Weeks 2-5 of Kitchen Remodel

The first week of demolition went pretty good with only a few hiccups but when we got to the underlayment and subfloor this last week it has been miserable. The subfloor definitely needed replacing especially after we got the underlayment pried up.

It took a week to lay the subfloor mainly because we had to be careful with the open sections. We have learned a lot about the different ways to construct a house. Some builders use rafters as duct work for return air. To know that in 1962 the standard was nailing your 1/2" subfloor while now they recommend screwing at least 5/8", yet knotted wood was not preferred and now your plywood is chalked full of them.

He found a gap to spy into the basement

The following week was installing can lighting. Started out only going to have 6 lights and ended up with 8. The recessed lighting helps give a taller ceiling effect  with such a long narrow room it needed it. This is the week our new fridge arrived :) It may be sitting in our living room waiting to be plugged in but we all can't wait to get it in the kitchen.

Late night of wiring lights

Lights in and drywall down

We did end up taking almost a full day break from the kitchen to work on other parts of the house. My parents came and helped us put jacks in the basement. Someone before us had cut out some major support pillars causing the house around the stairs to sag. It is very nice to know we don't need to worry about that any more. Dad also helped add a few extra outlets. I say a few but on one wall there had only been one behind the fridge and now we have 4 more on just that wall!

Now the kitchen is insulated! 

Mom also helped me work on the flowerbeds, something that would have waited until next year if not for her. I keep them cleaned out but the drought last year killed all of the bushes in the front. I like the looks of annuals but don't want to mess with buying something every year just to dig that same hole and replant it. I found some gorgeous perennials and split up our lillys that were large. In the end I still used some annual flowers in our large pots and my mom did some around our trees but we didn't spend an arm and leg on them and they look very nice. In fact our entire flower bed and a few plants out back ended up only being $65 and bought about 20 plants.

Week 4 was putting up the drywall. Very time consuming but really brought the room together. Mudded and sanded many times, painted the ceiling and walls. Very exciting since much of the week was consumed with graduations, showing property, writing offers, work, and kids.

We had great little helpers

Painted, all but 1 wall luckily it will be covered with cabinets and backsplash. Next time 2 gallons of paint needed.

Week 5 has been hard, stormy weather daily which is not ideal for mixing thinset let alone carrying in the hardyboard.

Here is a sneak preview of what we did for the rest of week 5 and beginning of 6:

 Cabinets arrived on May 21! A day of excitement especially for the boys who made forts while we installed the contents.

Until next time...