Hi Mohit, As you rightly said that in Indian climate best is stone (Marbles, granite, sandstone etc.. ) or tiles. Before suggesting you something I would like o know your location in India and would analyse your lifestyle. While Marble seems to be an obvious choice for many its not the best material always. It is also expensive and needs high maintenance and not a sustainable material. All materials have their pros and cons. Its true wood does not essentially work in most of the climates in India however I must make you aware that there are very nice wood looking tiles available. You get the best of both worlds- cozy look and robust wear and tear. If you wish to explore further with us we provide interior design advice at nominal fees. Contact us at 9820942680, designospire@gmail.com, www.designospire.com

Tsilanko, I would always recommend professional installation where needed. But what I am doing here is suggesting that WHEN you are planning to build or renovate, to consider how your plans will affect you in 20 or 30 years time. Split levels are very hep when you are young. A kitchen 3 steps down at 30 is rarely a problem, but might be a hazard at 60, or, as Marjie1059 suggested, if you break a leg. ... All my parents' homes were terrible for old people. They were forced to move to a bungalow in extreme old sge because the location and design of their home was more suitable for an active young couple with a large family than for an elderly couple with stroke disabilities. I would not want to move again, so my present home has features built in that make ageing in place simpler. Mostly small changes, like grab rails, and lever handles on doors and faucets. A major disability suddenly suffered requires major changes if permanent. I did look at this because it came up in the discussion, but if you look at the heading, Planning for Disability, it means just that. Plan ahead so you don't have to make expensive changes later on. But thank you for your advice, yes, major changes are not in the DIY domain.

Going with professional has its own advantages. Afterall he is pro, so he has studied more and has more experience. However is this person from the kitchen shoppee, which is giving you quotation of kitchen installation? In such cases, I have experienced that they just make boxy kitchens where they add lotsa fittings, that increases your budget. Open shelves does not need such fittings, so such are omitted...Normal door wali cabinets are less and number of drawers increased. Going on own is not a bad idea, provided you need to study it well. Note down the requirements, classify work areas and so on... In this approach , you have to go bit slower and carefully. Allow some flexibility in design, so that in future , you can alter as per the need. Sometimes we come to know the problems after few months/ years and we cant change it later. Ultimately compare between [your time+ efforts+ study+ error chances] Vs Hiring professional and go ahead accordingly.

Hey, The first step to any renovation in to remove the old. In case the kitchen counter top is in a -usable condition upon removal then of course go ahead and reuse it. For the plywood, it depends on what you're using and what you're using it for. That is something that onsite consultation will give more clarity on. You're right, there are a lot of western DIY videos that work with wooden furniture. but the thing is, they have solid wood furniture more often than not. When they're sanding away, its not the laminate but the top layer of wood polish and wood lacquer that they are removing. for the sole purpose of repainting the furniture. Often you'll find them using raw plywood without using laminates as well because unlike India, they have a good quality and grain top and bottom surfaces. As a result, polishing does the job for them. There are a lot of things they have which are not as durable as we make them in India as we look more to permanence in this country. (Side Note: a lot of their tiles are also peel and stick) Green living is a commendable thought, and there are a lot more things you can do to ensure a green lifestyle. Reuse is definitely one aspect! All the best and let us know how it turns out! And in case you need design help. please do think of us! Best! CUBSpaces Team +91-9923893771