After six weeks of shopping, internet research, meetings with contractors and kitchen designers, and countless conversations amongst ourselves, we finally feel most of the key decisions have been made, and at long last we’re ready to plunge into the world of kitchen remodeling.
Last week I visited the offices of Frank Welch & Associates, the architect who designed our townhouse back in 1971, where I obtained a copy of the original plans for our 21-unit complex. Early returns indicate the modest fee paid was money well spent, with framing secrets and HVAC vagaries now revealed.
A copy of the original site plan of our 21-unit complex, circa 1971.
Although we gave the firm that’s going to manufacture our cabinets a retainer today, there’s still work to do on our part. We need to finalize buying decisions on a couple of appliances before we can sign off on the final cabinet order, which then goes into a queue to wait its turn for production. Our hope is that those final details will be wrapped up in another week or so. It will probably be 8 to 10 weeks after that until our cabinets are ready.
The framing details of our floorplan are illustrated here, upper right.
We are both relieved and excited (mostly relieved) that this step of the process is nearing completion. The fact of the matter is that we were well aware we were going to undertake this project from the moment we decided to purchase the property, and that it would happen sooner rather than later. As a result, we’ve never fully unpacked our kitchen. Paper plates are a common item in these parts, and will be for the foreseeable future.
So, we’re pleased everything is finally moving forward. Now, I just wish I could wake up and it will be February.
~kp~
