The Meikle Family

It has been years since I did a blog post but I want to document our kitchen remodel of 2021. We bought a house in March 2015. Owning a home vs renting a home has its challenges but also some great benefits too. I think we feel a bit more grown up now days. Every payment goes to our own equity. I can hang something on the wall without worrying about a hole or getting a deposit back. We have great neighbors. We are also responsible for the appliances and upkeep of all of the home, even property taxes. We have been totally adulting around here, most of the time. It has been a home our kids have grown up in and we grow as a family.

I didn't realize how much grass 1.4 acres is until mowing it, frequently... and then with a push mower. It didn't take long to know a simple push mower was never going to be the answer. Watering it can be a chore but the space we all enjoy is essential. We have so much freedom in our yard. Over the last 5 years we have done some updates and changes. We added some trees and a fence. We added a fire pit and an area to enjoy the sunsets. We built a wood shed and also raised 7 pigs. There has been snow. Lots of snow and trying to figure out the best place to push it.... has been a learning experience. When we bought the house the heating element for the sauna was taken out by previous owners and also the big shop but we still call this place home.

With our family getting older and feeling like we don't have enough inside space we decided to do a complete remodel of the kitchen. Lights are necessary. New cabinets, floor, and layout. Gas range was at the top of the list too. We also didn't have a clue where to start. With that said, I will try to keep this post focused to all the kitchen stuff and will make others to update about our lives.

The kitchen when it was listed for sale:

So much blue

The before

Wallpaper is the devil

parts of me wish that wood oven would have stayed with the house

When we closed on the house the first thing I did was remove wallpaper and painted the kitchen. Wall paper was such a chore. NEVER use wallpaper. It took so much effort and tools to get the wall paper off. I left a bit in the hall and the bathroom was still blue. I painted the master bedroom as well. We installed a ceiling fan instead of the chandelier that was there. The chandelier reminded me of a chicken feeder and a cheese grater.

5 years later with a big dog, working parents, and 3 growing teens we needed more kitchen space. We needed less claustrophobic and more open-ness. We had talked about the floorplan for a while. Almost since we bought the house. We wanted the dishwasher moved. The entire space felt cramped. We finally took the first steps in January 2021. We asked friends for advise as to where to start and who they recommend. Questions we asked: Do we find one general contractor... or basically contract it out ourselves. Who is in charge of scheduling. What needs done first. Can one person do everything or do we need a team of people. What should we expect this remodel to cost. We realized we have a lot of friends and acquaintances that do the type of things we wanted. We still didn't know where to start or what to do. That's why we met Greg Crites. A friend recommended him and he will be a finisher with everything. I am looking forward to this project being done.

Even though we had an idea in our heads as to what we wanted (Pinterest gave LOTS of ideas), we still weren't sure as to where to even start. I guess a lot of the decisions we are still trying to make is the order of how to get everything completed. I still can't grasp the order things should be done in because I have learned it is ALL preference. It also doesn't help trying to plan with an impulsive man. Keeping on the same page is trying. Hell staying in the same book with him can make my head spin. We were told flooring last and that is maybe the one thig that has stayed the same. So demo, cabinets, counter tops, then floor. Just have to add in all the other stuff whenever we want.

The ideas just keep flowing. I tried some "arts and crafts" to help bring our ideas to life. Also to help visualize and tell others what we were looking for.

Greg made some really good suggestions and thought of things we hadn't. He recommended going to Home Depot or Lowes and getting a bid to map out what we wanted. We took our measurements and went to Home Depot, only to learn you have to make appointments and that COVID-19 is still making everything complicated. Home Depot was a complete bust for us. They were not helpful or easy to work with so we went across a few streets to Lowes. Bethany was SO helpful. I mean it helped to walk though displays and to get a good idea as to what we want but I felt like she made our kitchen plans come to life. There was still more to do but, that was the biggest step we needed.

We got our first 2 bids from Lowes and then I wanted to get an actual estimate on custom cabinets. Lowes did a bid for standard cabinets (we could have went home with them that day right off the floor) and then a bid for their "custom cabinets." Lowes custom cabinets are the same dimensions but they become custom when we wanted the blind corner pull out, spice rack, pots and pans organizer and such. Definitely wasn't the custom I was expecting but was the best start for cabinets we could have done. I also learned you can get the racks and hardware for those things on Amazon.

My work arts and crafts actually have a plan and the first price tag. Bethany also helped with thinking of where we wanted certain dishes, like the plates or even the pots and pans.

We decided on a few specialty or custom things we wanted. We wanted a spice rack pull out, a pots and pans organizer, microwave above the range, cabinets to keep all my counter appliances, a gas range, a blind corner pull out, utensil pullout. I also wanted a Dutch door and a step stool pull out. It all sounded so simple to us. We wanted a rustic hickory that was sealed not stained a color, granite counters, and everything to go quickly. Jokes on us.... its not quick.

Although Lowes was helpful in may ways we really wanted custom cabinets. We wanted to support a local company. And we wanted work that would last forever as we will say. We had a really good chat with Doug Richey with DR Construction & Custom Cabinets. We were already confident in his work and he gave us a bid we couldn't turn away from. He was able to listen to us and give us all the things we want as far as wood.... cabinets.... a big part of the dream kitchen we both want.

We did make a few adjustments with talking to Doug. Mostly about the size of the island. Then adding electrical to the island. We also 100% decided to remove the soffit above the old cabinets. We locked in a bid/job with Doug and that felt like a big leap. Even though he was over a month out to start them it was a relief to us.

We knew we wanted to upgrade from an electric range to a gas. So to do that we needed a gas line moved. It needed to move about 4 feet and though one wall. Plus the lights/electrical we needed an electrician. So, I tried to find all the electricians. I called about 20 places. Some didn't answer or even call back and when I called First Call Jewel they said they could do a bid for the electricity. Super.... and a few days later JT called and asked them also about a gas line. That is where I started with electrical. I got a bid for both jobs. Asked LOTS of questions and answered plenty as well.

While I already had Jewel doing a bid I asked them about upgrading our heating for the upstairs of the house and what options we had for that.

So many things happened at once. After Jewel came and did their bid.... we started taking out bricks from behind the oven and the butlers hole we wanted to cover up.

When I close my eyes I envision a beautiful, warm, and relaxing space. Hickory cabinets, dark granite, new flooring.....

But when my eyes are open... I see the holes and destruction everywhere. It was fun and messy to break out the brick. We were all surprised how well Kaydance is in the demo department and sure appreciate all the help. Kaydance did the most damage and the fastest as well. I actually had to stop her so we could move the stove and nothing got broken. They had used chicken wire, full bricks, and 4 inches thick of concrete to make the.... brick look nice. I will be cleaning out concrete and brick dust for the next 17 years.

After the brick was done we were able to have a gas line ran for the new range. First Call Jewels was a little cheaper than what they quoted so that was nice, They also upgraded our line to the water heater. With all that set we called an electrician. It just worked out for JT to take the week off and bust out some projects, The electrician is an angel. Mark with Frontline Electric was way more affordable. He replaced the electrical in our laundry room. Fixed so many outlets and still installed some recessed lighting. He updated our control panel. Added plugins for the new range and the new microwave. JT also got the rest of the cabinets out.

As soon as the electricity was started it felt like a whirlwind. The new oven came. Holes patched, textured, and ready for paint. The floor pulled up. The ceiling fan came out. Everywhere is chaos.

We did visit what I call universal corner. Universal Stone will do our granite and scored me a deal on our sink. Andy is pretty awesome. They have the color of granite we want and we’re able to explain all the information we needed to know. They also do the install. We went 3 buildings down to Universal Flooring and got some good information on LVP flooring. They knew a lot but didn’t have the style we were looking for. I learned that most designs come with 5-20 different printed designs and that the wear level has to do with how many lawyers of the printed design. Basically things to look for. All were helpful in deciding what flooring we want. And now I have 40 boxes of flooring chilling in the living room waiting to be installed. I am working on being patient but good hell.

When JT started pulling up the old flooring there were a few surprises. Like the wood slats being glued together. Each piece was glued and then it floated as one big piece over the old linoleum. And the linoleum was glued with something so strong it wasn't wanting to come up at all.

I am also learning its way harder than expected to pick out a faucet. Of all the things I just cant decide what faucet I want. There are so many colors and styles. Not to mention some look like adult toys. Do we want a soap dispenser (no, we do not) or will just one hole be enough.... We matched the faucet color to the hardware of the cabinets.

Then like magic the toe kicks were installed and the floor started looking pretty. Once we looked further into the remodel, we decided to extend the new flooring to the living room as well. We agreed that it would look much better to have the same flooring flow through the entire upstairs. Only the bedrooms will have carpet. There is tile in the laundry room. (I would actually like to change it to this same LVP but don't tell JT that)

Days later we had the actual cabinets settle into place.

Have you ever wanted a Dutch door. Seriously LOVE these doors.

Now for granite to complete this project. One day at a time. They wouldn't schedule the granite install until the cabinets were set. And that took about 1-2 weeks for scheduling. Its hard to be patient when you don't have counter tops and you just want everything finished. So many steps we had no clue about and everything takes time.

When the men from Universal Stone showed up.... they have that down to a T. They all worked well together. At first I thought were was only 2 guys but they were just scoping out where the stone went. I think there was 6 men. The stone we picked is HEAVY! I'm glad they were prepared and knew what they were doing. They told me the darker colors are heavier because of the minerals needed. Makes since but I don't plan on ever moving it. You could tell they worked as a team frequently. I was very impressed. They also cleaned up after themselves and that is huge. They told me about cleaning the stone and sealing it. Acetone will take out any and all impurities and then seal with a good granite sealer once a year. Or use the daily cleaners with the sealer in it. When they went to install the bathroom sink the cut and sink didn't match. Without me even saying anything they were on the move to fix the issue. I guess they brought a different sink vs the cutout so they came back the next day with the right sink. It was easy enough for me, I didn't have to do anything. I was happy for the communication and the quick fix though.

And I have learned after your granite is set you need 24 hours before you hook up any plumbing. Especially for an under mount sink. Didn't expect that. I did have a friend recommend an awesome plumber that was able to do the hook up though.

We finished off with peel and stick tiles off of Amazon. We highly recommend using an additional adhesive. We had to go back and use liquid nails on all of it because it started falling off. We did base and window trim. We were originally going to just paint some of the old trim but ended up just replacing it so make everything look nicer. Left more touch up work but in the long run looks so much better.

Research bank:

After calling the gas company we have for natural gas, they were not helpful but said to google search for a gas heating and repair place. That lead me to: First Call Jewel

Cabinets were done by Doug Richey(worth any wait): His Facebook

Electrical God Mark: Frontline Electrical

Beautiful and local granite: Universal Stone or their Facebook page

This is the site I used to find a sink I love: Build with Ferguson

Lowes was successful with helping our design process and also the floor: SMARTCORE-Pro Glendale Pine Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring

Appliances from Bingham & Sons

Amazon shopping:

Lights: Sunco Lighting 12 Pack 6 Inch Slim LED Downlight, Baffle Trim, Junction Box, 14W=100W, 850 LM, Dimmable, 6000K Daylight Deluxe, Recessed Jbox Fixture, IC Rated, Retrofit Installation - ETL - - AmazonSmile

Cleaning: AmazonSmile: Granite Gold Daily Cleaner Spray and Refill Value Pack Streak-Free Cleaning for Granite, Marble, Travertine, Quartz, Natural Stone Countertops, Floors - Made in the USA, Clear : Health & Household

Backsplash: AmazonSmile: LK 10pcs Premium Self-Adhesive Metal Tiles - Peel and Stick Backsplash Tiles for Kitchen, 13.5"x11.5", Silver : Tools & Home Improvement

Behind oven back splash: AmazonSmile: Broan-NuTone SP3004 Reversible Stainless Steel Backsplash Range Hood Wall Shield for Kitchen, 24 by 30-Inch : Appliances

Backsplash trim kit: AmazonSmile: Aspect Backsplash Vinyl Trim Kit in Bronze : Home & Kitchen