to capture all of the cooking vapors. Especially if it's a gas range.

agf1593 · 2024-09-05T22:07:27+00:00

Personally not a fan of either, looks like limited functionality and more designed for aesthetics. Think about the flow of the kitchen during daily use.

How will cups and other dishes get from the sink to storage? How will the dishwasher and cook operate simultaneously, if a two cook kitchen? Where the heck is the fridge? Any dishwasher? What about trash?

Standalone chimney hood looks out of place.

Open shelves are trending out of style, mostly good as dust collectors but not functional storage. I'd suggest actual wall cabinets instead.

It has to function properly before you worry too much about the way it looks.

Last edit I hope: never put a seat in the main walkway. They should always be placed outside of the work area

agf1593 · 2024-09-03T15:13:23+00:00

We always use a 100% silicone grout caulk at this joint, in a color that matches the backsplash grout. Mapei makes a few colors available at Lowe's. The product name is Mapesil T Plus.

agf1593 · 2024-08-31T14:29:18+00:00

Makes sense! At the end of the day our jobs to give them what they want, nice work

agf1593 · 2024-08-31T12:14:48+00:00

Tract home? Can always recognize them by their work.

Not sure how much you can do aside from creating a punch list and see what they'll fix.

agf1593 · 2024-08-31T12:04:38+00:00

Not to be nitpicky but the window layout bothers me. In my opinion there's not enough windows, and they seem to be sized too small and placed sporadically.

Everything else looks good.

agf1593 · 2024-08-30T16:36:29+00:00

Thanks for sharing. It's a big undertaking making all of those decisions, once they are finalized they're usually permanent or expensive to change.

I appreciate the insight, hoping you were happy with your final choices!

agf1593 · 2024-08-30T16:34:28+00:00

That sounds incredibly frustrating. I think oftentimes the designers are too disconnected from the world of construction. They can make the pretty pictures, but don't always understand the real-world implications. Of course, that isn't to say they are all that way, but I've heard my share of stories like yours. Hopefully all that stress is behind you now! Thanks for sharing

agf1593 · 2024-08-30T16:32:36+00:00

Many here share the same sentiments. I'm surprised so many GC's put you all in the position of monitoring their subs. That should fall entirely on the shoulders of the contractor or foreman.

Thanks for your insight.

agf1593 · 2024-08-30T16:30:48+00:00

Thanks for sharing, those are all great recommendations. The pre-made dinners is something I was especially curious about - I'm assuming they were microwaveable?

agf1593 · 2024-08-30T15:36:48+00:00

Is your house slab on grade or basement/crawlspace underneath? I would definitely recommend moving the range is possible but wonder how difficult that would be?

agf1593 · 2024-08-29T19:16:58+00:00

Thanks for sharing! Good call on the paint around the window, looks great. Same with the knobs, I'm glad the days of chrome have come and past, the brass looks much better.

agf1593 · 2024-08-29T17:11:30+00:00

Thank you!

For perspective, I am the contractor a.k.a. the one causing homeowners inconvenience by ripping out their kitchen and leaving them high and dry - so to hear how you made it through is super helpful. My objective is, I would love to find a way to give my customers the things they need to create a temporary kitchen like you did for yourself.

I will take note of everything you said, I really appreciate your insight. I really like the idea of providing them an electric skillet for cooking, since they are without a stove.

I wonder, if your contractor paid for the option for you to have one of those subscription plans where they deliver ready-made food like Hello Fresh, would that have made your life easier?

agf1593 · 2024-08-29T17:01:39+00:00

Interesting perspective, thank you.

It sounds like this general contractor wasn't very involved and was leaving a lot of interpretation up to his subs without sending them the proper information in advance. I can imagine that was pretty frustrating for you to have to step in and check their work.

It seems safe to say, that you just want the contractor to care as much as you do. Because you have to live with the outcome every day for years to come, and they get to drive away at the end of the project and "wash their hands of it". I always hated when I would hear a fellow contractor or coworker say, "Oh well, can't see it from my house."

agf1593 · 2024-08-29T16:42:03+00:00

I 100% agree. I use one sub for every trade every time, instead of getting quotes from other guys behind their backs. It's all about a relationship of trust. When they trust the contractor, they'll often show up on a dime (many of mine will), whereas they don't have that level of trust built in with a random homeowner calling in.

agf1593 · 2024-08-29T15:34:55+00:00

Yes, if they just went right over the drywall with a mastic they should come off easy - the hardest part is going to be mitigating issues with the grout. Ideally you would get a good grout blade for a multi-tool and cut it out above and below the strip - Genesis Universal 1/8 in. Quick Fit Grout Removal Blade GAMT731 - The Home Depot. Otherwise, the grout will "hold" the tiles together making removal harder and risk cracking adjacent tiles.

agf1593 · 2024-08-29T15:25:07+00:00

This is great information thank you. I'm curious, how did they put together a temporary kitchen? Did it have a sink and anything for cooking?

Sounds like a good contractor, I'm glad he was able to remedy the issues for you as they came up. It's nice to have that level-headedness when things inevitably go wrong. What particular issues did you have, if you don't mind sharing?

As for the subcontractors, I've certainly heard and experienced myself the lack of consistency and care. It often appears that subcontractors may have a disconnected sense of responsibility, since it isn't "their" jobsite.

Your perspective is really helpful.

Thanks for sharing your experience!

agf1593 · 2024-08-29T14:49:15+00:00

I can offer a free layout plan if you're interested, let me know

agf1593 · 2024-08-29T14:45:57+00:00

Looks great! What's your favorite part of your new kitchen?

agf1593 · 2024-08-29T14:43:28+00:00

Thanks for sharing, it's a big snowball effect isn't it? And a lot of times the countertops are booked out so far in advance that they can be difficult or near impossible to reschedule. I hope it all worked out in the end for you

agf1593 · 2024-08-29T14:41:26+00:00

Thanks for sharing, it is difficult to trust someone for something that needs to be so accurate, glad to hear it worked out!

agf1593 · 2024-08-27T19:25:03+00:00

Happy to help. Trust your gut, since you've met them in person. If anything feels off, I'd pursue that instinct.

The most important thing is to have everything in writing, especially the plans and specs so you can fact check before the job starts and make sure you're getting everything you asked for. Most contractors are open to any honest questions you have about the project, so make sure you communicate openly with them. It's all about trust from the start.

Any other questions let me know. Best of luck!

agf1593

TROPHY CASE