Flip-Flop

Not a post about MP’s expenses, nor beach footwear. It’s about my plans for my kitchen.

Ever since my boiler got moved out of the kitchen, I have been planning a kitchen refit. My first decision was whether to do it myself, after some fashion, replacing doors and drawer fronts, or to have a new kitchen fitted. OK, that was a joke – the decision was whether to pay someone else to replace my doors and drawer fronts, or to have a new kitchen fitted. I’ve had 10 years here to do it myself, it ain’t going to happen.

In then end, I went with the brand new kitchen idea, and since then I have been getting quotes from people. As usual, I have been disappointed in so many ways – some people make appointments and simply don’t turn up, without explanation (“No, sorry, you’ve done it twice, I don’t give third chances”), some come and listen to my requirements, nodding their head, then turn in a quote and drawings based on what *they* would do with the space, and bearing no relation to my wishes. One guy actually managed to *decrease* the amount of cupboard space on offer, which, considering I have gained a wall (with the boiler’s removal), is quite impressive. He did give me a much clearer entrance through the door from the lounge (which he said he was aiming for). I think he just mis-measured, and if you can’t trust a guy to measure, would you trust him to fit a kitchen?

However, I am now down to two pretty good companies, both local – one is a specialised kitchen fitter, the other is a fairly large building firm, with a wealth of in-house experience – plastering, tiling, joinery, electrical. plumbing, etc. As I have other major jobs to do elsewhere in the house, I am leaning towards the latter, even though they are a bit more costly. They are used to actually building kitchens, so refitting one shouldn’t give them any problems.

I’ve had a ball-park figure from them, but today I had a visit from the guy who is going to do a CAD design, based on my requirements, and provide a definite parts list to quote from. So last night, I was in the kitchen, working out what I needed to tell him.

That’s when I had another rethink. My base units are not in that bad a shape, and the new units would be in exactly the same configuration, more or less. Could I really justify replacing the lot? I measured up, spent a long time on various websites selling replacement doors, and went to bed planning to get the quote, but probably I would just refurbish. Flip.

Then I woke up this morning, went downstairs, and – in the light of day – saw the many things I didn’t like about my kitchen. I started to list them here, but it’s pointless to do so. If I spent a small fortune replacing the doors and drawers and tops, I would still be irritated by the way *this* doesn’t quite fit right, or *that* chip on the cupboard laminate, not to mention the *other*. I would rather spend a large fortune, and get the job done right, once and for all. Flop.

That leaves me wondering if (a) when the existing units come out, they will do so in a usable condition and (b) whether I could either use them for storage in the garage, or if anyone on freecycle might be interested.

Because I realise that it’s actually not the money that I am worried about – it’s the waste of something that might still have a couple of years of good use it in, but that I hate the sight of.

2 Comments

  1. May 24, 2010
    Reply

    Storage and work bench space in a garage is always good, unless you need to get a car in there as well.

  2. May 24, 2010
    Reply

    Someone can almost certainly use them – as you say, garage storage etc – so I’m sure you’ll find a use for them, or else give someone else the opportunity.

    I hope the whole thing goes smoothly!

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