"PB2" wrote

Thank you all for your useful responses. A few comments:

Welcome!

1) Yes, I would love to buy a house where the work is already done. If

snip, understood.

2) I appreciate the gravity of time and cost required to undertake
these projects. My hope was that we could get these projects completed
for $80K-$100K and that the work would be done by the end of January
(leaving ~3 months for the work). Please go ahead and correct me if
these numbers seem completely off.

Some are reasonable to do in that time. Quite a bit you can do yourself
easily and save a huge bundle. The wallpaer comes to mind. Even if you
arent a very good painter and want to have that painted after, you can
probably get the wallpaper off yourself. Consider if some of it is still in
good shape and flat paper sort (not flocked or anything, but smooth),
replaced with a newer pattern you like over it. This may be cheaper than
paying to have it removed and wall repaired for painting then painted.
Perhaps just a room or so, or some walls in some of the rooms.

3) Here's what we specifically plan to do:
- Kitchen: New cabinets, appliances, counter-top, and floors. Not
structurally changing things, except that we're moving some electric
appliances around (refrigerator moves to where the dual-oven is,
countertop stove replaced with a range/oven/microwave and placed where
the refrigerator is). We're thinking mid-range quality.

Have the cabinets done before you move in (reading below, that might be
pretty important). Delay actually getting the new appliances, but swap them
and make sure the new cabinets will fit the dimensions of the new ones you
plan to get later. You can delay the floor linoleum too as that's a simple
one to have done later, done in one day easy.

- Bathrooms: 2 bathrooms, each 8x8 - completely replacing everything
and ret-iling, but not changing where things are

I'd wait on this one then later you can have one done, while the other is in
use etc. This one will cost more than you think. Had a tub replaced,
5,000$.

- Walls: Lots of wallpaper around the house (which we don't like), so
removal and repainting.

See above. I gather it's the pattern you do not like? Takes skill to put up
new stuff over it so this one (if no previous experince) you'd want to
contract. If planning to remove and paint, you can save really huge
significant money by doing the removal yourself. Have an estimate made (or
several) and ask for a price where they remove, and one where you do it then
they come back and sand, prep, and paint.

- Hardwood floors: Sand and refinish (we'll do at the end, as
recommended)

Not nessecarily. If you delay painting some of the rooms, or decide to
repaper them with something you like better (some look like faintly antiqued
painted wall for example), this is best done before you move in while the
walls can actually wait. It's a real mess trying to find where to stow all
your stuff so they can get at all the floors and they will want to access
them all at the same time (cheaper for you).

4) We stopped by Home Depot today and according to them, they have
general contractors that are a) reliable and b) affordable. Any
thoughts on that?

You'll get a big variety of replies on that. The best real advice is to
have them do an estimate as well as Lowes (if you have them) and some
others. The quality of their work is dependant on the quality of the local
sub-contractor and some are great, while others are abysmal. They did a
great job with my patio door. They did abysmal with the bathtub and I
waited 6 months from contract time til finished, 4 of that with ripped out
walls and a bare pipe (safety covered with a kids inflatable water wing). I
dont have 2 bathrooms, just a secondary 1/2 bath with toilet and sink.
Other people have had great luck with tubs and things, and not so hot with
patio doors from them.

6) I hear the comments about slowly doing the work. We have a 15
months daughter who has severe food allergies. Not having a kitchen
for a few months would not be tolerable, hence the desire to complete
the work before moving in. We could probably wait on the bathrooms,
but the thinking is that some of the bathroom work could go on in
parallel.

It normally only takes at most a week to just replace cabinets. Linoleoum
in one day.

Here's the order _I'd_ persue based on what you said here.

1) Kitchen cabinets, with floor contracted as part of the bundle. (If not
enough outlets, add this in at that time). Will have to paint after as new
cabinets will leave gaps in 'whatever' was there before.

2) repaper or remove paper and paint all rooms (give yourself 2 days per
room if removing paper yourself, 1 day if wife can help and still have child
tended)

3) Have floors redone (Move to slot 2 if not enough time to do walls as this
can be done after move in, but if the ceiling needs painting, do that before
the floors if at all possible).

4) Delay til later, then one at a time, bathrooms. If you can, you can have
some of the work done before but some will not be compatible (floors and
bathroom at same time wont work). Cant do anything else the day the
electrician is there if needed for kitchen as you'll be without power
probably.

Minimalist list if you can delay, so you can adjust to not need as much of a
loan:

1- Kitchen cabinets then shuffle the electrical stuff where you want it.

2- Ceiling painting if needed

3- Floor work

This would let you occupy the new home pretty fast. Proably later same
month so no rent and mortgage at same time. Only the ceiling and floor
actually conflict unless the kitchen access requires they traverse the flor
being worked on to get in and out or bring in cabinets. In my case, it
wouldnt as I have a sliding glass patio door there and would just need to
tape heavy plastic to keep sawdust from the kitchen work out of the floor
work area once varnishing etc.

After move in, shuffle furniture out from the walls and have those done,
room by room. (cover furniture with plastic, putting delicate pieces in
another room when possible). Go with a true professional painter (will cost
more but no floor problems). Then, do the bathrooms one by one. Linoleum
for kitchen and a different pattern for bathroom floors, all done in one day
at some later point.

Umm, you do know one of you pretty much has to be there when the work is
being done right? Also if you have any pets, they have to be securely kept
away the whole time in a spare room or something. (Laws vary on that, might
want to ask about that where you are).