It was Demolition Day at the Driehorst house, and we mean demolition! This kitchen was stripped—not just of its existing cabinets and countertop, but of its flooring, walls and ceiling.
When the crew began work at 8:00 a.m., there was already an industrial-sized dumpster waiting outside. The crew took some time to explain to the Driehorsts what to expect, including sealing off the kitchen from other rooms to contain the dust and mess that comes with gutting a room.
Then the demolition began in earnest. First the cabinet doors were taken off, to make it easier to remove the rest later. The plumbing was shut off in order to extract the sink, which was soon followed by the old countertop and the cabinets. The old paneled brick backsplash Amy couldn’t wait to get rid of was finally gone. Even the dining room carpet was pulled up, to make way for the new wood flooring that will connect the kitchen and dining areas.
Remodelers will tell you that demolition can produce surprises that result in unexpected repairs or design modifications. The Driehorsts fared well overall. The crew found only a few leaks in need of repair, and an unexpected bump out in the wall where an old closet was removed; nothing that would require design changes. They did, however, find evidence of a former homeowner’s thrifty innovation: instead of insulation, air gaps under the windows were stuffed with newspapers from 1974!
With their old kitchen now officially yesterday’s news, the Driehorsts are now ready to start seeing their new kitchen take shape!
