All Forum Posts by: Tom Jr. Sterl

It looks like you might benefit from having a few extra inches to work with here.  For your farm sink, traditionally you need a 39" cabinet to fit a 36" sink.  You need a cabinet that is wider than the sink.

Check out the Kohler Whitehaven tall apron sink. 1) a 36" sink fits a 36" cabinet. 2) It is sel;f rimming which mean you do not need to be a master carpenter to nicely cut the sink into the cabinet. 

http://www.us.kohler.com/us/Whitehaven-Kitchen-Sin...

You would have to be very careful with your measuring but this reclaimed 3" could allow you to put a standard 24" dishwasher to the left of the sink.  18" are the same or more expensive as a 24".  Then you can install a 36/39 blind corner between the dishwasher and stove.

Whomever sells you the kitchen needs to look up the specs on the dishwasher and stove used as well as the specific blind corner.  They can all vary in and out of the needed dimensions from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Good luck!

When you are deciding how much to spend on your kitchen and bath remodels I recommend to my clients that there are two levels you can attain.  

A) New & Clean - Basic cabinets with Formica counter tops

B) "I've Arrived" - Full overlay fashionable cabinets with value price granite

I see too many people putting granite on old ugly cabinets and the like.  You can get trendy cabinets for within %20 of the basic oak, and "value" price granite for 4X the price of basic Formica.  That is not necessarily appropriate for every kitchen but I don't feel you will get much of a return going half way.  *Whatever my opinion is worth it could be totally irrelevant outside of my NJ/NY market.

Everyone would want and need the services of a designer but of course woudl assume it just does not fit into the tight budgets of these projects.  Clearly you are sensitive to this and specifically going after the investment property market.  I would recommend using some sort of metric in your advertising to show that your projects sell X% faster or the ability to sell for asking price.  Illustrate for them that there will be a margin for them after your fees. Good luck!

I'd be happy to help you with the K&B materials / labor estimates, even if you source the materials elsewhere.  Send me a message if interested. Thanks!

I see that you are in Jersey City. In a way you are already one of the luckiest people on this site. Drive up Tonnelle Ave AKA RT 9 all the way to Ridgefield one day. We have more down and dirty flooring, granite, cabinet, window guys per block on this stretch than anywhere in the country. If you upload a few pics of the kitchen I can give you a good idea what the local stores here might charge, definitely a better value than any big box store. 

If your going to be getting quotes it may as well be from people who put a focus on the multifamily customer.

Here is a list of boiler people from the Property Owners Association of NJ website.

http://www.poanj.org/business-directory-2/wpbdp_category/boiler-burners/

Let's say that the miracle adhesive in this Simple Mat is everything it claims to be which it might.

1) Any adhesive or glue needs to be applied to a porous surface to give the glue something to bite into.  This means using rough sand paper to give the wall a texture for adhesion.  Also make sure that as much dust is shop vac'd from the wall as possible so you are not gluing your Simple Mat to loose dust.

2)The surface must be inflexible like sheet rock. Very rigid.  If this surface can flex the tiles will eventually pry themselves off no matter how you glue them on.

It might work there are many amazing new adhesives but you need to follow the basic rules especially with an "easy way out" product like this.  

White kitchens are over 50% of sales for every manufacturer right now.  Even more the most popular door style is one that fits all tastes and styles.  Even if fashions change in 3 years this style will retain it's universal appeal.

Also there have been many recent chemistry advances and some inexpensive companies offer a fantastic and durable white paint.  While every good salesman will give you the speech that "some seams in the door frame may be visible as the seasons cause the wood to expand and contract" it is so vastly improved by respectable suppliers these days it is not the issue it once was.  The same goes for yellowing of white cabinets.  There are a lot of great UV inhibitors that are built right into the finish now.

Here are 3 respectable companies all trying to make the same product like Coke Vs. Pepsi.

Check them out at local suppliers.

Jsi Trenton 5pc http://www.jsicabinetry.com/collections/designer-k...

Forevermark Uptown White http://forevermarkcabinetry.com/cabinet-collection...

Fabuwood Nexus Frost https://www.fabuwood.com/cabinets-detail/?style=ne...

I personally preffer the paint job in the JSI but these are all cabinets that I would put in my own house and if you talk to the right guy, 2 of these brands can be as cheap as anything else on the market WITHOUT compromosing on quality.

Good luck! I am happy to help if yo uhave any other questions.

To help put things in perspective. I understand you only have so much money to spend this month.  

If you put granite on those old cabinets you are entombing them forever.  Not to say they can't be replaced but your going to pay the contractor for the normal labor, plus extra to cover his risk of cracking your granite and or someone getting hurt.

You can get a 10x10 kitchen (20 lin. ft.) of good attractive cabinets for around $1,600.  You probably don't need that much.

I'd do the appliances later and do the cabinets before that granite goes down.  The tenants should appreciate it more anyway.

Good luck!

For a post form formica counter top you are looking at a $700 counter top.  I can not speak for the overhead etc.. of your local fabricator.

That is not installed which Lowes may have included but that is not a $1000 install either.

It's less than a day of work.

Go here, this is the post form top manufacturer, ask them to connect you with a stocking fabricator in your area. http://www.hartson-kennedy.com/BuyH-K/FindYourDeal...

Depot and Lowes are great for retail people who want a 25% discount on half quality product at 8pm on Sunday night.  Good luck!