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This beam is holding up the entire second floor though.
That's back to dealing with an engineer to "reconfigure" or "hide" the beam.
I don't know how much an engineer would cost for a consultation in your area (probably a few hundred at least) - but it might be worth it for you to get a definitive answer to "Can I get rid of/Make this beam invisible"?
They will be able to tell you your options for replacing it with something less obtrusive, etc.. They should also be able to give you an idea of what that cost would be. (or they should give you something that you could take to construction firms and get a quote on the cost).
I don't know what your Kitchen remodel budget is -- obviously kitchen is a place where you can easily blow 10s of thousands of dollars. But even if your budget is more modest (Under $10K) - spending a few hundred to find out your options might be the best thing to do.
That's back to dealing with an engineer to "reconfigure" or "hide" the beam.
I don't know how much an engineer would cost for a consultation in your area (probably a few hundred at least) - but it might be worth it for you to get a definitive answer to "Can I get rid of/Make this beam invisible"?
They will be able to tell you your options for replacing it with something less obtrusive, etc.. They should also be able to give you an idea of what that cost would be. (or they should give you something that you could take to construction firms and get a quote on the cost).
I don't know what your Kitchen remodel budget is -- obviously kitchen is a place where you can easily blow 10s of thousands of dollars. But even if your budget is more modest (Under $10K) - spending a few hundred to find out your options might be the best thing to do.
The structural engineer I last used charges $675 just to look at it and tell me if it can be done. Any blueprint he would do thereafter is at least a couple thousand, and then the cost of the permit and labor has to be factored in, so to hide this beam, even if it could be done, would probably cost at least $8k I'm guessing. My kitchen budget is $40k max, so maybe I can afford it, but a huge chunk of it would be to hide a beam. That just stinks.
They don't use any 3d software and the owner just drew 2d dimensions on a piece of paper that showed no cabinet detail or any inkling of what the finished product would look like.
You do realize that kitchens were remodeled for decades before 3-D software came out??
It would be foolish to let that be your baseline for choosing a contractor.
Messy business habits? Dealbreaker. But don't discount the guys who can do it in their sleep without toys that amateurs play with at home.
You do realize that kitchens were remodeled for decades before 3-D software came out??
It would be foolish to let that be your baseline for choosing a contractor.
Messy business habits? Dealbreaker. But don't discount the guys who can do it in their sleep without toys that amateurs play with at home.
I realize that, but the issue is the beam. I HAVE to see what his design will look like with the beam in it. If it weren't for the beam, then I could visualize it. Besides, in this day and age, not having the software can hurt a business. There is absolutely no way he should be without it. However, draw a design in 3d then, or something other than chicken scratch if you don't have the software. I had the Home Depot do a 3d design for me which I was using to show other kitchen companies, and he was making fun of their software, but at least they're operating in the 21st century. Honestly, if it were me, I would be embarrassed to be operating a remodeling company without the latest software. I figure all his clients must be 80 years old without any tech knowledge (no offense to any tech savvy 80 year olds out there!).
Besides, he has very messy business habits. I need to see the door for the cabinet, which he doesn't have, and he doesn't even have pictures of the cabinet types in heights, etc. . . I can't even get a breakdown of what everything will cost, so for example if I want to do my own demo, what is the cost? I can paint myself, what will I save? I only got a cost for the cabinets and the labor, and the labor is not broken down at all, it's just one flat fee, but what does it entail? A kitchen is a huge project, and this guy is supposed to be my project manager?!
He is going to mess up the order because he forgot the microwave already and the size of the beam. I can just see the writing on the wall with this firm. If a company doesn't inspire confidence in you, it's time to move on.
Oh and the nail in the coffin was this, I told him I wanted staggered subway tile for my backsplash, and he said, "what's subway tile?"
Oh, for heaven's sake. Why all the drama? You have two choices: design around the beam, or remove it. It's not rocket science.
Do I think it's worth the money to remove the beam? Hell, no. I'd accept the fact that the beam is holding up the entire second floor, and move forward.
I realize that, but the issue is the beam. I HAVE to see what his design will look like with the beam in it. If it weren't for the beam, then I could visualize it. Besides, in this day and age, not having the software can hurt a business. There is absolutely no way he should be without it. However, draw a design in 3d then, or something other than chicken scratch if you don't have the software. I had the Home Depot do a 3d design for me which I was using to show other kitchen companies, and he was making fun of their software, but at least they're operating in the 21st century. Honestly, if it were me, I would be embarrassed to be operating a remodeling company without the latest software. I figure all his clients must be 80 years old without any tech knowledge (no offense to any tech savvy 80 year olds out there!).
Besides, he has very messy business habits. I need to see the door for the cabinet, which he doesn't have, and he doesn't even have pictures of the cabinet types in heights, etc. . . I can't even get a breakdown of what everything will cost, so for example if I want to do my own demo, what is the cost? I can paint myself, what will I save? I only got a cost for the cabinets and the labor, and the labor is not broken down at all, it's just one flat fee, but what does it entail? A kitchen is a huge project, and this guy is supposed to be my project manager?!
He is going to mess up the order because he forgot the microwave already and the size of the beam. I can just see the writing on the wall with this firm. If a company doesn't inspire confidence in you, it's time to move on.
Oh and the nail in the coffin was this, I told him I wanted staggered subway tile for my backsplash, and he said, "what's subway tile?"
Home Depot will gladly draw up the 3D design, then more often than not send out a sub to do the work who uses his truck dashboard as an office and chicken-scratches a quote on the back of an envelope.
All I'm saying is that you have been through a hellatious process to get this home, and it sounds like you need to slow your roll a little bit while starting this remodeling process.
Meet with neighbors, see if any of them have had successful renos, and get recommendations from people in the area.
Don't start off on the wrong foot with misguided ideas about what should be important in fixing up your kitchen.
Home Depot will gladly draw up the 3D design, then more often than not send out a sub to do the work who uses his truck dashboard as an office and chicken-scratches a quote on the back of an envelope.
All I'm saying is that you have been through a hellatious process to get this home, and it sounds like you need to slow your roll a little bit while starting this remodeling process.
Meet with neighbors, see if any of them have had successful renos, and get recommendations from people in the area.
Don't start off on the wrong foot with misguided ideas about what should be important in fixing up your kitchen.
I agree with you. BTW, I wasn't planning on using Home Depot at all. I just wanted them to prepare the 3D design for me. If you pay them $50, they come over and take a meticulous measurments, then you can visit with them, design your kitchen with their software, and then take the 3D design with you. Almost all remodeling companies won't let you, unless you commit to work with them. I am therefore able to show this design to whomever I end up working with. It's saved on my phone.
The kitchen is the most important room in the house, so when you have a kitchen with a beam that is in a precarious place (bisecting kitchen cabinets), you want to have a company with which you can have peace of mind. I cannot have peace of mind if I don't see the design up front in some computer, nor would I have peace of mind with a company that had 3D software, but shoddy workmanship (Home Depot for example).
I've seen kitchens with beams before, but the beam wasn't in such an obtrusive place, or the beam was in a high ceiling. This is a different ball of wax, and with the beam, my ceilings would be 7 feet tall if I left the soffits in.
But you seem so focused on getting a 3D design that you now have a kitchen designed by Home Depot that you're gonna shop around to different contractors?? Seems like a backwards way to do it.
My only point is that you should meet with a couple of kitchen designers ... NOT contractors ... And see what they propose.
I just came from one business that was an absolute joke. They don't use any 3d software and the owner just drew 2d dimensions on a piece of paper that showed no cabinet detail or any inkling of what the finished product would look like. He couldn't even give me a generated breakdown of cost and he used an old adding machine. How does he have customers with such unprofessional proposal work?
Unprofessional?
Nothing wrong with not using 3D software and using an adding machine.
Just because someone has high-tech gadgets doesn't mean they do great work...
But you seem so focused on getting a 3D design that you now have a kitchen designed by Home Depot that you're gonna shop around to different contractors?? Seems like a backwards way to do it.
My only point is that you should meet with a couple of kitchen designers ... NOT contractors ... And see what they propose.
Where (ish) do you live?
Northbrook Illinois
I designed the kitchen, Home Depot just recreated what was in my head.
I think I might need a professional kitchen designer though, because while I can envision it without the beam, I cannot do it with it there. Some chicken scratch 2d layout isn't doing it for me.
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