Discuss Advice needed on kitchen remodel on IKEAFANS.com. We're Personalizing the IKEA Experience. Advice needed on kitchen remodel - Electrical, Plumbing, Demolition and Construction - ask our experts!.
Brand new here and to Ikea in general. We're going to remodel our kitchen and will be using Ikea cabinets, sink/faucet, and probably granite countertops. Traemand is going to help with the design and ordering, but I'm wondering about what order we should do the various parts of the kitchen, since we won't have a general contractor and will be installing ourselves. Or is that just a bad idea?
Should we retile the floors after removing the old cabinets, and before installing the new ones and appliances? I assume that is the way to go. Same with the ceiling - remove old cabinets, remove popcorn and refinish ceiling, then install new cabinets?
What do people do without a kitchen while all this is going on?
3. People without kitchens (and with kitchen stuff occupying every bit of spare space in the house) go bonkers.
2. Do ceiling improvements and floor tiling before installing cabinets. Unless you are utterly impoverished, tile the entire floor.
1. After doing demolition, installing new flooring, and getting the ceiling right (and painted), Ikea recommends installing wall cabinets first, then base cabs.
Hmm, we wondered about the value of the Traemand service, but for $175, less $75 discount on the cabinets, it seemed worthwhile. I'll definitely try to post the results here for critique. Do they charge anything for the parts ordering on top of the $175 measure/design fee?
Location: Bala Cynwyd, PA, and the hills of El Sobrante, CA
My IKEA: USA-Philadelphia:Conshohocken
Doorstyle: The late, great Kvadrat Beech
Re: Advice needed on kitchen remodel
I don't know if Traemand charges for ordering "help". You might also inquire as to whether the $175.00 covers just a single design, or if "redesign" or tweaking is included. They are included in the price of admission here. Just sayin'.
I believe it includes one redesign. The measurer/designer came by today and is coming back to us with a design in a couple of days. She was very nice, and seemed knowledgeable. We'll see what she comes back with. She was also not surprised that I had a hard time using the Ikea planning tool - as she said, base cabinets appear on the ceiling, ranges refuse to face the right direction, etc. The whole planning function on the Ikea site is pretty clunky - it's hard to register a profile, hard to use the software, and now I can't find the design I cobbled together.
Hello fellow Texan to the south!
We are about 4 weeks into a 7-8 week kitchen remodel. I also contacted Traemand to do "design", but ultimately got back a rehash of the rough design I'd already done - no original ideas. My understanding is that the $175 includes $100 for the measuring service and $75 for the design. I did the measuring myself, so paid only $75. I was not happy with the design per se, nor did it help me with ordering, because it didn't include any actual stock/item numbers. All that said, I did end up using Traemand to assemble and install and they deducted the $75 I'd already paid. The design I ultimately used was one I came up with myself, after having reviewed hundreds of designs and posts on this site. As far as Traemand goes, at least here in Dallas, I have found them to be very helpful and professional, though you have to be proactive to get them to do any outside the box design thinking.
As far as temporary kitchens go, we have had exactly 3 meals out since this remodel started. We have made do with the following: refrigerator plugged in in the den, a micro/convection oven we had, a toaster oven, a rice cooker, a blender, an electric skillet, and a coffeemaker. The only problem has been that we can only use 1 maybe 2 appliances at a time without blowing a fuse! If you'd like to see the gory details, they're at: The Dream Kitchen Chronicles
We are one month solid in our new Short Sale bought home without a kitchen (Existing one was disgusting and Plain Gross, Had everything in the house removed) Been BBQ'ing in the backyard and yes fast food , LOTS,, Gross.
Installed Bamboo throughout the home and will be retexturing the walls with a knock down finish.
We are the premier IKEA Kitchen Installer in Massachusetts. Our company offers complete in-house design service followed by an impeccable installation.
Custom. IKEA. Doors. The idea for Semihandmade came from a desire to offer the same craftsmanship we produce in our Los Angeles-based Handmade studio to a wider audience, at a lower price.
Our House ‘takes the pain’ out of the design and installation process by providing hassle-free service every step of the way. Serving CT and the greater NYC area.
If you'd like to see the gory details, they're at: 
