Kitchen Remodel #1
Carol and Dale Wilkening. Carmichael, CA
Situation:
The Wilkening's home was built in the early 1950's and had not been updated at all since then. At the time of the remodel they only had one burner working on their stove in a kitchen that was, for all intents and purposes, barely functional. They had no formal dining room, and the family room and kitchen were closed off from one another.
"Walt's incredible 'can-do' attitude along with his commitment to our complete satisfaction made this project a real success--and it wasn't without a few challenges along the way."
--Carol and Dale
Challenges:
To create an updated kitchen and formal dining room that integrated into an updated family room in this 1950's home meant that outdated electrical needed updating and lighting needed to be brought up to code. Other surprises lurked around every turn. To complicate matters further, the architect the Wilkenings worked with created a design without first realistically accounting for their budget.
"We had no idea how much work it would take to accomplish our goals, nor did we have a realistic idea of what it might cost..."
--Carol and Dale
Process:
We started with the line drawings the architect created, established a realistic budget, and then prioritized what Carol and Dale wanted and needed. We refined the design accordingly, and began by demolishing everything down to the studs.
"Rather than saying 'too bad' about our budget, Walt was very helpful in the planning and budgeting stages. He just kept working with us to come up with alternatives that were a better fit for our budget, and still met our goals for the remodel."
--Carol and Dale
Outcome:
- Changed electrical from 100 amp to 200 amp, updated all electrical
- New wallboard in kitchen and dining room
- Fabricated a solid granite countertop, changed counter height
- Installed all-new appliances
- Refurbished family room fireplace and created mantle
- Installed wood floor in kitchen; tile in front of sliding door
- Hand-crafted custom, round starburst patterned tile steps that lead from the kitchen into the family room; created matching arched openings for each room's passageway.
"Now, thanks to Lytle Construction, we're living with a beautiful, highly functional kitchen that flows into a comfortable, well-integrated great room and formal dining room where we love to relax and entertain our friends and family. This remodel fits in so naturally and so beautifully to the rest of our home that it seems like it's always been this wonderful."
--Carol and Dale
Click here for Carol and Dale Wilkening's full testimonial.