Whew! As I type this I am treating myself to a celebratory glass of Champs after "cheers"-ing with my husband in celebration of our first big home project being finished.
About three months back, Chris and I had a leak in our kitchen which caused some damage to our cabinets underneath the kitchen sink. Honestly, it was a blessing in disguise. When we first moved in we had a hideous kitchen (see pic) and really wanted to remodel but kept putting it off because the task felt daunting and the timing next seemed right.
Well over the past three months, we found out, although remodeling can feel daunting, if you hire the right crew, it is not as bad as it may seem. In early May, we had been virtually meeting with insurance and interviewing contractors while spending a ridiculous amount of time at Home Improvement Stores picking out materials to redesign our kitchen (more on that later). It has been a fun but massive undertaking mainly because we decided to do a full renovation since we were already having to replace the bottom cabinets, countertops, and floors.
After getting bids, we decided to go with Sunshine Roofing + Remodeling for two reasons despite them being the highest bid. One, pictures of their quality and reviews were thoroughly consistent and two, they were very professional, transparent, and enforced COVID measures for their staff. In early July, we got started demo at 10 AM on a Wednesday and by 2:30 they were done and our kitchen was down to basically the bones.
Unfortunately, living in a condo means having to deal with an HOA a lot than any homeowner would like when it comes to remodels and repairs. When the leak occurred, water went underneath our flooring into the concrete slab which had to be replaced. When you live in a condo, you're responsible for the "anything in between your walls and floor" and anything outside of that is considered the HOA's responsibility. Since the concrete was underneath our flooring, the HOA picked up the tab but also took nearly three weeks to get it all completed.
Once the concrete floor was intact, Sunshine Roofing and Remodeling were extremely efficient in scheduling crews to come in and finish the rest of the job. They also were remarkably patient with our questions, my indecisiveness in picking final selections and walking us through each step of the process.
From our experience we have learned, when picking a contractor it's important they are transparent and able to execute your vision without sacrificing quality. We couldn't be happier with our selection. They transformed the kitchen into the perfect space allowing it to feel more open and fresh.
Our floors are Satori porcelain tile with marble look for easy cleaning and a subtle touch of elegance. We chose white subway tiles for the backsplash to lengthen the room and white shaker cabinets for a modern feel but allowing the room to still feel breathable. Our appliances in the kitchen are black so we went with a Kohler under-mount sink. (Note: The model we picked came with the faucet and drain saving us some money.) Last but not least, Hameed and Mike with Sunshine Roofing worked tirelessly to find us a slab of quartz for the countertops that I loved and would fall in our budget. We found a "Sparkle White" design I loved that ties the design together and brings my vision to life.
Overall, Chris and I love how it turned out and can't say enough great things about our experience. I can't wait to share more posts on how we decorate, created more storage (our condo is two-bedroom and only 750 sq ft), and more! Comment below what you think of the updates. We'd love to know your thoughts!