Wednesday, October 5, 2011

The Foster City Remodel: A Kitchen Story

When remodeling, it is important to be able and look past what is existing and visualize the future. With Gilmans, that vision is easily attained. This story will depict a typical journey through a Gilmans Design/Build remodel.

Before Pictures...




Day 1 of remodel, the Gilmans crew arrives...


Sealing off all entrances into the work space with zippers and plastic is key to limiting dust throughout the house...


Demolition begins...



All debris and trash is neatly organized and removed from the job site. After everyday the jobsite is left in a broom swept condition...



Gilmans can recycle your old kitchen cabinets. These old wall cabinets worked out great for laundry storage.


Every remodel we do in the kitchen and bath gets a full plumbing overhaul. All of the materials coming out of the wall are brand new. In this kitchen you can see why...



The first stage of remodeling includes plumbing, framing and of course electrical. Gilmans highly skilled electricians get right to work...



New recessed lighting is a must for every new kitchen:


Most kitchen remodels require new ducting for larger capacity range hoods. In this particular kitchen, the old hood vented right into the attic, which is a big no no. Gilmans crew took care of it...



Gilmans has the capability to add or subtract framing from any space. For this kitchen, existing walls separating the kitchen and living room were removed, a new island pony wall was constructed, the garage door moved and cabinet blocking added. Cabinet blocking is essential for proper cabinet installation. As kitchen cabinet installation experts, we make sure blocking is present:





Only 1 week into the remodel, Gilmans crew has already reached rough inspection. The inspectors in most bay area cities know Gilmans and the high quality of workmanship displayed. On this day, it took the inspector less than 5 minutes to sign off. We are ready to start closing up the walls!


Permits are an essential part of remodeling. Building codes are in place for the homeowners safety. Any licensed contractor is obligated to have a permit onsite for any remodel:


Plumbing is the most used part of a house and can cause the most damage if not done correctly. Every kitchen and bath gets brand new components from the wall.



Before closing up the walls, insulation is required for any exterior wall.



Sheetrock is considered by those in the trade as an art form. Once the sheet rock is screwed into place, it has to taped, mudded and sanded two to three times to achieve that perfect finish texture. After texturing, priming is essential to be sure the finish paint pops.






Paint Samples are chosen: Gilmans Design/Build helps clients every step of the way including picking that perfect paint color to complement the many finishes going into the new space.


Gilmans crew is multi-talented. The fewer sub-contractors used, the more control over the project. Here we are painting...



Electrical is one of the most essential and sometimes mostly costly components in remodeling. This particular house was due for a main electrical panel upgrade.


The big day has arrived! Cabinets are being delivered by our professional moving company.



These beautiful custom cabinets are packed with care. In turn, they need to be unpacked with care.



Base cabinets are the first to go in. One of the most time consuming processes in a kitchen remodel is the fabrication of stone counter tops. Remember, the stone fabrication can not begin until an exact template is made to the installed cabinets. In order to expedite that process, we install the base cabinets right away.




Plywood sub-tops are installed for the counter tops to sit on.


The wall cabinets are the next to go up.




New flooring runs through the kitchen.


The back of the island is trimmed out.


Contrasting baseboard brings the great room together.


Counter tops are the most used element in a kitchen. We prepare food on them, store small appliances on them and depend on their durability to hold up against every day wear and tear. One of the most popular counter top choices is Cambria Quartz. Great care and precision goes into the fabrication and installation of counter tops. Gilmans highly skilled counter top installers are up to the task:









The final product...




We are now ready to install the tile backsplash. Tile is a trade that takes a lot of skill and attention to detail. One must always be thinking ahead before making the next move. Our highly skilled tile installers lay out the tile before setting it in place. Additionally, making sure each peace is level.








Sink, faucet and garbage disposal are installed.



Decorative hardware adds a great new element to the entire look of any kitchen.


All Finished.