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Monthly Archives: March 2023

How Much Does Remodeling Cost in Southeast Michigan? (2022)

I tallied up every kitchen and bathroom remodeling job we completed in the year 2022, and arranged them from least expensive to most expensive to give you a guideline of how much you can expect to spend when you decide to undertake a remodeling project.

You can see the low end and the high end for each type of project. In 2022, Bathrooms ranged from $16,000 to $46,000 and Kitchens ranged from $14,000 to $92,000.

For a detailed written proposal for your Kitchen or Bathroom remodeling project, give us a call at (586) 777-6633.

All About Countertops: Which One is Right for Me?

There are many different types of countertops that can be used in Kitchens and Bathrooms.  Everybody is always asking: “What is the BEST Countertop?”

The best is Quartz, the second best is Granite, the third best is Solid Surface Acrylic, for example Corian.  The fourth best is Hi-Definition Laminate, and the fifth would be regular laminate.

Caesarstone Quartz Countertop

That is just a general opinion from me, but that is based on experiences that my clients have given me feedback on.  Quartz is not able to be stained or scratched or damaged in any way, which makes it the best.  It comes in a wide variety of colors and always has a smooth texture.  Granite is the second best because it can be stained and it has to be sealed; it does take maintenance.  But, if you’re looking for beauty, granite is better than quartz.  You cannot beat the look of a slab of granite.  If you went into the warehouses where they store the granite to pick yours out, you would be awed by the wide variety of colors and waves of color that go through the slabs, your jaw would drop and you would pick one out that is so beautiful and just for you.  Quartz is not like that, it does not produce that jaw-dropping effect.

Slab of Granite

How hard is it to maintain the granite?  I mean, is it do-able?

It has to be sealed.  And then if you’re cooking and you have grease going on there and wine and grapes and things, you could stain your granite, especially your lighter colored granite.

Do you seal it just once, or every year?

As often as you need to.  Every 6 months is what I recommend, some do it every year, depends how much you use your countertops.  In the area where you do food prep, every 6 months would be appropriate.  You have to strip it, clean it and re-seal it.  You can buy cleaners that also seal, which is what we use at our house.

Again, Quartz is the least amount of maintenance and the most amount of durability against scratches, which are the two qualities that make it generally recognized as “the best”.

What about Wood Countertops?  Those seem to be rising in popularity.

Butcher block countertops are beautiful to look at, but they have to be sealed and are softer than stone, so they can dent and scratch (but many wood-lovers see this as adding character). There has been a myth spreading that wood countertops harbor bacteria, but wood is actually naturally anti-bacterial!

And then you have Corian type products (Solid Surface Acrylic).

Corian is very easy to scratch, all Acrylic countertops are easy to scratch.  Ebonite, Corian, Nevamar, and a whole bunch of them.  But the beauty of them is they can be worked like a piece of wood.  So you can router them, you can have inlays, you can add designs, and they are all seamless; every time they are installed there are never any seams.  The edge treatments are all formed right into the countertop. It works like a raw piece of wood as far as using tools on it, drilling holes and things like that. It’s very easy to work with which makes it a great choice if you have custom designs that you need done.  Corian is good for shower walls, it’s good for bathtub decks, it’s good for a lot of things where the weight of quartz or granite would be too cumbersome.  It has its application, and is very popular in some high-end areas just like quartz and granite; it’s about the same price.

And then your Hi-Definition Laminate is a very durable product as far as scratches, much more durable than Corian, but it has a limited life.  Moisture is the enemy of laminate.

Around the sink and in areas where there are seams, over time develops swelling of the substrate, and the counter has to be replaced probably every 7-10 years. Now it’s about one quarter of the cost, so if you want to refresh your counters once in a while, then go with Hi-Def laminate and you can change them more often.

Is that what Formica is?

Formica is a brand of plastic laminate.  They’re all the same: Formica, Nevamar, Wilsonart, a few others.

So when would you recommend using laminate?  Isn’t that what we have in our basement around the bar area?

Yes we do.  We used a Hi-Definition plastic laminate, looks like granite, has a texture to it, it is very durable, looks beautiful.

Formica Laminate Countertop

Because I’ve seen some new ones that even look like stone.

Yeah that’s because they have rounded edges or beveled edges, they look like stone.

And you don’t have to worry so much about your every move, whether or not you will stain it.

They can’t be stained.  Very difficult to stain laminate, but they can be cracked with a hot pan.  But then again you shouldn’t put a hot pan on anything.

That’s what a lot of people ask me on the phone, which countertop they should get.  They think they want to put their hot pans on them.  Would you recommend doing that, even on quartz?

Well you can! You can put a hot pan on anything.  What you’re risking is something called Rapid Thermal Expansion which will cause  a thermal crack.  So, when something is really hot it expands quickly.  If the countertop is part cold and part hot because you put something on it, it might crack.  No one is going to provide a warranty against the cracking of any countertop.

So it’s a crack we should be worried about, not a black circle burn mark or anything like that?

Right.  You can’t burn granite, you can’t burn quartz.  Corian can be scotch-brighted and the burn comes right off- you can’t burn through the surface.  You can burn the surface, with a cigarette or something, but it will come right off.  Laminate, if you put a hot pan on that, it pops the glue, and makes a bubble in the surface or cracks.  The limit really is about 325º for anything going on the counter.  Anything more than that, you’re in danger of cracking.  Or even boiling water.  If you pour boiling water into a Corian sink you can crack it.  That’s only 212º.  So I guess it would probably be best to use hot pads all the time.  You wouldn’t want to take the chance.

So there are different applications for all of the different counters, it depends on the abuse it’s going to go through, and the amount of upkeep you are willing to do.  Laminate is a lot less expensive, and it’s come a long way. Stop by our showroom any time to look at the hundreds of samples we have of all the different styles of countertops!  Kopke Remodeling & Design, located at 38200 Van Dyke Ave., Sterling Heights, MI 48312.

[This post was written by me through a conversation with my Dad (Dave Kopke) in 2013]

Why You Deserve a Home Remodel from Kopke

You’re ready and it’s time.  You’ve imagined relaxing in a spacious Jet tub and stepping out onto your heated tile floors.  You’ve imagined spice racks in the kitchen, and an organized pantry large enough to accommodate your Costco/Sam’s Club purchases.  Maybe an integrated beverage cooler separate from the refrigerator for adult beverages and soft drinks!  You can picture your new space, have decided that now is the time, and the search has begun for the right remodeling company.

I’m sure you can imagine how great your home will look and feel after the remodel is complete, but it might be harder to imagine that the process will be free from headaches.  You’ve surely heard that the remodeling industry has a reputation for being nightmarish.  While taking on a large project inevitably has its challenges, we ask you to pass those headaches onto us.

Happy Kopke Customers in Rochester Hills

At Kopke, we have 30 years and hundreds of projects just like yours under our belts.  Let us manage your project, and we will roll out the red carpet. (Figuratively speaking of course, our tarps are beige in color.)

Remodeling your home should be more like a trip to the spa, not a trip to Cedar Point!  You are paying money to do something nice for yourself, don’t let the experience turn into daily worries and headaches.  It doesn’t have to be this way!

Through attention to all details, proper planning, re-measures, fluid communication, and the setting of realistic goals and timelines, we have the resources to provide a smooth-flowing, meticulously designed, planned, overseen and executed construction process.

At Kopke Remodeling & Design, we believe that remodeling your home should be an enjoyable experience!  You’ve saved up your hard-earned money and are ready to update your kitchen or bathroom, finish the basement, or add the addition or sunroom you’ve been dreaming about.

One of our many talents is designing spaces to suit individual needs, to make your life easier and more enjoyable. So why choose a company like Kopke Remodeling and Design? Because you deserve it!

Happy Customer in Royal Oak, with Kopke President, Alan Seeley

Kitchen Design Trend: Eliminating the Dining Room

This Clawson kitchen was fairly small, but by removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room and expanding the kitchen, we were able to have a lot more freedom with the design.

As you can see, by expanding the kitchen into the next room, we have actually GAINED seating space. And another window for more natural light!

In this Sterling Heights kitchen, the kitchen was small and tucked into a corner. By removing the wall between the kitchen and living room, and expanding the kitchen into the “dining room” area, we were able to completely transform this space into something really special.

If you have a small kitchen with an adjacent dining room, have you ever considered combining the two rooms for a more open concept? If you’re anything like me, it’s very hard to visualize a drastic change like this unless I can SEE it. That’s where Kopke comes in! We can draw up different design ideas and show you in 3D. Is it time to unlock the hidden potential in your kitchen/dining room? Give us a call at (586) 777-6633 or send us an email to get started.

The 6 Different Levels of Cabinets

1. RTA (Ready to Assemble)

These cabinets come flat in a box and are ready to assemble (RTA). They are a very low grade, low quality cabinet line offered by many many companies to keep costs down. Even below builder grade standard. Understandably, these are cabinets I would put in a home if I was flipping it.

Image courtesy of the Home Depot

2. Big Box off the shelf cabinets

These come in standard sizes. They are more along the lines of “grab and go, hope they fit”. These cabinets are meant to have one little trim piece on the top. They are massively produced overseas which also helps keeps cost down. You can do what the TV people do and buy the cabinets raw wood and paint them. There is no longevity for looking good. In other words, short term cabinets. In this scenario a middleman company is taking RTA cabinets, putting them together for you, and shipping them fully assembled.

3. Standards

A lot of cabinet companies make the box and they get the doors and drawer fronts from another company. This is why you can’t deviate from the standard width. This is a big bulk of the cabinet companies out there.  In this scenario, general contractors will order cabinets from a supply warehouse that sells basic cabinets and sizes to the contractor which then marks up their costs and sells it to you. 


Image courtesy of R.D. Henry & Co.

4. Custom cabinet manufacturer 

These are companies who makes their own boxes, drawers and drawer fronts. They have their own kniving machines that router out the edges of the doors to give you different style options. You can get custom heights, widths and depths.

5. Cabinet maker

Next is a cabinet maker who comes to your house and builds them custom for you.

6. Amish craftmanship

These would probably be the highest quality you can get.

Conclusion

At Kopke, we order Level 4 cabinets from companies such as R.D. Henry & Co. and that is a big reason why our Kitchens are able to be fully customized to your needs and design style. And why the quality will last the test of time!

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