Unbelievable!

I have mentioned that Les and I are thinking about doing a couple upgrades in our kitchen.  We built our home in 1995.  Maybe ten years ago we replaced all the appliances and got new counter tops.  The floors were done a few years later.  The cabinets are showing a bit of age and we thought if they were replaced we should probably do a new countertop with a backsplash.  This is not an extensive gut and re-build project.  We don't want any changes to electrical or plumbing, and cabinets stay in the same footprint.  It all sounds simple to us.

We are in the process of talking to contractors and getting estimates.  We are fully aware that prices and costs have gone up over the years.  We know how much we paid for the total gut and re-build on our master bath and that is the only big re-do we have done.  That was a tear down all the way to the studs.

Having said all this, the estimates we have gotten so far are totally outrageous.  The first one was a shocker and the second one was even worse,  The woman left the house when we were done meeting and Les and I just looked at each other and laughed.  We have two more to meet with and there is one that we contacted that has not responded.

It's really a good thing that I don't get as stressed as I used to before 1999.  I'd probably be in a hospital somewhere over all this!  My sweet sister-in-law suggests that we just close the kitchen and use the money to eat out all the time!

Les and I agree that we will not pay this much for the project.  As he so simply put it, "that's more than we paid for our first home!"

I'll keep you posted.  Right now I am waiting for the plumber to arrive because last night I discovered our master bath toilet is leaking!  The fun never ends.

Stay safe and God Bless America!