Where to Save: Kitchen Remodel, Part One

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Los Angeles. Las Vegas. Dallas. New York. Sound like the highlights of a cross-country road trip? Think again ... these cities are the original destinations of the appliances in this Hollywood Hills kitchen.

After a pipe burst and flooded their house, Steven Melnick and Melissa Burton embarked on an extensive remodel. Rather than pay retail prices for kitchen wish list items, Steven scoured Craigslist for deals from private sellers. Among the highlights: a new Sub-Zero refrigerator for $3,400 (retail $8,000); a used DCS duel fuel range for $2100 (retail $7100); a new Viking vent hood for $800 (retail $1,600); a used Miele built-in coffee system for $700 (retail $2,600); and a new Elkay sink and bottom grid for $500 (retail $1,100).

This type of purchasing is not for the rigid or impatient. Appliances bought on Craigslist typically are not under warranty (even if they are technically "new") and others are sold gently used. But if you're willing to commit the time to research your product and interview potential sellers, you could save yourself thousands on high-end products.

Next you may be wondering how to get the items once you've made the purchase. For appliances traveling long distances, Steven and Melissa recommend uShip. It's like the eBay of the shipping world. You simply go to the website, describe the size and location of the item you want shipped, and independent shippers will bid for your business. For example, Steven and Melissa found a trucker whose monthly route took him from Dallas to San Francisco, and just like that, the Sub-Zero was on its way to California.

The complete kitchen remodeling series:

Where to Save on a Kitchen Remodel
Where to Spend on a Kitchen Remodel
How to Plan a Kitchen Remodel

Jennifer Volland | Comments () |

 

 

  • Get cost estimates by visiting a home improvement store. Compare quality and cost of appliances, countertops, flooring and cabinetry. Jot down two sets of prices--what you can easily afford and items that are "nice to have." Factor in labor costs if a contractor will do the work for you; leave out labor costs if you plan to do the work yourself
    .

  •  
    In the kitchen, you can switch the plates and the cups of the kitchen cabinet and place it at your counter top. But can you put the kitchen cabinet anywhere else - imagine it if it is built-in? Majority of the kitchen furniture is bulky and almost everything is fixed. Now you're even bored


  • The house is crawling with carpenters armed with buzzing power tools.
    The layout is essentially the same, a sweeping 15-by-40-foot foyer off
    of which are four formal public rooms â a library of floor-to-ceiling
    books, a Turkish room reminiscent of the Victorian era's fascination
    with exotic travel, a ladies' sitting room and a gentlemen's smoking
    room, for indulging in a good pipe.

  • Space and budget play an important role in developing
    a good kitchen lay out. The most important factor in deciding the
    kitchen lay out is space as this is a room which demands for extra space
    due to the wide array of stuff that has to be kept. The desires to have
    an increased storage area with beauty results in purchasing discount
    cabinets. These are a cost friendly investment that add to the storage
    capacity of your workplace and make them well arranged that in turn
    helps in showing a better as well as properly managed kitchen.

  • toyfated

    Great ideas to minimize the cost of your kitchen remodeling. You can also follow this all idea for remodel your kitchen because it all is really very impressive and useful idea for kitchen remodel.
    Kitchen unit

  • Rholbrook1

    Those are great ideas. I always try to explain the ways to make costs cheaper with my job at www.handymore.com. I like finding cool things on craigslist but its always good to know you get what you pay for is often the case.

  • http://allonconstruction.com/

    Hi,
    Great ideas to minimize the cost of your kitchen remodeling. If you do not have the budget for a full-scale remodel, there are still several small things you can do to give your kitchen a new look. Repaint your cabinets and adding new handles or knobs can give the effect of replacing your cabinets without the cost. A new sink or lighting fixture can also help to refresh your kitchen's appearance.

    jesica

  • Allison

    I love Craigslist, but definitely wouldn't do the shipping part. You really want to see it yourself. When buying appliances, though, how can you be sure they work--need to see them in action and then have someone with you to help disconnect them.

  • Ryan

    As a homeowner, it is worth having a contractors warrant, the showrooms/vendors ability to negotiate with the manufacturer, and the manufacturer warranty. Too many scams on craiglist to trust shipping items across the US. That is why they say, "buy locally". I like the concept, but I'd be interested in hearing how many other clients got/get burned trying this advice.

  • Anne Marie

    This is incredible! The Melnick/Burton kitchen looks amazing...and you would never suspect they did it for less. Well done!

  • Miranda

    This makes my dream of a built in Miele coffee system seem a little closer to reality!

  • Larry / Gig Harbor

    Great idea to shop Craig List, the first thing that came to mind was shipping; but you covered that moments later. Thanks, saving money on high end items for the home works for me.

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