3 New Year, New Remodeling Project!

Happy New Year! I have been working on the beginnings of a big remodeling project here at my house, and when people ask me when I'm going to get started, I say, "at the first of the year". Well, it is here. So I better get serious!
When we bought the house, we knew immediately the kitchen had to go. It is tiny with no cabinet space. It has cheap cabinets, tile counters, and a huge peninsula jetting out from the pantry that makes you  have to walk all the way around the peninsula to get to the garage or the boys' bedroom on the other side of the kitchen.

And we moved into it, knowing we would have to change it. I was so grossed out by the thought of preparing food on the grout-filled counter tops that have had who-knows-what on them that I bought a stainless steel table to act as a temporary island and prep space. But it is tight! I have to be careful about opening the dishwasher and the pantry door, there is only about an inch to spare on either side of the island. If it shifts (which it does all the time) you're in trouble.

We bought a refrigerator and dishwasher we liked, knowing they would stay in the remodel. I bought a used range for about $250 and a microwave from Sears' outlet for $200, knowing those wouldn't be staying.

This is a rough drawing (in red) of what the current floor plan is like. Ignore the sketch marks underneath, at one point I thought we were going to have to take the kitchen into the garage, but we decided it wouldn't be cost-effective.

There is a bedroom (not shown) to the left of the laundry room. It was used as a study, I think, by the previous owners because there were no closets and no bathroom. But since I have four kids, and two of them are currently residing in that study-turned-bedroom, we need a full bath downstairs. Those two kids have been showering and bathing in my bathroom upstairs for 1 1/2 years!

Here is a picture of the back of my house, including all the wood decking that is going to be removed for this remodel:

It's hard to tell, but behind that beautiful oak tree is a wood deck that cuts into the floor plan of the house, and makes the kitchen too small. So we are going to tear it all down, pour a new foundation, and enclose the patio area for a new dining/eat-in kitchen area.

Here is the proposed remodel floorplan:

So, to recap, during this remodel we are going to:

1. Tear down the back patio and pour a new foundation, frame the addition to the great room/kitchen.

2. Gut the kitchen and replace with all new cabinets, some new appliances including double-oven.

3. Create a full bath and half bath where there used to be only a half bath.

4. Possibly build an additional garage. We have to find out how much that will cost!!

But if all goes well I'm going to go from this:

To this!

I better get to work! I'll keep you posted on how it's going. I'm sure it's going to be ugly, but I'm super excited. No more tile, no more kids in my shower (well, that probably won't change), no more peninsula! Oh and did I mention I am not hiring a general contractor, I am doing all the bidding and subcontracting myself? Yikes! Bring it on, 2014!