House remodel - opinions and experiences

[voodoo_man]

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I am going to be buying a house and it will require a complete kitchen replacement and need to replace all the floors (currently carpet) on two floors.

I want to put laminate upstairs and tile on the first floor and kitchen.

What are your experiences and opinions as to best way to go about it. Experiences on tile vs hardwood vs laminate, etc.

What things would you have done if you could do it again?

Ill also be replacing some doors and most windows so security will be something I will be considering.

[UNK]

Are you asking as someone who is going to do the work yourself or as to have it done by contractors?

Searched and found nothing...

I am going to be buying a house and it will require a complete kitchen replacement and need to replace all the floors (currently carpet) on two floors.

I want to put laminate upstairs and tile on the first floor and kitchen.

What are your experiences and opinions as to best way to go about it. Experiences on tile vs hardwood vs laminate, etc.

What things would you have done if you could do it again?

Ill also be replacing some doors and most windows so security will be something I will be considering.

[voodoo_man]

Both?

Ill be doing most of the work - yes ive done it before. More of a question towards what preferences people have and what experiences they have had, what theyd change if they could.

[UNK]

I would say with windows be sure they have UV blocking. But don't go crazy with options. Primarily they are to seal the home not provide R value. You can catch some really good sales on windows. Be sure to have all your openings measured and ready to order so when the sale hits you are ready to go.
I really like tile. On floors I would prefer a dark grout, black would be nice. A liquid silicone mixed with the grout is very nice although it makes the grout aprox a shade darker.

[Malamute]

The floor needs to be pretty rigid for tile to stay tight. Can you get under it and see what the floor joists measure for height and spacing?

[Cookie Monster]

Do as much of the work as you can before you move into the house, being able to tear stuff out and work without living in it and having to move furniture or protect things goes so much faster and with much less stress.

I remodeled my house by installing hardwood everywhere but I am figuring living in the house for forty years. Doing something less expensive would be a good choice if your view is not forty years.

[voodoo_man]

Ill have a good two months to do any work before it's occupied.

I have full access to both floors above and under.

I will probably end up hiring someone to level the first floor out and ill do the tile install.

[RevolverRob]

I agree with making sure the sub-floor and floor support are in top shape, before doing any major floor remodeling. I'm right in the middle of repairing a destroyed shower floor/pan, because whoever did the remodel on my condo did not set it up properly. When I'm all done, I expect it to last forty years, which is probably longer than the building will be here.

A couple of thoughts - I would go laminate or hardwood (preferable, but way more expensive) through the whole house, or tile only in the kitchen and bathrooms. If you ever plan to sell the property, convincing buyers that tile is cool in the living spaces is difficult. Most people don't want cold tile under foot while watching TV in the living room, wood is warm/tile is cold. If you're doing windows, measure all of them and then do what you need to, to make them all standard sizes (hopefully they are already). You'd rather do a minor amount of framing work and exterior trim/brick/whatever work than spend a bundle on a custom window. Particularly if you're looking at higher end windows that gets expensive fast.

Kitchen - You can never have too much counter space and storage space, but you can have too much that isn't useful if you don't plan the layout carefully. Consider your needs carefully. Try mocking out different layouts before you commit to any one in particular. For appliances, I'll just say it, the smallest sizes of commercial grade stuff, will leave you happy for YEARS and likely outlast you. Check out a restaurant supply store near you. You'll never think any name brand appliance is really worth it afterwards.

-Rob

[voodoo_man]

I agree with making sure the sub-floor and floor support are in top shape, before doing any major floor remodeling. I'm right in the middle of repairing a destroyed shower floor/pan, because whoever did the remodel on my condo did not set it up properly. When I'm all done, I expect it to last forty years, which is probably longer than the building will be here.

A couple of thoughts - I would go laminate or hardwood (preferable, but way more expensive) through the whole house, or tile only in the kitchen and bathrooms. If you ever plan to sell the property, convincing buyers that tile is cool in the living spaces is difficult. Most people don't want cold tile under foot while watching TV in the living room, wood is warm/tile is cold. If you're doing windows, measure all of them and then do what you need to, to make them all standard sizes (hopefully they are already). You'd rather do a minor amount of framing work and exterior trim/brick/whatever work than spend a bundle on a custom window. Particularly if you're looking at higher end windows that gets expensive fast.

Kitchen - You can never have too much counter space and storage space, but you can have too much that isn't useful if you don't plan the layout carefully. Consider your needs carefully. Try mocking out different layouts before you commit to any one in particular. For appliances, I'll just say it, the smallest sizes of commercial grade stuff, will leave you happy for YEARS and likely outlast you. Check out a restaurant supply store near you. You'll never think any name brand appliance is really worth it afterwards.

-Rob

Thanks for posting.

It is my idea to do whole floor tile (wood plank look but tile) but my wife wants just the kitchen done. I think I'll end up just doing the kitchen with a nice block tile.

As far as kitchen stuff goes, its a large space we are going to be working on, something like 300sqft for a kitchen + dining room setup. I was considering making a mock of with "work areas" since my wife is a huge into cooking I want her to have good stuff.

For the appliances we are going to do electric - do they make commercial grade electric stove tops/elements? Gata google that later.

Windows aren't a yuge priority but will be something I'll need to get to eventually.

[Shellback]

Buddy of mine just put down bamboo hardwood flooring and it looks really nice. Might be a viable option that will save you some coin over traditional hardwood.