L
lenny
Guest
so all I wanted to do was simply replace my counter tops right? Wrong!!!!!!!!
I bought some laminate counter tops 4 months back and finally got around to installing them. I pull the old tops off and behind the back splash is some electrical wiring notched into the plaster. I say, awe crap, now I gotta fix that. I also see some mold and water damage on the old cabinets. I ask my wife if she wants to consider new cabinets and she says no. Seeing that they were site built cabinets with no backs, only 30" tall because the previous owner was confined to a wheel chair, follow a 1 1/4" drop in floor I decided to look online for some prices at Lowe's. I found some fair Hickory box cabinets that were affordable. I get my list together and add up all my totals with fillers and toe kick and show my wife, she is on board, she also asks for a dish washer and I say "oh yea"
The store has everything in stock and so far so good, till,,,,, I tear out the old cabinets, I find 3 junction boxes open with drywall compound filling them in, rotted floor under the sink, one corner side of a cabinet holding up ledger board that the ceiling joists are hanging from. I pull that board out and the entire ceiling for half the kitchen drops 5". Cellulose insulation pouring out, beans pouring out of the ceiling where mice were storing them . Needless to say I had a heck of a mess on my hands. The ceiling was already a bit low so I was no to upset about redoing the ceiling. I get the ceiling out and realize a small bump out in the wall I was going to remove which was a boxed in chimney, had to get rid of that. So now I gut the 2 walls and ceiling, there was a friggin spaghetti mess of wiring in that small area and I ripped it all out. There were no water shut off's and 3/8 flex copper for half the house with literally more than 15 compression fittings, 3 with a bundle of corrosion growing on them, had to tear out all that crap. Now I have it gutted, electric gutted, plumbing gutted. Some of the electric was tied into the other end of the house. I spent 2 days tracking it all down and tying in the old home runs into junction boxes and running new circuits. Replaced all the flex copper that was draped under trunk lines and over the electrical panel, under main structural beams. I ran new solid 1/2" copper and located it properly. Oh yea, our washing machine and dryer were in the kitchen originally and I asked my wife if she wanted me to move those appliances to a better location since we were all tore up, she said "sure". I tell you, I love agony!!!!!!! not to mention the kitchen is over a gravel crawl space and the new location of the washer and dryer is on the other side of the house over a different crawl. When dealing with the plastic drain lines I cut one to tie into and it pours out some nasty smelling water, the line wasn't pitched properly and was holding water.
We like to have good lighting in the kitchen so I go with recessed lighting, under cabinet lighting, GFCI protected receptacles over the counter, disconnect for the dish washer, I mean I did it up, luckily we did have a new 200 amp service from previous owner. I frame a new ceiling at 96" after flooring and ceiling rock, string lines on the walls, plumb and square the area to accept the new counter tops. Re-insulate, Sheetrock, tape, paint, install cabinets, tops, trim plumbing and electric. Trying to work laying on your back in a gravel crawl is not the most fun I have had, specially soldering copper, had a nice glob of solder fall between my fingers and stick, nice burn. I had my gloves sitting there next to me,,,,lol. Relocating a washer and dryer is not such an easy task, especially the exhaust for the dryer.
I finished today and wow, my attitude improved greatly. All I wanted to do was get some new counter tops. I did get some nice family time by having the kids carry out bucket loads of bricks from the boxed in chimney that went up through the ceiling and into attic stopping just short of the roof, great fun!!!!!!!!!
Now my kitchen is fresh, larger and enjoyable. It was worth it in the long run and honestly,,,, I was certain there would be something unexpected. It was 8 straight 13 hr days and thousands over budget but hey,,,that's life.
Did I mention I just wanted to replace the counter tops?
I bought some laminate counter tops 4 months back and finally got around to installing them. I pull the old tops off and behind the back splash is some electrical wiring notched into the plaster. I say, awe crap, now I gotta fix that
. I also see some mold and water damage on the old cabinets. I ask my wife if she wants to consider new cabinets and she says no. Seeing that they were site built cabinets with no backs, only 30" tall because the previous owner was confined to a wheel chair, follow a 1 1/4" drop in floor I decided to look online for some prices at Lowe's. I found some fair Hickory box cabinets that were affordable. I get my list together and add up all my totals with fillers and toe kick and show my wife, she is on board, she also asks for a dish washer and I say "oh yea"The store has everything in stock and so far so good, till,,,,, I tear out the old cabinets, I find 3 junction boxes open with drywall compound filling them in, rotted floor under the sink, one corner side of a cabinet holding up ledger board that the ceiling joists are hanging from.
I pull that board out and the entire ceiling for half the kitchen drops 5". Cellulose insulation pouring out, beans pouring out of the ceiling where mice were storing them . Needless to say I had a heck of a mess on my hands. The ceiling was already a bit low so I was no to upset about redoing the ceiling. I get the ceiling out and realize a small bump out in the wall I was going to remove which was a boxed in chimney, had to get rid of that. So now I gut the 2 walls and ceiling, there was a friggin spaghetti mess of wiring in that small area and I ripped it all out. There were no water shut off's and 3/8 flex copper for half the house with literally more than 15 compression fittings, 3 with a bundle of corrosion growing on them, had to tear out all that crap. Now I have it gutted, electric gutted, plumbing gutted. Some of the electric was tied into the other end of the house. I spent 2 days tracking it all down and tying in the old home runs into junction boxes and running new circuits. Replaced all the flex copper that was draped under trunk lines and over the electrical panel, under main structural beams. I ran new solid 1/2" copper and located it properly. Oh yea, our washing machine and dryer were in the kitchen originally and I asked my wife if she wanted me to move those appliances to a better location since we were all tore up, she said "sure". I tell you, I love agony!!!!!!! not to mention the kitchen is over a gravel crawl space and the new location of the washer and dryer is on the other side of the house over a different crawl. When dealing with the plastic drain lines I cut one to tie into and it pours out some nasty smelling water, the line wasn't pitched properly and was holding water. We like to have good lighting in the kitchen so I go with recessed lighting, under cabinet lighting, GFCI protected receptacles over the counter, disconnect for the dish washer, I mean I did it up, luckily we did have a new 200 amp service from previous owner. I frame a new ceiling at 96" after flooring and ceiling rock, string lines on the walls, plumb and square the area to accept the new counter tops. Re-insulate, Sheetrock, tape, paint, install cabinets, tops, trim plumbing and electric. Trying to work laying on your back in a gravel crawl is not the most fun I have had, specially soldering copper, had a nice glob of solder fall between my fingers and stick, nice burn. I had my gloves sitting there next to me,,,,lol. Relocating a washer and dryer is not such an easy task, especially the exhaust for the dryer.
I finished today and wow, my attitude improved greatly. All I wanted to do was get some new counter tops. I did get some nice family time by having the kids carry out bucket loads of bricks from the boxed in chimney that went up through the ceiling and into attic stopping just short of the roof, great fun!!!!!!!!!
Now my kitchen is fresh, larger and enjoyable. It was worth it in the long run and honestly,,,, I was certain there would be something unexpected. It was 8 straight 13 hr days and thousands over budget but hey,,,that's life.
Did I mention I just wanted to replace the counter tops?
