sqkev

If so, what type of cabinets and countertop you went with? How much customization was involved and approximately how much did you pay for all??

THEOLDMAN

I did the work myself, (I was a kitchen & bath remodelor) built my own countertops from bamboo flooring, switched the locations of the sink and oven. Got the cabinets at trade price because I was in the business. It's a small galley kitchen so I had about 10K in cash in it plus my labor. If I were bidding out the same kitchen in someone else's house I would have put it in for about 25K.

There is a huge markup on cabinets, I could sell them to a client at 50% of retail and still make 60% profit on them plus installation at 100-200 per box. Countertop goes by the square foot depending on material. Granite can be had at a minimum of about $95 a lineal foot (25.5" deep X 12" long) and it goes up from there. Don't overimprove the kitchen for the house.

I did a kitchen for a client that was about a 60K job, also did two bathrooms for the same client and they came out around 40K for both. He kept me happy for two seperate winters. Did the bathrooms 1 year, and the kitchen the next year. Both jobs over the Thanksgiving-Christmas holidays. The client went and spent the whole time in their condo in AZ.

Nightshade

OLDMAN you have pics of your countertop? I am about to tear into my kitchen at some point this year and that sounds interesting.

How does it hold up to moisture and how did you seal it?

THEOLDMAN

They are harder than rock maple and hold up quite well I'll get you some pictures tomorrow. I have edge grain (vertical) rather than flat grain. I used an NSF food safe oil for them. I edge glued the individual board together with urethane glue that expanded to fill the joints, had to clamp them about every 8 inches along the various lengths. I made a cutting board out of the sink cutout and haven't refinished it in about six years. The best part is that bamboo is the ultimate in green material for building with. I'm thinking of doing my living room floor in it.

BTW I got raw unfinished flooring so that I could make them food safe.

sqkev

Wow, must be nice to have a 60k job.

Reason I ask is I'm trying to do a bit of research on the market in different areas right now. My friends and I are trying to start up our own company catering to custom kitchen remodeling jobs. (we've been installing for 3-4 years now, and it's time to have something of our own)
I'm not sure how much custom work with your 40-60k job, but landing a job like that here would rare (we also sell granite and cabinets to clients from distributors).
Do you mind if I shoot you some questions in private?

k3ifers

in for pics of bamboo countertops h:

AcuraFanatic

I'm going to be redoing my mom's new house this summer. :hsd:

k3ifers

my parent's got their whole kitchen from ikea. got a uhaul and went up to canada with it (closest one)

THEOLDMAN

Here are some pictures they're 640X480.

k3ifers

wow. looks good.