The kitchen.

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Since I am having to relax a bit, my mind wandered back to wood fired ovens. Well, and the kitchen in general. One thing I realized today was that the flooring should be reconsidered. Some of it will be eliminated merely by being less than satisfactory when it comes to being able to handle heat. Stone and ceramic tiles, I would suspect, would do quite well. Wood, perhaps, would be okay if not as good as stone or ceramic tiles. But almost anything else seems a bit risky. Bamboo, perhaps, cork I am not sure. Neither of which, I think, will hold up in the long run. I think I lot of people who have built or bought "sustainable" houses are going to be really unhappy in about five years when they understand that sustainable has nothing to do with longevity of product. I wonder how many of those homes will end up gutted and rebuilt or simply abandoned and torn down because fixing will be too expensive for real market worth? If you want to learn how to reasonably live off the grid, study the Amish. Don't just try and do it yourself or follow industry (who will sell you whatever you want).

But looking at the kitchen, thinking of new flooring and a wood burning stove, I realize that the only way to properly do the kitchen is to start with a crowbar, remove everything I can. Then have a gas technician come in and remove the gas line, do what I can regarding putting waterlines where I will need them, level and do the floor but only after I figure out what I will be doing with cabinets and such. While I won't be putting flooring under the shelves and cupboards, I will need to know where the flooring and kick-plates will intersect. I probably wouldn't put flooring under the island either. There are so many things going on in the kitchen that an open room is probably the best way to start things off.

Removing the current flooring probably won't be an issue. It might have fiberglass tiles, but I doubt it. Even so, I would probably remove those on my own. Professional removal takes about two to four days and might cost as much as $4k or $5K, while doing it myself would take the same amount of time and cost only what disposal fees might be. Hmm, I might actually have to pay for disposal fees if I have it done, too.

While not a plumber, my guess is running water lines is not rocket science. I have installed plumbing for a shower. The drain was already in place, I only had to run hot and cold water lines and connect them to the appropriate parts at the proper level of those parts. It wasn't fancy but it worked. That was pvc though, too. I think I would go with copper. How difficult could soldering be? I have seen it done. I could practice with a few pieces just to get the notion down, then get to it.

Yeah, a kitchen renovation is a huge project. It is, relative to the house, a very small space. And yet it is one of the most technical areas in the house. Unless you are putting in a bathroom in a brand new, unplumbed space, bathrooms are simple in comparison, if also the second most complicated room. It is all expensive and labor intensive, even if you could do all but the required work yourself. I really thought I would be working on my kitchen this summer. There is no way that will happen. As complicated and expensive as it is, I doubt if I will be getting to it by next year. Perhaps I will have the project arranged, though. Perhaps I will know what type of flooring, what I will be doing regarding cabinetry, and perhaps a few other things. But it is a task that has to be done all at once.

What I might be able to do is choose then purchase tiles. Perhaps even buy grout and sub-flooring panels if needed, and floor leveling compounds (depending on how shelf stable some of those things are). Having the components ready and bought makes the expense a lot more tolerable, more so if I find a problem that has to be tended, like floor joists that are problematic. You never know when opening something up what might be a problem.

I would like the kitchen done for a long enough time to enjoy it should I consider moving up in five or ten years. Hmm, one other thing to consider... If I do decide to go with a wood cook stove that will leave an odd space when I move it out. Plus there wouldn't be a gas or electric hook-up for a range in that space. Something to think about, something more. Bah, some things about home ownership stink. The 'what ifs' become huge.