Here’s a quick look at some of the articles that caught my eye over the past week…

JLP is remodeling his kitchen. See here for a followup.
Flexo got busted for driving like a maniac.
Jim has an interesting post about fixed mortgage paymen…

1) The fact is, no matter how skilled you are, that there is a big learning curve to any complex project (like a kitchen reno). I don’t install cabinets and counters everyday, so I would be reinventing the wheel along the way.

2) The accident risks are not worth it. If I were injured, the cost in terms of lost income potential could be huge (disability insurance would not fully replace income).

3) I don’t have the excess time or energy. My career is intensive and requires a great deal of focus. Evenings and weekends are important time for R&R and family. I find that DIY projects tend to become exhausting and drag on far longer than anticipated. Again, a big project would distract focus from from the bread-winning activities that pay the bills and put money in retirement savings.

My theory is that unless you happen to be one of those very fortunate people with lots of time on their hands, and an income that does not depend on your productivity, then its best to hire professionals for big home improvement projects and stick to doing whatever it is you do best to earn a living.

My wife and I plan to redo the kitchen as well. Most of the carpentry/installation of the cabinets, countertops, etc. we can do on our own. We’ll finally install a dishwasher! We may look into adding some circuitry and replacing a gas stove/range with an electric one. Some of that probably will require professionals. We also plan to lay the floor ourselves.

The moral of this tale (such as it is): get a detailed plan on what you want/need to do first – then plan for how it will be done.

Do it yourself if you can….you’ll save a ton of money on labor. Try not to move the sink, stove, and dishwasher locations, then you can leave the plumbing, 220V, and ductwork as is, unless it needs repair.

I like laminate counter tops. With vacuum formed edges, they can look nice and even the custom ordered ones are cheaper then granite or Corian.

Cabinets, if you go with stock sizes, you could get them right from the store off the shelf for a decent price. Trade off is that they will be a lower grade. Custom cabinets are nice but tend to be pricey.

My kitchen floors are sheet vinyl just because they are the greatest in spills. Also decent in price. Tile is pretty popular but if you drop a glass on em’, it’s done for. Also, if the grout isn’t sealed, it stains. Forever. Seen wood floors in kitchens, just don’t recommend it, they get water damaged after awhile.

Hope this helps.