The cost for kitchen renovations and remodels have 4 main variables - the homes location, who does the work, the design and the materials - all of these inrfluence the price and all are under your control. You can get a quick estimate for your kitchen and other remodels at http://www.remodelormove.com/remodel-cost-calculators. The contractor is the right place to get the costs but unless you have a detailed design and all the materials picked out the contractor has to make a lot of assumptions which often produces a kitchen renovation cost that is higher than it would be if you had everything specified. Try meeting with a kitchen designer first - get your design done and all the materials selected then talk with a cotnractor

I am so happy to see you here! I will have to go back and see if i can retrieve my posts... thought I would make them into a little book for my daughter, with photos. Quick run-down on the bathroom (not travels, no time) - The kitchen has a rather elegant sliding door with beveled glass panels. Painted white, since this was the original colour. GD's new bathroom has the doors I had picked earlier; i thought of polishing them but decided sprayed automobile paint (on a resin primer) would wear better. Especially since it is such a small bathroom, and she is so splashy. I have this finish in my kitchen and it has lasted 15 years now. A tad chipped here and there, but only needs a wipe down once a week. Same finish for the balcony doors, also split like the bathroom. We have a new wardrobe, a study table with built-in shelves, and a small chest of drawers for her odds and ends. I want to re-tile the tiny balcony, more as a little statement. Currently we are looking at Portuguese tiles, though I did think a mosaic with a funky cat might be nice. Let me see the costing. The room will be painted a neutral adobe, with bright white woodwork and an off-white ceiling. This means she can go wild with cushions and covers. Other changes in the flat; We have changed the glass in the master bedroom and living room from small cramped panes to a single pane for each section with a 1" bevel all round. Doubles the cost of the glass, but looks so elegant! The air-conditioning is being re-located. The compressors were all mounted in the bedroom and living room balconies, which looked terrible and meant the balconies (very narrow, only 30" deep) couldn't be used for anything. Not even plants. So they are being moved so that the compressors can be mounted at the rear of the building. two down, one to go. Now we can put in some nice plants, fishtail palms etc. The kitchen counter on one side came out intact and will be reused elsewhere. I am planning overhead storage, cupboards, and a draining cupboard for plates and glasses. Right now there is no dish washer, though a place is earmarked, but for now I will put in a cupboard with steel racks for cups, glasses and plates, all hidden behind pressed glass doors. This is all in the planning stage.... Pictures in a little while, they are mostly on my ipad and don't transfer well to the mac. They come without numbers... so I have to rename the or something. Somebody tell me how to do this!

It sounds like you have first hand experience with buying "cheap" kitchen cabinets - they just dont hold up more than 5 or 10 years. There are 2 issues with budget kitchen cabinets first is the structure/wood used..if not built correctly the wood dents and joints break with wear and tear. You can inspect for this before buying new cabinets. The finish is also very important and unfortunately it all looks good to start. THis is where you need to go with a reputable brand to ensure a good quality finish. Price for cabinets generally reflects quality so paying more will generally get you better quality cabinets. You can get a remodel cost estimate for your kitchen with the remodel cost calculators at www.remodelormove.com. To save on good quality cabinets select the finish and style you want and then check the brands that offer them then look for sales and specials many times you can find 10% off or more.

Hi, Have you tried any other options? if so please click a clearer pic of your thoughts and what concept you would like to follow for this remodeling project. - Layden Wangmo [senior interior designer] MAD DESIGN