First Person: Our Major $35,000 Kitchen Renovation

Our home, located in Riverside, California, is one of a kind. Built by a noted local architect, Dale Bragg, as his personal residence in 1960, it reflects the ethos and ideas of what has come to be known as midcentury modern and it is clear he was greatly influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright. The kitchen takes up a substantial portion of the house, as it is central to the design, with a large central island that features a sink and dishwasher. The range is within a large separate counter that doubles as a breakfast bar, opening onto a large dining area. A second sink and dishwasher are in still another counter wrapping around the rest of the room. The counters, island and floor are done in ceramic tile. With the many windows and skylights of the room, it is a bright, inviting location.

Oddly, in February 2011, it seemed that water was on the kitchen floor, and people were cautioned about being careful when they spilled. However, one day my wife, Melissa, mentioned that the tile itself felt “squishy,” and with very little prodding, a tile popped loose revealing water underneath. With a little more detective work into the central island cabinet itself, an aroma redolent of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” attraction was discernible.

After some analysis of the problem by insurance adjustors, and by a contractor who we brought in for additional inspection, it was clear that pipes within the slab had burst, and water was seeping out and up through the cement. The main reason for this is that in 1960, even though we live in earthquake country, the plumbing was not insulated, but rather placed directly into the slab, so 51 years of friction and force had simply worn holes in the pipes. It was going to be necessary to jackhammer the floor through the center island to replace the pipes, which the insurance company assured me would not be a covered item. In addition, it would be necessary to demolish the counter top, and dissemble the island to perform this. Although most of this process would be covered by insurance, it was critical to put the actual contractor in touch with the claims adjustor in order to explain the various necessities to restore this kitchen.

There were numerous problems with matching tile that had been produced maybe 52 years ago, which while some of the best at the time, was going to be difficult to find, and current tile would not match. When there is 613 square feet of floor tile necessary for this, it can become costly. When you add a few hundred square feet of counter and trim tile, it becomes even more so. Substantial negotiation was required to approach the actual costs of labor and materials, and it was critical to demonstrate that we were not trying to gouge the insurance company. Actual cost negotiations dragged on while some of the preliminary work commenced, and we accepted the request of the insurance company to retain the existing cabinets, as opposed to replacing them, which the photos will show are a substantial part of this project. The original white floor tile would be replaced by a Spanish ceramic tile in a color approximating the counters, and the counters would have an almost ivory colored tile replaced by a much brighter white with blue highlights. Small glass tile in turquoise would be used as trim for the counters.

After a final budget and actual funding was agreed upon, the actual project took about three weeks, which included the installation of new stainless steel sinks and a new water heater. A Jenn-Aire indoor grill was replaced with tile and a small electric grill substituted in its place, as it is cleaner and a better use of energy and space. A large stove vent was put in place to work better than the inadequate vent that had been there since 1960, and the support beams in the kitchen were tiled over to match the counters. One additional improvement was a tile backsplash against one kitchen wall, which was an idea designed by Melissa. The majority of labor and expertise costs amounted to approximately $10,000, with materials and additions running a little over $21,000. We did have to put out our own $2,500 deductible. It was money well spent, as this remains the most popular room in the house, and it is demonstrated as people congregate there when visiting, even though there are other places to sit!