Do it yourself- Sweat Equity- Kitchens

As I mentioned earlier one of my quickest and less expensive projects is painting a room, as compared to remodeling a kitchen which takes longer and is one of the most expensive projects. The project requires a lot of skilled contractors. You will need to line up a plumber, electrician, tile installer, countertop installer, cabinet installer and hire some to do your kitchen design. The picture of the older kitchen is a project Linda and I did. We were still able to some “Do it yourself - Sweat Equity” projects within this kitchen remodel.

We did all the painting, laying down subflooring, and always hauling away trash to keep the worksite clean for the contractors. My sons and I gutted this kitchen on Thanksgiving morning, knowing we were invited to someone’s house for a late dinner. I was also hoping to score some leftovers to get us through for a couple of days!

Renovating kitchens are also one of the most stressful projects. Even if you plan and have every contractor lined up you will run into hiccups. Plus, weeks of eating out, or getting takeout will get old quickly.

Return on investment will differ depending on the size of the project. Your more expensive remodels may have less of a return. Numbers range from fifty to seventy percent. Most kitchen remodels are not just about the return on investment. We remodeled the kitchen above because of functionality and it would not cut in today’s market. Our finished kitchen below has a more efficient layout, additional storage, upgraded lighting, and a great place to entertain family and friends.