Renovation Completion!

 FROM THIS.... TO THIS!

 FROM THIS....TO THIS!

 The final look!

So that's it! That's our big reno. We are one or two light fixtures being hung away from saying we are DONE! (And we need a stair railing so small children can't fall off the side of our living room...but that's another project completely.) As I had mentioned in the Spring. I was very interested in projecting estimations for the project and seeing what actual costs were. I was hoping the whole thing would cost us $15k, but I think it was more like $20k+. Here's what my projections looked like!

Materials	Estimated	Actual
Laminate Floor	450	480
Sink	300	250
Cabinet Hardware	150	110
Faucet	300	300
Microwave	400	225
Counter top	1,200	2,000
Backsplash Tile	1,000	300
Paint	150	75
Cabinets	4,500	6,410
Fireplace	250	160
Lighting & Rough Electrical Supplies	1,000	1,500
TOTAL	$9,700	$11,810
Labour	Estimated	Actual	Comments
Demolition	500	250	Weekend DIY with friends. Costs include demo accessories and lunch.
Painting	1,200	1,258	Contracted out - ceiling, trim and walls and downstairs hallways
Plumbing	250	0	included with drywall
Electrical	2,000	2,490	Potlights, running new electrical, new breaker box
Flooring	500	0	Weekend DIY
Drywall	2,000	3,400	Going from popcorn to flat ceiling and repairing all the walls that we tore down.
Tiling	500	0	Thanks to helpful friends!
Cabinetry Install	5,000	2,091	Completed by Lowe's Installers
TOTAL	$11,950	$9,488

DIY Cabinet Hardware

So I would like to preface this post with, "I am not a DIY-er." I love the idea of DIY. I just don't have the attention to detail needed to complete projects in a truly "complete" manner. As always, I was inspired by AKA Designs' blog on 30-Minute Home Improvement Projects. Well, I can honestly say, it wasn't a 30 minute project, but, I had fun none the less. The part that took the longest was taking all the hinges and handles on and off the doors.

I read the blog on a Thursday morning while I was on my month of vacation between jobs. I thought to myself, "Well, I have nothing else planned today!..." 

So, I went to the local hardware store (who will remain nameless because here on in I believe EVERYONE should shop at Lowe's) to pick up some supplies. In total, it cost me $12 for the items I bought: spray paint & screws! (When I checked out the silver hinges, just to see the price difference, they were about $3 each. So I definitely saved a bundle).
 
Prior to my 30-minute home improvement project, my door handles and hinges were a nasty used-to-be brass colour. Here's a few pictures (that I can't seem to get rotated). The lighting makes the cabinets a more yellow tone than their actually taup-y colour.

I did my spray painting outside on our patio table. Note to all impatient DIY'ers...it's worth the extra 2 minutes to go get another garbage bag to cover the other half of the table before spray painting. Lesson definitely learned.

I also bought new silver screws to replace the nasty gold ones so I could reassemble the doors to the cabinets. That's also the reason why the post was delayed for 2 weeks....I was short 11 screws to finish the project! (Though some may say I was short a few more to even attempt the project).

All in all, it was a very easy thing and I'm happy I did it! (Though my husband didn't even notice till I pointed it out).

A final thought to remember when attempting: Despite your impatience to get the project done, it's probably worth the extra time to let the hinges dry completely before flipping them over or putting them back on the doors! Of course, I kind of knew that already,...but hey, I am who I am!

One final time. The before:

The after!

Next project coming up is repainting the rec room! Through many different paint samples thrown about our house, I think I've finally come to the decision of these two from Olympic:

Tightrope (for 2 of the larger walls)

and...Castile (for 2 smaller walls)