Ok - We are taking the plunge! We have been married for 20 years and have owned this house for 15. So far we have gutted and renovated about 70% of the house and now it is time for the kitchen. A big job but it is time. Our plan is to just go for it and pick away when we can. Using our own knowledge and experience plus some input from friends and family, all the work will be done by us except some of the plumbing. Going in with the attitude that it can be our hobby this winter, we hope to have all the major work done by Christmas so we can cook our Christmas dinner in our new kitchen! We are confident and excited.

This web page will serve as a journal throughout the project. Check back often and see how we are doing!

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While we were discussing the possibility of taking on the kitchen, Polly, my wife, said "If we tear it all out, it won't be any worse than what we have already." As you can see - she was not far off the mark in this before picture.
	Our hope is to remove this pass through and put the sink and cabinets on the outside wall.
We know this kitchen was renovated last in 1936. We have a friend whose grandparents owned and renovated the house then.
	Budget Our budget was drawn up after doing some window shopping , referring to books and talking to friends that have gone through this already. One big thing...Realtors say not to spend more than 10% of the value of your house because it is difficult to recoup. Well that was impossible for us. We have concluded that to finish with even a modest new kitchen, you need at least $10,000. This is with most of the work done by yourself!
Log 8/28/02 Demolition Begins - tore out first layer only to expose a second bead-board layer that we estimate, could be 100 years old. After the second layer was down we discovered a treasure! A small tin can with acorn tops in it!
9/7/02 Finished demolishing mud room area- Worked 6 hours to do it. Behind the bead board is planking that has to be removed to expose beams and joists. Took out island.   I look like a bug after "getting down" with the walls.
	The second layer of kitchen revealed some simple decor. These birds are simple stickers pasted on to the wall.
Opening up the Ceiling exposed the reason why the pass through was actually a disguised support. The joists are only 2x6 and are on 30" centers. What were they thinking?
	9/14/02 Whole ceiling down and all but one wall. We found many more treasures in the wall including a circa 1890 shoe, a plate with "Our Daily Bread" inscribed on it and a small coin purse with a paper coin in it. Our Trophies!
9/15/02 Framed lower window wall today. 9/18/02 Finished window wall by cribbing above the beam. This wall is plumb and ready to hang cabinets on (well - sheet rock would be a nice thing first.) Bob and Allison show up this weekend (our structural engineer team) and we start on the new joists.
	9/20-22/02 New Joists went in without a hitch and we now have the opportunity for one solid run of ceiling (and the girls won't fall through from their bedroom.) Tore out the wall behind the stove. Demolition is complete! Special thanks to our structural engineering team; Bob and Allison!
Try these Links for some Renovation Ideas;	9/27 - 29 Finished framing all but the wall with the old sink on it. Sunday I began hanging electrical boxes and firmed up the electrical plan. Plumber may not be able to get to the project for a few weeks. This is ok because I can use the time to do the electrical and have that inspected but the old sink has to be removed before I can wire up that wall. I can remove it but the fear is that once it is removed, we are without dish washing capabilities and any delay with the plumber may be a problem. Opened up the crawl space and started to prepare for work under the floor. Plan to get most of the rough electrical in this coming weekend.
	10/3 - 6 This was the weekend for the wiring! Also the maiden voyage into the crawl space. Very dirty and grungy in there. Rough wired the double small appliance circuit, the dish washer circuit and the lighting circuit. Luckily the previous owners wired up the clothes washer and the refrigerator with a three wire double circuit and the junction box is right under where we will be putting the refrigerator. All I have to do is redirect the wire up the wall. Easy job! For once I get a break! We found another artifact! This time it was a small bottle that has "dressing" molded in the glass.
10/10 - 14 October will be the dark month of kitchen renovation. Much work done under the floor. Lots of little things accomplished that are not as visible as most projects to come. This was a long weekend , Columbus Day weekend and many of these so called little things were done. I put in a phone line and cable line to both the kitchen and under the computer in the office (might as well - I am under there anyway.) Ran the last few wires and prepared them for inspection. All wiring done and added to circuit box in cellar. Some of the floor leveled. Our big accomplishment was a trip to Lowe's for a kitchen design. They have what we want and for the price that we want. Looks like a sell to me.
	Here is the design that Lowe's drew up for us. If we order before the end of October, we will get the sink cabinet for free. We need to order soon anyway since it will take about 5 weeks to get them. Time to start talking to some banks!
10/15 OK - here is the dilemma.... The electrical inspector said that it was ok if I included the microwave/vent/light with the small appliance circuit. Everything that I have read, and after a quick look at some units today, suggest that it might be better to dedicate a circuit just for this unit. They will draw up to 1000 watts. The way I have it wired up now is with the small appliance circuit but it would not take much to make a dedicated line for it (just one more trip under the crawl space.) I am leaning towards dedicating it. If anyone has an opinion - e-mail us!	Last things to do before walls go up install windows install heating stack to girls room remove sink dedicated circuit for microwave?? plumbing frame up last wall (after sink is gone) 2 outlets in last wall run speaker wire from living room build recessed shelving in last wall rough wiring inspection insulation
	10/19-20 Heating duct came in so that was installed this weekend. The girls have heat now. I also went ahead and dedicated a circuit just for the microwave/light/vent unit. I feel better now that I have done it. The windows just came in too and I will be calling on Jim to come over and help me with those next Saturday. No word on the plumber yet. I am running out of things to do and now the plumbing becomes crutial to move this project along. Oh - by the way, the cabinets have been ordered!

10/26-27 The windows are installed! Thanks to Jim O for bringing knowledge and hammer to help out this weekend. I am very pleased with the result. Also put in floor patches this weekend. Plumber comes in this week so all appliance areas are marked. I am officially out of things to do until the plumber is done.

Precious likes the new windows!

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We would love to hear your comments or suggestions! e-mail us at jassnight@earthlink.net