Hello, all. Thanks for the add.
I would like to remodel the kitchen in my newly-purchased 60-year old house.
1. How much difficulty and expense is added when the homeowner wants to change the location of the sink, appliances. cabinets?
2. I already know that the galvanized pipes need to be replaced and the terracotta/cast iron/ABS plastic sewer pipes need to be replaced. 🙁 Should this be done before the kitchen remodel, or at the same time?
3. Do I need two different companies — plumber and kitchen contractor?
Replies
The cost for moving or redoing the plumbing (water, drain, and gas) will depend on location and access. A detailed estimate should give you that info. Leaving locations as they are could be close to that depending on the conditions.
Same goes for electric costs. Again, a detailed estimate should flesh this all out.
60 years might be the end of life for many things in the home. Plumbing and electric needs and rules have changed.
Take all you want to do and explain this to a trusted reputable contractor. They should have good subs that they work with. Showing up is half the game. If you plan on subbing out various portions of the job expect scheduling problems.
Think of a major remodel as if it were an orchestra. The conductor doesn’t “hope” they all show up and in tune. The beautiful music doesn’t just happen.
Expensive. Expect $5k and up. Start calling plumbers to get estimates. Read reviews as well. I dont trust my house to any other plumbers, except the company I have now. They are brutally honest, and will tell me what goes and what stays, and expected timeline of pipes as I have galvanized steel as well.
If podcasts are your thing, Patrick, Ian, and I discussed this topic on podcast #579.
Mark,
Podcasts are fine but this is an interactive forum.
Why not use it?
Thanks.
When you set a budget, add an extra 25-30% and don’t be surprised if it goes over. Old houses and some new ones have a plethora of unseen issues that cost money. Design first. Plumbing follows is our experience. All the old galvanized pipe will probably need to be removed, not just in the kitchen. Back in the mid 90’s we had to replace all the galvanized plumbing in a house that was built in the early 30’s. We couldn’t have gotten a piece of wire through it all. We replaced with cpvc and a multitude of shut offs for zoning the water. All we were doing was relocating the washer and dryer upstairs out of the cellar. This meant replacing the majority of cast iron sewer pipe with pvc and we hired a plumber. That old house had everything from knob and tube to romex with screw in fuses. We had a heck of a time to find a licensed electrician that was willing to build to current code back then. We eventually found one through the bathroom contractor that could update everything so we could charge and use all the electronics that is common today. It was a joy to go from a 60 amp box to a 200 amp! Before that, we couldn’t use the toaster and the coffee pot at the same time without blowing a fuse. I would hire a kitchen remodeler and hopefully they have a good relationship with plumbers and electricians. Expect set backs and delays. With the home we just bought (built in ‘93) we wanted new countertops and the appliance garages removed. Who new it was going to be an electrical nightmare for the new dishwasher and gas stove? Well we learned quickly and Sheetrock had to be removed, for some reason they didn’t attach what boxes they did install for the romex. Oh, and some of the upper cabinets weren’t properly secured to studs, just screwed in the drywall. Not sure how they held anything without falling down. The quartz countertops were cut wrong several times and we had to wait for them a few extra weeks so we could move in. If it wasn’t for the contractor we hired, it would have been months but he finally got fed up with them and gave the company he recommended an earful. He is a great contractor who is also a licensed electrician and was there every day watching the other trades, keeping up with everyone and getting on them if they didn’t do their job correctly.
my quick thoughts
when you say "you want to remodel" the kitchen, are you planning on doing the remodel or do you want to have it remodeled (?)
having several 100 year old houses, and having done most of the work myself , step one is to gut the kitchen down to the studs, eliminating the old wiring back to the box, the plumbing back to the main drain, the supply lines back to where they "start"
having done that, you can then do your design and start figuring where your cabinets go, (also, fridge, dishwasher, microwave, pantry), how the plumbing will be run, where the outlets go (every 4 ft on the counter) ,lighting locations, switch locations, etc
other thought is to get the basic footprint of the kitchen space and start doing some drawings on how you want the kitchen designed. check with one of your local big box stores or kitchen cabinet supply house for some help in doing your design
good luck
and listen to Calvin's comments ... lot of good advice
It’s often best to hire both a plumber and a kitchen contractor unless you find a general contractor who is experienced in both areas. A plumber will have the specialized knowledge needed to replace your pipes correctly, while a kitchen contractor can handle the design, cabinetry, and installation aspects. We did kitchen remodel with https://www.aplusmarble.com/kitchen-remodeling/ , lots of marble , which turned out to be great.
I, in my own life, remodeled my kitchen in my old house. It was an old Victorian built in 1907. And when I say that I remodeled my kitchen, I had a reputable local contractor do it. We moved a window and moved an exterior door, ran all new electric, all new plumbing, went down to the studs and removed an old chimney stack through the roof and spray foam insulation and then put it all back together. Brand new. lol. The things that I learned from this, I am very capable of do such a job but I am not a master of this large of an en devour. The contractor hired out the plumbing and electric and plaster. He knows his limits. The biggest surprise is the electric loads of modern kitchens compared to old. We actually ran a sub panel under to kitchen from the main panel so there were not 8-10 lines traveling the distance to the main panel, just one line. The detail and flow were thought out over and over. We have since moved but that kitchen is truly missed.
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From experience I would advise hiring the kitchen contractor and use his plumber.
Electrician? Same thing.
Unless there are no concerns over time.
Edit: over 50 yrs and a whole lot of kitchens and baths, with a few homeowners that wanted to use “their” plumber, electrician or painter, I can honestly say that if there was an excuse, it was their person who made it.
I’m sure not saying a full contractor job is nirvana, only that my subs knew in advance when I would need them and I was sure to be ready when that day arrived. Paying them promptly didn’t hurt our relationship either.
Your mileage may vary.
Only 30 years but same advice