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The time has come for me to put my beloved 1910 bungalow on the market. Before I do that, there are a couple small issues with the kitchen that we probably should have taken care of if it can be done relatively cheaply:
1) Our cabinet doors are peeling. They are those melamine or thermofoil doors. Three are peeling, and one has not only peeled, but the coating has warped so it can't just be glued back down. I'd like to either get that fixed or get new doors. Does anybody do just new doors? The closest I've found is "refacing", which would cost something ridiculous like $10k. We could just get new cabinets for that!
2) The granite in front of my sink has cracked from when I climbed on it to try to tighten the light above the sink (turns out it was dim because it was a compact fluorescent, not because it wasn't screwed in right -- don't get me started on compact fluorescents). I've gotten many conflicting reports about whether or not this can be repaired. Realtors have told me it can be repaired to the point where you can't even tell anything was ever wrong. Granite companies have told me anything from "it can't be fixed" to "we can fix it but can't guarantee that it'll look like new". Is there some magical company that can fix cracked granite like the realtors say? If so could somebody throw me a recommendation? And has anybody had theirs fixed, and if so how did it turn out?
The rest of our issues I think I can handle -- painting the porches, replacing a broken fan, etc. But these two have me stumped.
1) Our cabinet doors are peeling. They are those melamine or thermofoil doors. Three are peeling, and one has not only peeled, but the coating has warped so it can't just be glued back down. I'd like to either get that fixed or get new doors. Does anybody do just new doors? The closest I've found is "refacing", which would cost something ridiculous like $10k. We could just get new cabinets for that!
if you are lucky, you might be able to buy just the doors and replace the peeling ones. The big box stores used to sell ready-to-assemble white thermofoil cabinets. I'd check HD or Lowe's first.
If it's slab granite, then I'd just follow the Realtors' advice you've gotten already. I haven't put my eyes on it, so I can't advise you. I've never seen granite crack as you're speaking of, so maybe you're being really critical at this time? It could be a much less crack than your critical eyes are seeing. Of course a granite company can't guarantee the efforts because all they'd be doing is applying a non-granite substance.
As to the doors, if you have wood boxes then I'd replace all the doors with a simple painted Shaker style that looks really appropriate to your home's vintage. Otherwise, you may find some as noted above, though they also discolor with age so those 3-4 doors may really stick out.
Are there any homeowners outlets here?
Where I used to live, there was a store called HOBO (home owner's buying outlet) and they sold new cabinet doors pretty cheap. This is different from Restore, where we found just odds n ends of mismatched things. Otherwise, I know I had to buy a replacement cabinet door (had a tenant for a brief period and somehow they cracked a kitchen cabinet that was only a couple years old-and solid oak!) and it was purchased from one of the big stores-we may have had to order the correct size, and it was unfinished so we had to stain it to match the others. You would be able to paint the doors pretty easily if you got all new ones so they would match.
As to the doors, if you have wood boxes then I'd replace all the doors with a simple painted Shaker style that looks really appropriate to your home's vintage. Otherwise, you may find some as noted above, though they also discolor with age so those 3-4 doors may really stick out.
That's a really good suggestion, if you can afford to replace all the doors. Thermofoil is not really appropriate for a vintage house, as it is a plastic.
I do think I have wood boxes. I managed to find some companies that can fix my countertop on homeadvisor. I think some of the shops I contacted just didn't want the business, or they thought they could sell me a whole new granite countertop. So I think I'm all set there. Does anyone know of a company or handyman that could measure, order, and hang new cabinet doors for me? I'm NOT a do it yourselfer, nor do I have the time to invest.
Photos would really help. The cabinet doors are a major project; there is no quick fix for that, and potential buyers won't stand for peeling cabinet doors. I would either get a quote on stock cabinets in a style better suited to the house or invest in the refacing. Years ago, we refaced melamine cabinets and got natural cherry doors. It was gorgeous, a whole new room.
I can't imagine granite cracking from a person standing on it.
It sounds like you have a LOT of deferred maintenance issues. Have you had your real estate agent come in to recommend the best changes to spend you money on?
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