Renos

This etherspace isn't the only thing I need to renovate in my life.

There's also my home. Or more specifically, my kitchen.

I bought my place 7 years ago. Hell, just over exactly 7 years ago.  The plan then was for 5 years, then I'd rent it out and find something more permanent. What I didn't anticipate is loving the convenience of being smack in the middle of downtown, with more space than I need, in a great older building. As it stands, all I'd be interested in for moving purposes would be if my unit, only 7 or 8 floors higher went up for sale at a reasonable price.

That said, with a 5 years, then rent plan, I skimped on the renos when I moved in. I stripped the bathrooms to the walls and rebuilt them, stained the floor, and put in new tile, cheap countertop, and backsplash in the kitchen. The plan was to reface the cabinets, but that never happened.

Now, it's all starting to bite me in the ass.

The bathrooms are generally holding up - except for perhaps the need to replace the showerheads.  The floor is fine, if a but scuffed in places.  A year or so ago I tore out the carpet from the bedrooms and put in hardwood. That's all good.

But the kitchen... oh the kitchen.

A couple years back the faucet exploded. Lucky me - lifetime warranty, new faucet head. But now the unreplaced parts are weakening.  The cabinets are literally falling off.  Their hinges coming loose after 30 years of existence.  The handles are ripping out of the doors. The microwave decided it didn't want to open any more. The handle on the stove is sitting in the pantry now. I don't even want to look in the range hood for fear that years of grease has become sentient and just wants to be left alone. In short, I fully expect the whole thing to collapse around me in the middle of preparing a meal.

So the process to renovate has begun in earnest. I met with a kitchen company last week, and have a meeting with an independent contractor tonight.  I'm leaning to the latter option as he's come recommended, seems friendly, and has been open about seeing his current projects, past work, meeting the crew, etc..

Place will be demolished to the walls. New cabinets, new stone countertops, new appliances, raise the drop ceiling and put in new lights, new floor, new backsplash, new paint, new everything.

It's something I both love and hate. Hate because it's stressful. Picking cabinets, countertops, appliances, colours, etc.. Talking to 3 different people about what can and can't be torn out. Putting together the application to condo management. Eventually I'll be given an estimate and that will be fun.  But then, new stuff! Induction stovetop with double oven and built-in probe thermometer! Fancy new fridge! Schmancy dishwasher! Convection microwave! Quartz everywhere! No more 1981 cabinets! In the end, it will be totally worth it.

So, any suggestions?

I guess I'll have to host another dinner sometime.