Condo Renovation: Overhaul of a 20-Year Old Space (Kitchen Reno)

In this third part of this condo renovation series, we follow up today with Simon's kitchen renovation in the overhaul of his 20-year old condo unit.

Because Simon wanted to move in as soon as possible, the kitchen was first to be completed after preparation and teardown.

The kitchen before renovations

Contractors installed electricity and lighting, drywalls and tiling for the floors.  Aside from the fridge, all appliances and the kitchen sink remained in their original locations.  There were some unanticipated changes due to the placement of bulkhead, piping and wiring.  Cabinets were purchased from IKEA ($4,000) and granite countertops were ordered separately ($2,600), then installed by Simon himself.

Simon's Take on his IKEA DIY Kitchen: “It's similar to building
any other IKEA furniture – just follow the instructions.

Once the appliances were installed, the balance of the kitchen renovations were held off and completed towards the end of the project (e.g. backsplash and other minor items).  

The process:  IKEA provides kitchen planner software that allows a you to build and customize your kitchen, figure out exactly what to order and the costs involved. Exact measurements are key. Once the plan is finalized, a complete item list is created along with total cost. From there, you'd simply print the list and bring it in to IKEA. For Simon, most items were in stock though a handful of items had to be ordered from IKEA's Montreal warehouse (no additional charge). 

Once the kitchen was in a functional state, the next order of business was the installation of flooring.

Flooring

 

Engineered hardwood flooring was installed through the main living areas.

Tiling was chosen for the foyer and bathrooms and installed by the contractor.  At the same time, Simon installed hardwood floor in the living room and bedrooms himself, replacing the original carpet.  Given the condo's requirement for the use of approved floor insulators, an inspection was completed by Condo Management while the installation was in progress.

Once all flooring was in place, the unit was painted, then baseboards and crown moulding were added by the contractors.

Simon's Take on DIY Hardwood Flooring Installation:

Installation of hardwood flooring is easy as long as you have the proper tools and know-how.  The total cost of flooring chosen was $4,000. Third-party installation quoted an additional $2 to $3 per square foot.  There are many websites which provide instructions (here's an example from Home Depot, one of thousands of online sites with DIY information). 

Tune in next week for the final part of this four-part installment when we discuss Simon's bathroom renovations.

Could Your Holiday Décor be Hampered by Your Condo’s Bylaws?

When you’re decorating your condo for Christmas this holiday season, keep in mind that many condo boards have strict rules about what is and isn’t permitted.

You should be able to find these rules outlined in your condo’s declaration and bylaws. While these restrictions may seem a pain to abide by, keep in mind that they were created to maintain harmony in the building and keep its residents safe and comfortable.

Some typical rules that could affect your holiday décor might include:

• No live trees, typically due to fire risks and costs of disposal;
• No décor on the exterior of front doors and/or in hallways (although we have come across a condo where this is permitted, but only with board approval and within certain dates of the holiday season);
• No décor that can be seen on the exterior of the building (e.g. in windows and/or balconies).

Be sure to check your condo’s bylaws for specific rules that might apply to you.

Happy decorating!

Top 5 FAQs On Condo Rules

In our neverending quest to find interesting and relevant information for our fellow condo enthusiasts, we've come across numerous websites which address some of the most commonly asked questions about the Condo Act, regulations and by-laws.  This is a popular topic for many condo owners and potential buyers, and we hope to shed some light on the matter by sharing these resources here over time.

The Toronto and Area Chapter of the Canadian Condominium Institute (CCI) addressed the top five commonly asked questions to condo ownership, as it applies to condominiums in Ontario governed by the Condominium Act, 1998:

1.  Is there a specific date each spring and fall by which legally the corporation must turn on/off the heating/air conditioning system?

2.  What is the maximum percentage that the corporation can increase monthly maintenance fees by each year?

3.  There is excessive noise coming from my neighbour's unit late at night.  What are my rights?

4.  I purchased my new condo from Developer plans and now that I have moved in the square footage is smaller than outlined in the plans?  What can I do?

5.  How long do I have to continue paying Occupancy Fees?  Isn't there a timeframe by which the Turnover meeting has to take place?

Click here for answers from the experts and more from the CCI.

Hints & Tips For Condo Living: Deck The Halls…But Hold The Holly?

With the holidays just around the corner, many of us are getting into the spirit of the season by sprucing up our homes with a little festive décor. Before you shell out for that live evergreen however, you may want to check whether your building will allow it. Many condo boards don’t permit live trees to be used due to the fire hazards they can pose, and the mess they can cause in common areas (if you’ve ever tried to transport even one live pine tree, let alone say, 200 in a condo building, then you can probably picture the foliage rug that would result – not a pretty sight!)

While there’s nothing quite like the scent of fresh pine, artificial trees have come a long way over the years and there are some great alternatives for condo dwellers who want to have their Christmas tree (and put it up, too.)

Details after the jump...