Home Improvement Today?

1500-2500?

I had one shower done which was a bit smaller, reusing the original pan, I did the demo, few hundred on plumbing and 900 on travertine install w shampoo pocket. I felt like that was a fine deal. The guy never finished though, he got injured wheeling in the desert and messed up his hand.

You should be able to get the tile done for less than 2k I think. Finish plumbing isn’t hard.

I’ve also spent way more on nicer showers since then. This one seems like a budget build to me given your description? That’s a harder one to bid, less fluff means less room for error on estimating and more chances to finish quick and cut & run.

Usually 3-4 days, right?
1. Backer board and float
2. Cut tile and glue
3. Grout
4. Seal

Consider a hex shape for the pan? Kind of nice to have a visual difference between walls and pan. Also the walls are flat while the pan slopes to the drain.

 

We are up in the NorthEast but just had tile work done by my fiancées uncle. He’s a tile guy by trade, jackass by profession turns out. Job is done and it looks good but we won’t use him again. Either way we paid 3500 for install. That was full Kerdi system membrane, tile walls and floor of shower plus bathroom floor. That was the “family deal” pricing. Quotes otherwise were 5-6k.

 

Question for you kitchen cabinet experts.

So I've done a few kitchens and for the most part, floors and walls have been pretty level/plumb. Nothing a typical shim couldn't correct.

I'm starting a kitchen next week and I went in to check level the other day using my laser level. The main cabinet run floor (window, sink, etc) drops 1.25" L to R in under 10ft. High spot in corner.

That seems like a lot to just use standard shims. Was thinking of ripping some 2x stock into long pie/wedge shaped pieces to run along back and front edge of cabinets. Of course the lowest end is an exposed end cabinet, so I'll have to put up a panel or piece of trim to hide that. And obviously the toe kick will need to be custom cut.

Is this the best method or are there any other tips, tricks ideas?

 

Definitely no expert on kitchen installs, call me a youtube installer.... wouldn't a seperate toe kick base be the easiest? You could taper and level the base till it's perfect, then your base cabinets would just lay on top of the new flat level surface.

https://youtu.be/jtdmzpHixnU

 

That's pretty much the same as what I'm thinking.

 

$2860

 

So you guys pretty much have the idea on what I want. Takes up to 4 days, keep it simple, block tiles on walls, hex floor, etc. The quotes came in at:

1st Independent - $3000
2nd Independent - $4000
3rd Lowes contractor - $9000

So, in the end I'll be just doing this myself! lol. Full disclosure, the lowes contractor is coming in to replace my basement door (builder grade) for a nice french door from lowes (1k install cost). I figure I would get their quote too, but obviously he thinks because I have a nice new construction home I can afford it. Is it me or am I wrong for thinking the last guy is a DBag?

I forgot to mention, the first two didn't seem to be legit contractors....kinda side job and not professional as in business cards or vehicles.

 

can you average the height difference ? ie 5/8" below standard countertop height one end and 5/8" above at the other end ?

 

who did the old school epdm pan ?

 

So install not quite level?

Padding everything up 5/8" would achieve that.

Maybe I'm not understanding.

If that corner cabinet isn't level, I'll be chasing the cabinets to the left.

 

You've got a couple options. Before we go any further, are there uppers and if so have you checked the ceiling?

 

Just 3 uppers. I've not yet checked ceiling. A big window (above sink) separates the uppers. I figured if there were slight differences, they'd be hard to spot. And top of uppers is not close to the ceiling. No crown either.

 

Certain tile backsplashes will show uneven upper cabinets pretty easily.

 

None planned for this kitchen. Just painted drywall.

 

No crown makes this a lot easier. Whatever your total run is, divide it in half. Mark, that point on the wall at 34 and 5/8 in. Level that across. Everything to the left of that gets shimmed. Everything to the right of that gets cabinet bases cut. If it's an L shape, you'll also have to cut the bases to the right of your corner cabinet. Do it that way. You're splitting the difference and nobody's ever going to fucking notice

 

The uppers will be level. There's no crown so you can level until your heart's content. If there is crown, it's a different ball game. And you need to seriously fuck with the ceiling drywall. I've installed hundreds of cabinets. Sometimes things are level and plumb and you're happy. Other times you deal with the shit sig is dealing with right now

 

So that makes sense, but my high spot is the corner of the L (think of a capital L turned 90 degrees clockwise). I'd be trimming most of the cabinets to the left of the sink base under window. To the right of 30" sink base is dishwasher and then just one 30" base (that's the one that's the big problem). That sink base centered under the window is pretty close to the center if I had to guess.

Apologize I have no pics of the room or the plan.

 

@Sig45 a little late to the game but is the 10’ on an interior wall with the corner being an exterior wall? I would first do some investigating as to why it’s such a discrepancy. If this is a joist issue or something bigger. I would hate to have a new kitchen without a level floor, it’s like putting lipstick on a pig.

 

Both walls are exterior. It's an old house. Prior cabinets were crap and not level. Was a DIY job.

 

My floor drops about an inch towards the center line of my house. Not much you can do about it without causing issues in other places. Im doing custom toe kicks on my cabinets to mask it the best I can.