[u24real]

I'm just about to start gutting of my kitchen and starting from bottom up. Keep in mind I have absolutely everything you can think of to do(flooring, plumbing relocation, complete wiring(ripping open walls), and maybe ceiling lighting relocation, and of course complete cabinet removal and new installation. I'm installing ceramic tile directly over existing vinyl.

Luckily I have a small kitchen. A few things. I'm looking for ORDER of event suggestions. Luckily my wife is away for a month so I can make a complete mess .
PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I IMAGINE I'M MISSING SOMETHING.

1) Plumbing - I'm moving my sink about 2 metres (drilling and water source aligning)
2) Remove Existing Cabinets
3) Remove existing drywall and then wiring inside
4) Install new wiring in entire kitchen for under cabinet, in cabinet, outlets and stove(should I do the ceiling lighting at this point if I'm going to?? ).
5) Get electrical city iapproval
6) Re-drywall (do I paint now?)
7) Install new wall cabinets
8) Install new base cabinets
9) Paint now?
10) Install dishwasher
11) Install countertop
12) Install ceramic tile

13) three months later maybe a backsplash

Thanks for the suggestions in advance.

Phil

[pmcall]

I have many of the same questions, which I'll leave to those more experienced to answer, although you order seems right to me. I'd probably paint before putting up the cabinets, then touch up the paint after.

And I'd take out as little drywall as possible, instead of all of it -- maybe that's what you mean anyway. I think ripping out to the studs is often done unnecessarily, but that's just my opinion, and I'm sure sometimes it's necessary. When I rewired my office, all it took was cutting out a 4"-wide strip around the wall -- very easy to patch, and fewer trips to the dump.

Fwiw, I'd red-flag the notion of installing ceramic over vinyl. People do it, but pros in the know will tell you it's not a good idea. The John Bridge tile forum is very friendly and helpful on questions like this -- they're as nice as the folks are here! http://johnbridge.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1

I hope that's useful to you. Others will have more, I'm sure.

Pam

[chabuchie]

You can install ceramic tile over vinyl, but it will be more likely to crack. Even if there's a solid subfloor, the vinyl has too much give.

[DesignDiva]

I would demo to the studs before rerouting plumbing. It will be easier. You might also want to take a moment to layout all your cabinets, appliances etc. in tape or chalk and make sure you've got outlets and utilities going in logical places. You should do lighting at the same time as electrical, since you've got to run the same wiring and you'll want to install the switches at this time as well.

You may want to have your plans approved by the city before you start demo. You might find there's something quirky that you didn't know about, and you don't want to sit around with a demolished kitchen waiting to get approval.

After you do all the inside the wall work, close it up and prime and paint the drywall. Then install all your outlet covers, lighting fixtures etc.

NOW install the wall cabinets, then the base cabinets and countertop if you don't have to wait for the fabricator. If you do, you'll want to do templating at this time, then install a temp countertop. You may need to temporarily install the range and fridge for templating.

NOW install the flooring. If possible, you should go under the dishwasher, range and fridge with flooring material to make later removal of these items easier.

NOW install the appliances, and ruminate on your backsplash design and materials. You don't have to wait three months, even if you are doing tile you only need wait a couple weeks to a month for the painted drywall to cure and then install right over it.

Agree on not doing ceramic tile over the vinyl. Too much give. If you've got a plywood subfloor, you can screw hardibacker right on top of the vinyl, screwed through to the subfloor. That will give you sufficient rigidity for the tile.

[pmcall]

Fwiw, as I understand it, Hardibacker (and similar) is to be installed with thinset mortar underneath, if it is being used as a substrate for ceramic tile. Nails/screws alone are OK only if it's being used as a substrate for vinyl. That's what I read their install instructions as saying, anyway. http://www.jameshardie.com/backerboa...stallation.php

I'm at the limit of my knowledge on this -- just want to suggest a little more research might be in order. Tiling a floor is hard work (that I can say for sure, from experience!).

Pam