Sunset first home first remodel: our guide to buying and fixing up a starter house - The Changing Western Home

Sunset, May, 2003 by Mary Jo Bowling

Vital stats

Julia and Joe Bullock Phoenix

Ages: 29 and 34

Kids: Three

Home: 3,100 square feet with five bedrooms.

Price: $264,00

Diary of a kitchen remodel

Planning, patience, and sweat equity pay off for Sunset's building writer

Peter O. Whiteley

Photographs by Thomas J. Story

Shortly after moving into our hillside 1,400-square-foot 1950s tract home, my wife, Beth, and I decided to remodel. The 12- by 13-foot kitchen was largely walled off from the adjacent dining room, which enjoyed a view of the San Francisco Bay. Our goals were to open the spaces to each other and to reorganize and upgrade the kitchen as a warm and elegant entertaining area. We wanted to do all of this without adding space.

The process of remodeling took about nine months, but we were physically without a kitchen for less than three. We took our time planning the remodel and choosing the materials, finishes, and appliances--sometimes changing our selections several times. After getting a construction estimate from a builder, we decided to save money by having me act as the general contractor. It might have been less work with a professional contractor or architect to oversee the project-we ended up having to locate and hire 17 different trades-people-but the extra effort paid off. We saved more than $30,000 and ended up with a kitchen that surpassed our dreams. This is our story of fine tuning and sweat equity.

A few finishing touches remain, but the end is in sight, and the savings and the journey have been worth it.

For product and appliance sourcing information, turn to page 207.

Remodeling time line

A monthly description of the decision-making process, from design through completion.

MARCH 2001

Bought house. Rude surprises awaited us in the kitchen: the counters were too shallow for a built-in dishwasher, and the oven fan vented only into the attic. Since a remodel seemed imminent, we removed some cabinets from the walls, took out the roll-around dishwasher and trash compactor to gain floor space, and tore off the black-yes, black- wallpaper.

APRIL-JULY 2001

Stared at the kitchen. Collected photographs of kitchens we liked; doodled out floor plans; gathered samples of backsplash tiles, counter materials, paint colors, flooring choices.

AUGUST 2001

Hired a kitchen planner. Developed a concept that gave us something concrete to digest. After a kitchen contractor gave us a rough estimate of $60,000 for the job, Beth and I decided that would act as the contractor.

SEPTEMBER 2001

Hired a carpenter. Although there was no finished plan, we knew a wider opening between the kitchen and dining room was needed. The carpenter removed the existing doorway and pass-through opening in this non-load-bearing wall and added a new 4-by-10 header and supporting posts. I filled in a doorway leading from kitchen to hall, then covered the studs with plaster wallboard. (We had decided the refrigerator would stand where this doorway once was.)

We now had a better sense of the new space and laid cut the conceptual plan at full scale on the floor with blue masking tape, using rough measurements for placement of appliances (see "The Right Appliance for You," page 162). Made trips to appliance stores to select a refrigerator, range, dishwasher, sink, and faucets. Took all of their precise measurements.