Painting the Cabinets and Laying the Plywood Base

I painted the cabinets inside and out with "Cabinet Restore" paint and was very pleased with the results. for about $30 bucks It was an unbelievable improvement. Even if you are not going to do the countertop I suggest it as an inexpensive makeover. I then replaced the hardware with some inexpensive brushed nickel pulls.





Next cut and fit the pieces of plywood. Be sure to measure the setback from the edge to match the one on the old countertop be sure to account for the thickness of your desired edging material.

The Demolition

The easy part, the demolition. Detach the sink and the electric from the garbage disposal. Proceed to enjoy ripping out the old countertop. You will find this satisfying. Wear Gloves and be careful.
I didn't take any pictures of this process but will say it did help to cut the countertop into 2 pieces as it was big.

Tools and Materials

My advice: Borrow, rent or buy and return your tools to keep the cost down. :)
Tools
-Level
-Square
-Tape Measure
-Safety Glasses
-Carbide Tipped Scoring Tool
-Circular Saw
-Drill with Screwdriver Bits
-Jigsaw
-Notched Trowel
-Rubber Padded Grout Float
-Sponge
-Tile Saw
-Level
-Paint Brush
-

Materials
-24 sq ft of 12x12 Absolute Black Granite Tiles
-3/4" Plywood
-Trim Pieces
-1/2" Cement Backer Board
-Deck Screws
-Masking Tape
-Thin-set Mortar
-Un-sanded Grout
-Grout Sealer
-Paint
-Door Handle Pulls
-Sink
-Faucet
-Plumbers Putty

The Dilemma

I wanted a new kitchen but was on a very limited budget since I was unemployed. Having watched what seemed like hundreds of hours of the DIY channel and in particular the show "Sweat Equity" I felt compelled to act. The state of my kitchen was that it was at least 20 years since the last remodel and had no value. I figured how bad can I mess it up, the worst thing that could happen was to have it done professionally later. Thus began one of the most satisfying projects I have done in a long time. I want to share it with you and maybe you can learn from it and even improve upon my mistakes.

Greetings from the Budget Re-modeler

And welcome to the Budget Re-modeler!

Pardon the dust as we get things under way here. We should be up and running in no time.

Here you'll find everything I can show about re-modeling on a realistic budget.

The first project we'll be covering is a kitchen cabinet and sink re-model for under $300.

We hope to see you back soon for exciting adventures in Budget Re-Modeling!