 Simple Fixes
for the Simple Guy
There’s nothing like the smell (and taste) of sawdust in the morning
By Luke Flanigan
So the home renovation gods have decided to smile upon you --
your wife has finally given you the go-ahead to remodel the
kitchen. However, like everything in life, there’s a catch. She tells
you that you can redo the space however you’d like, provided that
you can do it for under a $1,000, like they do on HGTV.
Now you find yourself in a quandary.More than anything, you
want to tear down cabinets, drill some holes and finally put to use
that multitude of tools you have amassed over the years. But $1,000
doesn’t go far these days. Not long ago, I was in a similar situation.
It took some planning, but I was able to give my kitchen a facelift
for just about a grand. Here’s how I did it:
When gutting the kitchen, I took great care when removing
the cabinets because, to stay within budget, it would be necessary to
reuse them.To do the job right, I removed everything from the
kitchen.When I was done, the only things remaining were the
pipes where the sink was.
After drawing a sketch of where everything would go, I began
the renovation. Since new drywall wasn’t in the budget, it was
necessary to tape, putty and sand the plaster walls to get them
prepared to take paint. Using a roller, I primed the walls and ceiling
with an oil-based paint.When dry, I then put a coat of white paint
on the ceiling and a coat of something called Autumn Sunrise on
the walls.
To save a few bucks, instead of pulling up the old linoleum
floor, which was worn but
basically in decent shape, I used
sandpaper and roughed up the
entire floor.Then, I used selfadhesive
laminate squares to
freshen up the floor.The
roughed-up floors take the
adhesive better. Not only was it
cost-effective, but I bought
squares that are dyed the entire
way through so that when they
become worn, they won’t
discolor.
You can also opt for pulling up
the old linoleum. It’s an extra
step, but if the floor beneath is
in good shape, it’s an easy
process, and you don’t have to
worry about the old floor color
peeking through any cracks or
seams that might arise later.
To save money, I sanded down
the cabinets, coated them with
primer, and then painted them an antique white. After putting on
new knobs and hinges, I rehung them by screwing them back to the
wall in a new pattern that fit the design.
After painting the cabinet bases and reinstalling them, I
purchased countertops that look like granite, but aren’t.Granite
would have destroyed the budget, but if you look, you can find
laminated countertops that look surprising good. You will need to cut
these to fit around your new sink. It’s not as hard as you might think.
Simply use a jigsaw, check your measurements, and take your time.
Since the old kitchen was devoid of a dishwasher, I was forced
to buy one when I bought the new sink and faucet. Installing a
dishwasher takes some time and will undoubtedly make you swear,
but by following the directions, just about anybody can hook one of
these up…eventually. Carefully, I put the sink in first and then
installed the dishwasher. I debated about adding a garbage disposal,
but the cost, not to mention the fact that these can be
temperamental devices prone to breaking down, swayed me to go
without. I then hung a small light underneath the cabinet.
Below one of the cabinets, I installed a vent-less microwave
oven that matched the old stove, creating a cooking space that looks
like it came as a set.
Combing the classified ads found us a new-ish Energy star
fridge, which matched our color-scheme, for $125.
Not only did the changes totally transform the room, the new
layout is more efficient, adds tons of counter space and increases the
value of our home. It also makes cooking a meal more enjoyable.
When you are willing to do the labor yourself and engage in a little
creative shopping, you can make big changes that won’t break the
bank. In the end, I did exceed the budget by $9, but my wife
forgave me when she realized an installed dishwasher (not
originally in the budget) meant no more dishes by hand.
While it can be a challenge to redo a kitchen in the house
you’re living in, the end product might be worth a few weeks of
sawdust on your eggs.
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Hurdling to Victory
