only hire out labor that you cant do yourself - IE demo and install cabinets yourself.. etc

Not moving plumbing or wiring will save some $. Do you have a cabinet company nearby? Maybe you can find some of the pieces you need in their clearance warehouse..

Can you reuse any of your current cabinet boxes? Otherwise IKEA boxes are fantastic.. and then just buy new doors. This could save you a lot of $!

Keep your eyes peeled for appliances on clearance - maybe a dent on the side that will be hidden or a floor model sale.

If you donÂt mind putting the cabinets together yourself you can get real nice all wood cabinetry from Conestoga cabinets and save a bundle right there or Scherrs cabinets. To get all you want in your price range I think you have to plan for a DIY kitchen or at least some DIY. IÂm not changing my floors and am reusing all appliances except the refrigerator and sink. However, after you start buying cabinet knobs, pulls, under counter lighting, backsplashes, a hanging light fixture, supports for counter overhangs ect ect things start adding up and even though mine is a DIY as well I will be up 15,000 or 16,000 by the time IÂm done. But remember I am keeping my range and micro and faucet and flooring. Another idea to get all you want would be to consider Ikea cabinets, the savings there could get you a few SS appliances.

Have you read the "Read Me" thread? It links to some threads that might help, like...

Best advice from this forum: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0720293613004.html

Scrimp on this, Splurge on that....: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg101324514831.html

Where to splurge and where to save??: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg080040367553.html

Care to share your best kitchen storage ideas?: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0716483024815.html

What do you wish you had done differently?: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0722355328974.html

What do you wish you had done differently? [Part 2]: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0220533912060.html

Now that I have [X], I think I could have lived without it: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0719430319398.html

What 'cons' did you choose to live with?: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0703072225663.html

Things I would NOT recommend or things I dislike!: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0413285931465.html

Things I would NOT recommend or things I dislike! #2: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg061407013201.html

kitchen layout suggestions: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg1022032814279.html

4" Broom Closet from IkeaFans: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg021226537119.html

Rev-A-Shelf Spice Racks for Fillers -- Have you seen these!!!! - Kitchens Forum - GardenWeb [discusses filler pullouts]: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg1020292023561.html

pull-down vs. pull-out faucet: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0309302313055.html

And the current one:

Thread: Scrimp and Splurge - Where'd you hold back, where'd you go nuts?

Here is a link that might be useful: Read Me If You're New To GW Kitchens!

Buehl, thanks so much for this collection of links. It's enormously helpful even to someone 3/4 through a remodel!

rc

Wow, thanks. I will definitely look up the cabinet places suggested, and the links from Buehl are fantastic. One of my biggest problem is the cabinets ALL have to go, and the appliances need to be replaced as well. Sigh!

Thanks all.

Wow, thanks. I will definitely look up the cabinet places suggested, and the links from Buehl are fantastic. One of my biggest problem is the cabinets ALL have to go, and the appliances need to be replaced as well. Sigh!

Thanks all.

Check around to see if you can get any stone remnants for short counter top runs. If you have an island, you could splurge on a soapstone counter for it and do laminate or less expensive stone around the perimeters. Check e-bay and Craig's List for appliances, sink, faucet. (I've never purchased these items from either, but others have found some great items at good prices.)

I don't know where you are located but that is most likely going to affect the cost of soapstone. Seems like the Northeast is a good place to be in terms of getting a decent price on soapstone. However, you might get a better price on honed black granite, which offers a similar look.

On the flooring forum I see a lot of haters of Lumber Liquidators, however, we have bought wood for 5 rooms from them over the years and love the quality of the Bellawood prefinished. We had to go really budget on our floors this time around so we went with 3/4" thick, 2&1/4" red oak floors. Great quality. Finish is natural so it is light. And was cheaper than anything we saw at Lowes.

Sears Outlet is a good source for appliances, although now the stainless finish comes in a wide range of price points, so depending on what you want, you should be able to get appliances.

Good luck! Sounds very reasonable.

6 square cabinets has a nice cherry cabinet in shaker with life time warranty. Only comes in 1 color as it is a stock cabinet line. Brandom is a screaming low cost high quality semi custom line. Wards is a low cost frameless line in semi custom I just did a kitcen for a customer of mine with 34 lineal feet of cabinetry in Sommerset Cherry Belgian color from smart cabinetry 36" wall cabinets particle board construction boxes with soft close drawers dealer cost was $2,950 before shipping. I sold it for $4,350 I will do that all day long I would think a local dealer to you would do the same.

You put craigslist to work for you and put supply in your favor for countertops. Post and add you want a counterop in the material of your choosing the companies that offer it will come out of the wood work. You will have to compare quotes and references. Weed the good from the bad but you will get a fair price if you play your cards right. You can do the same thing for remodeling and labor if you want to save money. You just have to smart about it.

Aristokraft has very inexpensive shaker cabinets some companies sell their private label brand "Contractors Choice slightly more expensive then Smart Cabinetry. American made products at near RTA products. The selection of items to chose from is limited with no modifications but so is the price! For those when price matters most but you want a certain minimum standard or quality.

There are glue and staple Assembled import cabinets out there as well with plywood boxes and dove tail soft close drawers that you would never know are imported.

Wow, more great ideas. Thanks so much. I am in the NE, so that might help with the soapstone. I don't know why I'm so fixated on it. I really don't want to go with laminate, and I don't like the solid surface look on some of the man-made products...I like something more understated and not busy. But alas, money may dictate. We'll see. Those were some great ideas on the cabinetry though, so I'll look into that.