Remodeling Continued and an Unexpected Road Block

The remodeling continues as we have moved to the kitchen.  There we are removing a bad design choice by the builder.  The put wings angled into the kitchen.  Makes it hard to move around.  We didn't think much of it when we bought the house as we were not cooking much then.  As we have moved to be healthier in our eating choices we have started to cook at home most of the time.  We found a number of things about the arrangement of this kitchen that were less than optimal.  To this point the only thing we had done was replace the dishwasher and the refrigerator and the garbage disposal.  This round was a little more drastic.  The plan is to remove the wings straightening out the counter top.  To install new granite counter tops, extend the island and to install a new gas cook top.  This will also entail some work to the ceramic floor tile.

As usual I am not great at taking before pictures but here are few that will give you and idea while we were in progress with this change.

Here is what it looked like before.  Each side had these wings.

Here the wing has been removed.  And the dishwasher repositioned.

Another view post wings.

Then the big job was patching the tiles.  I did not realize it was going to be a big job.  The reason I thought I had enough matching tile.  Only to find out when removing from the attic that I did not have what I thought.  Apparently there was a box of tile in our attic from another house in the subdivision.  So then the fun started. We knew who made the tile Interceramic so we went to them.  There we found out they had not only suspended the tile but no longer made that size.  We were able to locate an Interceramic that had some of the discontinued tile in a similar color still in stock.  So we trotted over there and bought all they had which was 75 square feet.  The reason being is that I could buy all of it for fifty dollars or just what I needed for 75.  Pam was still looking at me like I was crazy as I happily bought all they had.  So now all I had to do was chisel up some additional perfectly good tiles so I could make a pattern that looked like we had planned it this way all along.

Before Chiseling

After Chiseling

Now I tried removing these tiles several ways but ended up using and air hammer.  A very noisy proposition and it just took me two days.  It turns out one of the things the builder had done very well was put these tiles down.

So then I needed to put the tile back.  What I finally set on was installing the tile and adding a diamond detail to it so it would blend with the old tile.

Here the tile is installed but not yet completely grouted.

So here is where the unexpected road block comes in.  I know you thought it was the tile but surprise it was me.  We decided we were doing OK for time on the remodel and we would take Tuesday Oct 18th and go to the State Fair of Texas (more on the fair later).  We hadn't been in about 15 years and could now take the Dart Train from Plano near our house to Fair Park.  One of the things about the fair is that it is a slightly seedy part of old downtown Dallas.  As it was built in the twenties that is not a surprise to us but it is not the greatest place to park your car.  So we hopped on the train patted ourselves on the back for being so progressive and riding down to the fair.  We got out right in front of the fair gate and proceeded to have a pleasant day with plenty of walking.  My knee was a bit sore but that was not unusual and we kept going.  As we walked out of the fairgrounds and were about to get on the train my right knee went out (as in I can't walk on it).  So I limped on the train with Pam's help and much to the chagrin of those around us.  I am not sure what they had thought had happened but its public transit so who knows.   We make it back to the station and Pam's goes for the car.  A quick trip to my doctor the next day sends me to an orthopedist who does an MRI on my kneed and turns out it needs surgery.  The kitchen is still not ready for the counter tops that are coming in on the 26th and my surgery is scheduled for the 28th.

Now in our 35 years together Pam and I have done our fair share of remodeling including building on house from scratch.  So you would think she is OK with it right.  Wrong.  She hates remodeling just likes the results.  And to this point I had managed to keep her involvement in this project to a minimum.  But that would change.  Since I know have limited mobility she has to help me get the rest of the counters out and to enlarge the island before the new counter tops come in.  Luckily the builder had not been as conscientious install the counter tops as he had the flooring and they were held on with just a few screws.



Old Island

Modified Island

Island with new counter top

Old Cook top and counter top

New Cook top and counter top

The tile got grouted (Pam's handiwork)

The new sink.  Back splash and trim still need to be done but that may have to wait a week or so.

Ta Da the largely finished kitchen.  We have the new vent found but the trim back splash and vent hood will have to wait until I am back in sparing condition.  You can now tell this is actually a pretty big kitchen  Before Pam and I had a hard time working in it at the same time.

I will be putting the same diamond design in the back splash by the sink to help tie in the new floor tiles.

And the surgery on my knee went by the books so hopefully in the next few weeks I can put the finishing touches on this project then no more remodeling until after the first of the year.

More later

Bruce and Pam