Ideas for budget kitchen upgrade.

[DivaKitty]

Hi!
Although I absolutely love my funky circa 1920 kitchen, I have had enough with spending so much of my time WASHING DISHES!!!
I need a dishwasher (and a new stove) but do not know where or how to begin. My old tile back splash/ counter tops and deep single porcelain sink all work wonderfully for me. Even the old over the counter glass pane cabinets are ok. Its the poorly crafted bottom cabinets and leaky under sink area that have me worried. This would be the likely area to install a dishwasher, but I just don't have the budget for a full kitchen make-over. If you've found solutions to similar dilemmas, I'd love to hear your ideas!
Thanks,
D'Kitty

[jodyrah]

No solutions but do shop the net for your appliances. I bought several of mine online and saved a lot (even with shipping costs).

[DivaKitty]

Thanks for the info... any particular sites that you liked, jodyrah?

[Dilfan]

I think they still make the portable dishwashers for apartment dwellers. I've even seen them with cutting board tops on them so they appear similar to a chopping block when not actually in use. You might also be able to eliminate one of the poorly constructed cabinets and reframe it to house a built in dishwasher (I'm pretty sure most handymen could do this for a very reasonable amount. I do recommend, however, that if you have a leaky undersink area, you have that repaired prior to making any other changes since you may find damage that will be able to be repaired at the same time as modifying the cabinets. New hardware, including hinges, can make a huge difference in cabinetry operations and appearance.
HTH

[jodyrah]

It's been about 2 years since my purchases. I compared items/prices/shipping on several sites. I used bybb.com for a dishwasher, stoves, venthood. Other venthood came from kitchensource.com. I had already purchased frig. locally before thinking to check online. Check Lowes for returned/refused special orders. I totally lucked out getting new refused Fisher/Paykel stainless dishdrawers for around $650. (my other unit was $1400 delivered...at the time the best price online). I found Lowes to be pretty competitive price wise but online delivery charges are actualy less than paying the Lowes slightly higher price/tax/delivery. Larger selection online too. BTW, I had no problems with the order process or delivery (which was quick). Oh, I also googled "consumer reviews item/brand/model" for appliances I was considering. Steered me away from some poorly rated products.

[Madhatter]

You might want to look at replacing your old base cabinets if there is water damage and to facilitate the installation of the dishwasher. As you all are too painfully aware, water is the worst thing that can happen to a house and cabinetry even more so. After that, replacing or refinishing of the cabinet doors can make a kitchen look great and cost about 1/3 the price of new boxes. If your handy or have access to someone who is, refacing is not difficult. As for appliances, check out Consumer Reports. Almost all applicances sold today are SS, people are buying a look and not so much concerned with the appliance. It doesn't sound like a 20's style kitchen would want to use SS, you might be pleasantly surprised at the bargains that are available to you in white, almond or black.

[Isabella Maja]

That's some pretty cool info Jodyrah, thanks.

DivaKitty, I bought (in the early '80's) a portable dishwasher from Sears.

They didn't have the model I wanted in stock so they upgraded to the next model which was the top of the line. I used it that dishwasher constantly & it changed my life. It also had the capability to be turned into an under the counter dishwasher with a kit you could buy for about $40. It had a very nice butcherblock style formica top and I could choose the color for the front panel.

I'd still have it & it would probably still be working - but I left it at the house I lived in for the next tenants when I bought this house which already had a dishwasher.

While I probably wouldn't buy any appliances ever again from Sears after my horror story with buying a dryer about 5 yrs ago, there are many other
options these days. A portable washer certainly filled the bill in my home (actually we lived in 5 different places and it was so great to take the dishwasher with us each time we moved) and knowing I could turn it into a permanent one was nice. I will say that if I had to do it over again, the only thing I would change would be to make sure I started off with the top of the line model. All those extra features came in really handy & I used them all.
I have a trusted handyman

[hungryone]

After being raised in a house full of Sears brand avocado green appliances that simply refused to die, I bought a dishwasher from Sears online. Good price, good rating from Consumer Reports...and then my nightmare began. It arrived, was installed, and promptly leaked all over my hardwood floors. Sears shipped a warranty replacement, but coverted from one telephone/computer system to another one and couldn't figure out how to get an installer out to my house to remove the broken dishwasher. Meanwhile, the returns department called me DAILY to ask when I would send it back....I would laugh and say "whenever you send someone out to put in the replacement" and the next day the whole process would start over again.

After six weeks of this (and of handwashing dishes), I got po'd and un-installed the damn DW myself, called them, and had them pick up BOTH dishwashers. Meanwhile, it took EIGHT MONTHS to get a refund.

I will never spend another thin dime in a Sears store, ever.

[DivaKitty]

Wow... this is very helpful information everyone. I'm printing it our right now. Thank you so much. I will keep comparing online for DW's and in the meantime, have someone take a look at under the sink and cabinets. I actually am going with stainless... I bought a SS fridge and have a SS commercial prep table. B&W floors, bright orange walls. I love it. I'll post a photo when I get this all together.
Yeah! Thank you- thank you!

[Isabella Maja]

After being raised in a house full of Sears brand avocado green appliances that simply refused to die, I bought a dishwasher from Sears online. Good price, good rating from Consumer Reports...and then my nightmare began. It arrived, was installed, and promptly leaked all over my hardwood floors. Sears shipped a warranty replacement, but coverted from one telephone/computer system to another one and couldn't figure out how to get an installer out to my house to remove the broken dishwasher. Meanwhile, the returns department called me DAILY to ask when I would send it back....I would laugh and say "whenever you send someone out to put in the replacement" and the next day the whole process would start over again.

After six weeks of this (and of handwashing dishes), I got po'd and un-installed the damn DW myself, called them, and had them pick up BOTH dishwashers. Meanwhile, it took EIGHT MONTHS to get a refund.

I will never spend another thin dime in a Sears store, ever.

I won't spend another dime at Sears either! But your horror story was way worse than mine! Believe it or not I was delivered a dented & rusty dryer. TWICE. When they wanted to know if I could wait a week to have the 3rd one delivered I looked at the delivery guy straight in the eye & told him, "What? I might be crazy, but I'm NOT stupid!" We've been friends ever since! And I got my refund the next day.