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October 23, 2004
New Plan
Well the house is coming together great. And thinking about all the work we've done so far, and how important it is going to be to sell this house quickly, a gnawing, unsettled feeling began to eat at me. I think I almost had an anxiety attack about the current state of the kitchen. For anyone who's been to the house, or seen a picture you know the eyesore of all eyesores is our kitchen. Ugliest floor that looks dirty even after you mop it, but the worst is the cabinets - PINK LAMINATE. We've been pondering solutions to this disaster - thought about painting them, re-laminating them, new doors - and while considering some of those lame options it hit me: any potential buyer with half a brain is going to walk away from a viewing thinking "that is one ugly-ass kitchen - next house..." They won't remember the perfect new siding, or the 6 other rooms that have just been renovated.
So I started shopping online for do-it-yourself cabinets, and after a trip to IKEA last night (awesome stuff - you have to check that place out!) they have an ordering delay of 2-4 weeks. I hope to have a contract in that timeframe so that didn't really work. So over to Home Depot to look around, and actually found some really decent maple build-them-yourself jobs.
Moral of the story - I'm gutting the kitchen today and doing this right. I figure all the materials will total just under $2,000 - so for that price it just doesn't make sense to try and fix the old crap, especially considering we have a dumpster sitting right out back just waiting for the pink laminate cabinets. After all the work we've done on this house, it's impossible to leave the last component (and depending on the buyer potentially the most important) not done correctly.
Heading to HD now to pick up the pieces. This is going to be a long weekend...
Posted by
Stephen
at
October 23, 2004 7:01 AM
OK, Steve, you peaked my curiosity. What is the next big piece of the puzzle? Having seen the kitchen, the pink was a little "not so nice" but pink is the in color, well maybe not for cabinets. You always get these ideas at the last minute but definitely pull it together in the nick of time. Is a new floor going to be next? Maybe the day needs to be lenghthened to 30 hours so you can get it all finished!!!! Just be careful (that surely sounds like your mother) and I can't wait for y'all to be here. Love, Mom
Posted by:
Mom Mackey
at
October 23, 2004 10:47 AM
Stephen...I love so much seeing you as Shannon's biggest cheerleader, (right after me), and knowing how much you love her, both privately and publicly. I've always known, as do you, just how dedicated and talented this woman, my daughter, truly is. And, I'm so very pleased that she has found a man, equally talented, including home improvement, and dedicated to making your mutual dream come true. Your my definition of a "dream team" and I couldn't be prouder or love you both more. Rocket.
Posted by:
Rocket Rog
at
October 23, 2004 12:23 PM
Sounds pretty ambitious! I'm looking forward to seeing what you've done.
Also- I'm curious about your decision- You don't think that a couple looking to buy a home in CT would say "nice house...can't WAIT to pull those cabinets out"? Or are you looking for the buyers who want a house, fully ready to be lived in as-is? I ask only because my folks are thinking about doing a similar move with painting the house for showing when they sell shortly- I'm wondering how much value that'll add to the house, considering that as a buyer, I'd look at walls and think "Great! can't wait to make them green" or something.
Posted by:
Brian
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October 24, 2004 8:30 PM
Thanks Dad!! I love you. :-)
Posted by:
Shannon
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October 24, 2004 10:56 PM
Hey Korte - a buddy of mine at work recently sold his house after his realtor advised him that the kitchen was krapola. So he invested $10,000 in the kitchen and the realtor upped the asking price of the house by $60,000 and they got an offer for the asking price in 3 days...
Posted by:
Stephen
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October 24, 2004 10:57 PM
Wow. Nice! You've sold me! thanks! :)
Posted by:
Brian
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October 26, 2004 7:22 AM
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