Kitchen Backsplash Review Blog

I’m planning to remodel my kitchen – add new cabinets, new floors, and appliances. I’m planning to move the stove and switch from electric range to gas. So, I’ll need to add a gas line. Also planning to move the dishwasher to another location.

Does San Jose require a permit for all of this? How much does a permit cost, if required, and how long does it take to process?

Yes this is an intire remodel of your kitchen and you are deling with electrical, gas, and plumbing which all need to meet the code requirement of the Department of building and safety.

We have remodeled oue kitchen in 2007. I we like to know out of curiosity if the sales tax paid for the kitchen applience,(dishwasher, microwave and stove) the cabienates and the counter top can be deducted from our taxes in this year?

not until 2113

If so, please let me know how it went. Competitive pricing? Good customer service? Did they stick to the time line? Quality products? etc. Thanks!

That is a division of sears. As a contractor i suggest you use a local professional. These large companies such as sears, lowes and home depot tend to:
A: Be way more expensive.
B: Use the cheapest people to do the job as fast as they can.
(this means quality suffers)
C: They use illegal and non-licensed labor.

Home remodeling is one of the most exciting ventures wherein we try and make our house as beautiful as possible with the limited financial resources. But these days even with the limited financial resources with the wide range of options present in the market you can have the luxuries which you would have thought to be out of your reach. Whether you are intending to remodel your kitchen, restroom, basement or any other portion of your house it is essential that you need to get the tips on how you can make them more luxurious. This article will provide you with an insight on the tips of remodeling your kitchen countertops.

Granite countertops: Natural stone countertops like the granite, marble and soapstone add a fashionable statement to your kitchen countertops and they last long also. The natural stone is a very attractive texture but do keep an eye on the fact that this is one of the most expensive options if it is installed in pieces. An option which can provide you the same appearance with economical expense is that you can place the stones in pieces. You can have the stones cut in squares and then apply them like the ceramic tiles with the thin mortar which is used to fill the gaps between the tiles. Otherwise you can also consider overlying the granite on top of the existing counter.

Custom cabinets: With the wide range of options present in the market it is quite essential that you decide on the different cabinet configurations that suit your kitchen decor. The customized cabinets add in a new light of attraction to your kitchen and you cannot get such an outcome from the standard cabinet options. To get the customized look of the cabinets at a much affordable price what you can do is order the semi custom cabinets with the specifications of the height, width and the depth. You can get an attractive look even by the mixing the heights of the cabinets throughout the cabinet.

Stone tile backsplash: Whatever the stone you are intending to add on your countertops the obvious choice is that you will want to finish it with the stone tile backsplash so that you can provide protection to your walls. Another tip which you can utilize to have a unique look to your kitchen is that place the tiles in the diamond shape than the usual square shape, this will facilitate dual benefits of saving the number of tiles to be used in the coverage of the tile plus the diamond shaped tiles provide a very attractive and a unique look.

Wood flooring: This is one of the best flooring options which you can consider throughout the house. But what is the concern is the high cost incurred on it. However you can come out of this problem by considering the laminate wood flooring. The laminated wood flooring is available in variety of the wood grain attractive patterns.

Sarah Johns
http://www.articlesbase.com/remodeling-articles/tips-on-luxurious-kitchen-remodeling-729134.html

I’m remodeling my kitchen and I need really unique kitchen sinks, any ideas where i can get them?

What do you mean by unique. Do you mean hand painted, big, unusual color beyond stainless steel? I have a Kohler Gathering Undercounter Kitchen Sink bought it at Home Depot. Its a single basin apron front. Painted pattern on it. Check out home depot but it might cost more then your willing to shell out. However undercounter sinks are GREAT wouldtn have anything else. Remember the faucet is just as important in completing the look

I am thinking to remodel my kitchen and 2 bathrooms and also thinking to redecorate my house.Please tell me any ideas or personal experience about those projects. Do you hire indepentent contractors for each project or a general contractor to oversee the whole project?
How did you find them. Word of mouth or ads?
How about the cost? I have no idea how much something like this will cost.
End result: Do you love it? Hate it?
What do you wish had done differently?
Any help is appreciated as I have never done a remodeling project before

If you are doing a full remodel on the kitchen with new appliances and cabinetry, flooring, want to move the sink or stove to another wall, you will probably rack up a good bill, like 12K to 35K or more depending on size, location (CA is higher than anywhere) and tastes in finishes matters.
Like, do you want simple and marketable or fancy marble counters and a new picture window. Things like that cost beaucoup.
Bathrooms can cost a lot too with fixtures and finish being the big ticket.
If you are on a budget, like the cabinets and just want to give it a new look you can get by fairly inexpensively if you don’t find any whammies like water damage, plumbing problems or code issues.
I recommend for any level job to talk with as many people as you can about it.
Start with looking through magazines and books at the home centers that focus specifically on this subject area. I wouldn’t buy the books, just look through them and get ideas. If one has the dream kitchen or bath in it, yeah buy it and show it as an example to the contractor. The better they see what you want the more accurate their estimate will be and more likely you will get what you want.
Plan on getting a minimum of three estimates, seven is best, but that is hard to do and you may get a bad reputation and a pain in the @ss.
Investigate the contractors you consider using, ASK FOR REFERALS from all serious contenders for the work.
Actually talk to people they have worked for and try to see the work in person. Inspect it like you would your kitchen or bath.
Look for details like the molding makes straight joints and the caulking is clean and thorough. Ask if it was on budget, on time and why not if not? It isn’t always because of the contractor, some owners change their minds and add time and cost themselves. This usually leads to add-on terms to the contract, or should, so you both get what you expect.
Remember that add ons not written down are potential lawsuits waiting to happen for both sides.
If you are design-disadvantaged, hiring a designer as the general contractor can be a blessing and well worth the cost. They usually have guys that work with them regularly and that is like prequalifying them. They can do all the leg work for you, like picking out wallpaper and color matches for finish surfaces. They can do anything from a quick makeover to full blown remodels that require an architect or engineer depending on the designer.

Now is a good time in most places because the housing slump, so there are hungry contractors out there ready to work more cheaply than when work is abundant. Dont be quick to jump on a great offer cause price isn’t as good as quality work. Remember, you can counter offer their bids as well.

Remember that a month without a kitchen or bath can be murder on a family or a busy professional.
Solicit experiences from family, friends, webblogs, coworkers and people on the street to find out more.
Make notes when you see something you like in a friend’s kitchen or on Martha Stewart or ?
Appliances don’t have to be the most expensive to be great quality, check Consumers Reports to find the best quality items to use from toasters to Refrigerators to building material.
And personally, don’t overdo your financial commitment. Stick to your budget, make a plan and follow the plan.
Know what you want or find someone to do it for you.

Also, consult a realtor or builder about how the remodel will impact the resale value of your home or condo. Is it worth the expense if you plan to move or relocate. Will it throw the property out of kilter, meaning "now the kitchen and baths look so good the living room and the bedrooms need another $50K of work…or we have the nicest kitchen in the tri-state area.

If you are planning on staying forever, then please your needs and tastes. If your job could move you around or the kids are growing up and out and you may downsize later, consider putting the money into bonds and wait for when you get your dream house for retirement. But most of all try to enjoy the process, make it an adventure in learning and loving the journey. A good attitude from all involved should be foremost.

Redecorating the house in general will be less in cost than one bathroom probably, save major changes or problems, but there again, all things apply. Make the budget and plan and allow for 15-25% add on costs for problems and delays.
If you have an older home this is a very real potential addon cost factor. Have someone check your entire home as well.
The roof, HVAC, plumbing, house foundation, exterior finish all can matter and if you blow your budget on the kitchen and baths, then the roof goes bad unexpectedly, you will be left in a major pickle financially.
Make sure your systems work first, take care of things there first. A leaky roof will destroy your new kitchen and bath in one rainfall. Does that old tree need to come out before a wndstorm knocks it into the house. What about the neighborhood, are you over-valued already?
After the work is done, be sure to document your expenses, new appliances and other possessions with a home inventory and make sure your insurance is full replacement value to cover the old and the new stuff.
Homeownership is a full time job and you can avoid major woes by being thorough from the start of a major investment of time. You may find you have termite damage and realize that you can get the remodel partially paid for by the insurance payoff or that the house is so far gone you’d be better off just selling and starting over elsewhere.
Be informed and don’t be afraid to ask stupid questions.
If for nothing else but to see the look on their faces! hehe.
Good luck!

We want to remodel our kitchen. Is there a site to send pics to to get someone’s opinion and ideas? We will be doing this project ourselves.

I don’t know of any site, but put your pics on here, I’d love to help! I’m planning on being an interior designer. I’m in a class right now, and we’re learning about all this now.

I’m just fishing for a clue to the range to be expected. I know it will vary based on many factors, BUT I’d still like to hear some stories of your experiences to get an idea.

It all depends on exactly what you want to be done in the kitchen space. Do you want all new everything or just some replacements done? I’m an interior designer and I recently did a kitchen project that ended up being over $15,000, but that’s because the clients wanted an entirely new space. We basically gutted the kitchen and started from scratch; new tiles, appliances, everything. If you just want to re-vamp your kitchen (the minimal you mentioned), then you can easily spice up your cabinets by either sanding them and staining them or even by just painting them. If they lack appeal, then adding some type of architectural detail to the cabinet faces always helps. Also don’t think that you have to go out and buy new appliances. You can find appliance paint at any store like Home Depot or Lowes. It can turn those plain ol’ white applainces into beautiful, glossy black appliances for little or nothing, and you can’t tell that it’s paint. Also if you want new flooring, there are so many types of heavy duty tiles now that last a long time, can take a beating, look gorgeous, AND are cheap. Also if you want wood floors but can’t afford the real wood, linoleum is in! It’s not as cheap as the tile but if you don’t tell anyone it’s not linoleum (and if they aren’t a designer like me, LOL!) then they’ll believe the floor to be made of real wood. Just doing some touch ups on your old kitchen can save you a bundle. I’d say it could range anywhere from $500 to $5000 depending on how much you revamp. Hope this helps!

It may be time for a spring make-up for your kitchen.

That make-up can totally update your kitchen look in three to five days with kitchen cabinet refacing. Instead of “muddling” up your life with six weeks of normal remodeling, cabinet refacing does not seek and destroy, tear out or tear up.

Most wooden cabinets are still solid and in great shape. Refacing gives your existing cabinets a face lift. That face lift can include from all-wood cabinet door and drawer fronts to new thermo-foil laminates. Styles go from California inspired sleek, streamlined fronts to traditional, raised and even glass doors.

Countertops, sinks and appliances are easily replaced. An alternative to adding cabinets may be to add accessories that end clutter by using wasted space with tip-out trays, roll-out drawers and pull down shelves. Add the clean, quiet shelf and drawer liners and you have interior cabinets that are as easy care and durable as exterior refacing.

Cabinet refacing is like putting money in your bank account because it adds more investment value than remodeling or painting your cabinets. The short range and long term savings are normally twice as much as other methods. Surveys in leading remodeling magazines state that customers recoup 98% to 102% of their investment with cabinet refacing when they sell their home. If everything’s not rosy in your kitchen, plant this seed in hubby’s mind—a new kitchen. When he compares the apples to oranges of new cabinets versus cabinet refacing, the idea might take root and get your kitchen a much-needed facelift now instead of having to save another year or two!

Tony Bargas
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/a-time-for-kitchen-remodeling-95665.html

I’ve already considered the budget and materials I want to use.

1. Scan your kitchen for a visual sense of what it looks like now, and how you want it to be. Start with the cabinets or the countertops.

2. Browse through magazines, websites & TV shows for ideas on how simple changes can alter the look of your kitchen. Customizing them for your own layout is the easiest way forward.

3. Pick a floor plan, consult with kitchen design experts, or follow the do-it-yourself way to start remodeling.