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If you're inclined to be sold on the latest and trendiest...
and/or get sucked into expanding the space that then has to be filled...
it's not hard at all to take a $10,000 total remodel into the stratosphere.
If disinclined to spend beyond need... stop watching the home improvement shows.
Quote:
Plumbing I can do myself as well.... Carpentry I freely admit I suck at ... electrical I can do little things
I am thinking of half tearing down the two walls...
If you're committed to rebuilding... an amateurs time is almost always best spent earning money
(doing what you ordinarily do to earn) and hiring pro's to do the tougher and especially the trade
(permit/license/inspection) level work.
How emotionally tied to "Mom's House" are you?
How practical is it to remain living in the area?
iow... you might be better off to sell the house largely "as is" (after a good clean/clear)
and then to buy another and possibly new home that already has the features you want.
Keep in mind that there may "surprises" also. My thought was there isn't anyway to really tell, whether it makes sense to sink that much money in the house because can you eventually recoup it? We have done just little things and materials are SO high now.
Keep in mind that there may "surprises" also. My thought was there isn't anyway to really tell, whether it makes sense to sink that much money in the house because can you eventually recoup it? We have done just little things and materials are SO high now.
My brother and his wife just bought their retirement home, which is in an exceptionally nice area but was lower priced than others in the area because it needed some cosmetic work, which they were willing to pay to have done. They've already had some expensive surprises, so I suggest budgeting more than you think you'll need.
Years ago when I lived in San Francisco, I bought a really cute little house which had a recently remodeled kitchen. The seller had bought very nice-quality white cabinets (a must for me; I don't know why, but I can't abide crappy kitchen cabinets, maybe because I grew up with them ), and put in charcoal granite-design Formica counter tops and a nice vinyl floor with a charcoal and white pattern. He didn't buy a fancy gas range or refrigerator, and I've never cared about super fancy refrigerators because I just need them to keep my food cold, not make a statement. The kitchen had a really clean, sophisticated look and everyone who came to the house commented on how nice it was. So it's possible to do a fairly inexpensive kitchen if you lay off the granite, Italian tile floors, super-expensive appliances, etc. Just don't skimp on cabinets whose finish is going to go to pot quickly.
Are you considering also the cost of Chicago construction permit fees? If not wanting to go the legal route, hope you're super-friendly with your neighbors, who may object to the noise, equipment, dumpster, etc. Non-permitted changes are an obstacle for a future sale, too.
All I want is to see a decent functional house that doesn't have ripped wall paper, not a closed off kitchen that someone has to get up from where they are sitting at the table when someone else want to enter the kitchen, no asbestos tiles, no ripped carpeting etc. Nothing high-end. I am not a fan of granite, I think quartz composite is a better choice.
All I want is to see a decent functional house...
Nothing high-end. I am not a fan of granite, I think quartz composite is a better choice.
It's time to get objective with a design and set of specifications you can shop.
See how much that soup to nuts scope will actually cost - get a couple of estimates
Juggle the plan some to see how much you can practically do yourself (skill & time)...
and whether the trustworthy contractor will cooperate with that (few will).
But mostly... it's time to stop speculating on the internet.
I can give you some prices . A remodel or rehab runs 50-120k depending on how badly it's jacked up opt how extensive. Cheap kitchen cabinets will not last. Spend the money on better materials. My remodel on a rental is probably gonna be 60k.
First of all, forget get what you see on the surface. If the house is older you will find dry rot, wet rot or termite damage. Also you will most likely need to pull permits for such a extensive job AND need to bring things to code.
Forget the bs you see on TV. The host does very little work. Its dirty, messy, expensive and if you cut corners you'll end up with a pile of crap. Spend the money to do it right. My remodel is costing me a pretty penny but I refuse to do a crappy job just to make it work.
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), and put in charcoal granite-design Formica counter tops and a nice vinyl floor with a charcoal and white pattern. He didn't buy a fancy gas range or refrigerator, and I've never cared about super fancy refrigerators because I just need them to keep my food cold, not make a statement. The kitchen had a really clean, sophisticated look and everyone who came to the house commented on how nice it was. So it's possible to do a fairly inexpensive kitchen if you lay off the granite, Italian tile floors, super-expensive appliances, etc. Just don't skimp on cabinets whose finish is going to go to pot quickly.
