Drywall replacement after backsplash removal

[PandaBear]

Kitchen remodeling is a top cause for divorce, I think I understand why now.

Finally decided to go with Ikea cabinets and Lowes' quartz countertop, because the fab / installer is better than others locally, and they sell by the sqft instead of slab + labor, so I do not have to get 2 slabs when I am slightly over if I go with a local mom and pop. I found a junk hauler that can do the demolition, but he doesn't replace the drywall he'll pull out with the backsplash (it is cheaper and better quality to replace than repair). I'll still need to find a tile setter but that can wait.

Cost:
Demolition: $800-1500 labor including dump site
Drywall and texture: ???
Paint touch up: DIY with some old paint I saved in 2006?
Cabinet: $2600 parts, $1500 labor
Countertop: $3100 parts and labor (no seam cost $400 extra installation labor, they need 2 teams to lift safely)
Backsplash: around $16 / sqft parts and about $1200 labor, probably about $2000 total

Is drywall between backsplash replacement DIY? My main concern would be the gap that you need to tape and then fill and paint over. Also how's the quality difference between a good vs bad tile setter for backsplash? How do I know I found a good one or not?

 

[NJ_Car_Owner]

Drywall can be DIY, I've done it a few times. When I did the kitchen in our house I put the drywall in before the cabinets went in. Taping can be easy if everything lines up, drywall tends to have recesses for the tape and joint compound to sit in. Tiling over the drywall can also be easy if the tile isn't too heavy. Make sure for the backslash to use good quality grout sealer, get it from a tile shop.

 

[JTK]

In our previous home, the only drywall (actually was lathboard) we removed was the backsplash area. The area was filled in with drywall, taped and mudded before the base and top cabinets were installed. There was plastic tile in this area and it wasn't worth trying to remove the 50 year old mastic. Plus, having this area opened up allowed for easy electrical upgrades and wiring installed for under cabinet lighting.

FWIW, your ~$10700 total figure sounds reasonable for a whole new kitchen, but over $5K for counter tops and backsplash? Yikes! I hope it's a ton of square footage.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: JTK
FWIW, your ~$10700 total figure sounds reasonable for a whole new kitchen, but over $5K for counter tops and backsplash? Yikes! I hope it's a ton of square footage.


About 40 sqft of quartz countertop and 20 sqft of backsplash. Labor here is expensive. I've been quoted in many fabricators for $5k just for that 40 sqft of quartz + labor.

 

[PandaBear]

http://www.homedit.com/install-or-repair-drywall/

I'm still not convinced that I'll do a perfect job with the mud and tape (but probably do ok if I trim and nail the dry wall). So let's say if I have the demolition guy cut it out, and I nail an exact size in there. Can the cabinet guys install the cabinet if the cut / seam of the dry wall is behind the cabinet? Is it "safe" to do so? or must it be taped and mudded before cabinet can be installed over it?

The reason I ask is there's a 2 weeks wait between countertop template and install, and I would prefer to mud / tape the exposed drywall during that time instead of having the cabinets installed after the drywall. This will reduce my downtime.

Thanks.

 

[Danno]

Just went through a kitchen gut and replace. Completely tore out the drywall and replaced with new. New tile flooring as well. Had a local guy do the drywall, he had done a couple other jobs in my house. Key here is to make sure the studs are true, that can't be hidden by using more mud.
My kitchen with island, cost $20,000 for granite and cabinets installed. About 40' linear feet of custom cherry wood cabinets, farm house sink and the 6' island with sink. Kraus sinks and faucets.

 

[spk2000]

If you are up to doing the drywall would you not also be up to doing the demolition work. That would probably be the easier of the 2 things and save a bit more money. I would not think the drywall needs to be perfect if covering it up with cabinets or backsplash either. I am quite picky about exposed drywall imperfections and hate when the nails show through or even the poor taping job. I have always preferred the mesh tape over paper. Still hate the mud part and sanding though. Hanging it no problem. I prefer screws over nails. Less likely to pop out.

 

[doitmyself]

If you are covering the wall with cabinets and tile back splash, the drywall job does not need to be perfect. The cabinets are shimmed where needed and tile mastic will take care of any drywall imperfections......unless I am misunderstanding something. You should not have to remove the current drywall behind the cabinets. Proper priming is necessary where the tile is mounted. Ditch the 11 year old paint...penny wise, pound foolish.

 

[PandaBear]

Can I do it if I have a lot of time? I'd probably can after a couple try, but I am working overtime to catch up at work so that'll probably be impossible if it takes more than a few hours. My main concern is the painted part that will "expose" if I tape over the cut out of original backsplash.

 

[doitmyself]

Your link above is pretty good. Is this what you have:

Since you are removing your cabinets, you should be able to leave the dry wall in place behind the upper and lower cabinets. Make your new back splash drywall horizontal seam underneath where your new cabinets go and you will not have to worry about the quality of that seam at all. The area to the left will be a challenge to taper the drywall mud a LOT in order to attempt to hide the seam. It is doable, but will take a lot of patience. There are some "tricks of the trade".

I agree with the other poster about the demolition. Its just unscrewing the face frames between boxes and unscrewing the box to wall fasteners IF you have a conventional install (not old time built in place). This also depends on availability of a disposal place.

Time?? It sounds like you will have a learning curve. That's up to you to decide if you want to spend time or money? A general rule of thumb is to do at least the non skilled portions yourself and leave the more technical stuff to the pros. I operate differently. I generally have more time than money, so I spend a LOT of time on the learning curve and diy installation procedure......I often am criticized about my slowness, but seldom about my quality of work, LOL. Yes, it can be taxing on family life. There are compelling reasons not to attempt diy for many things....i.e. vehicle welded muffler replacement (unless its a beater).

Good luck.

 

[pandus13]

Panda,

overtime or not, this gives you 2 weekends....

DO NOT use the old paint..... the on the walls one did fade/lite up over the years, and the one in the old can, may not match.....or be stone thick/consistency
cut a 2"x2" square of painted drywall and have the local home center custom-match...

already mentioned:
-use screws = no nail pops with wood/studs seasonal movement
-buy the premixed mud in buckets; use the leftovers to build the kids some dinosaurs/play in the sand figures
-use mesh not tape
-use wide "knife"; if used right, you will not need a lot of sanding.
-cover again the the air bubbles holes
-make sure you prime; otherwise it will "drink a lot of paint"/look different

you may need to paint twice to match the wall "texture"

ikea cabinets can be made to be tough:
-is costing you more because of assembly time (you can do it or pay an ikea recommended assembly crew); they are generally not liked by the trades because time and headaches is money
-use glue at contact points
-use bath/shower caulk at inside joints/angles: []; it is to have the water get out from the cabinet and not "eat" the joints
-wood bases can be built instead of the plastic feet...
-additional wood around the sink to make the structure sturdier
-door can be changed in 10 years; also there is a company in CA making custom doors specifically for ikea cabinets (search the web for handmade)

!!! make sure you receive all the 400 boxes+parts on the ikea order!!! one missing and you may have the crew looking at walls for just the cabinet in the middle......

make sure to smile nicely at your lady and comfort her "but but it is not germy anymore.....";
also practice dodge-ball=she may not be herself=keep the stuff from the demoed cabinets in boxes in the garage (AKA away from immediate reach)
DO NOT DARE TO SNORE!

p.s. look at this as free-fitness/clutter free-up time...

 

[sleddriver]

I'd suggest you obtain a copy of Myron Fergusons book on drywall. Produced by Taunton Press. Second, I suggest you practice with mud & tape. You need to work with the materials to get a feel for it. Two edges of drywall are sloped; the other two are not. Don't attempt to DIY this with a 1-1/2" putty knife: That won't work. Use screws, not nails and don't overdrive them. Raw drywall & dried mud need to be primed FIRST before painting. Also don't allow any drywall to sit on a counter that can get wet. It will soak up moisture over time, expand and pop the tile off the vertical surface.

Re: Good vs. bad tile setters. True-horizontal layout lines are a good thing. So are truely vertical lines. This insures straight grout lines and accurate layout. A bad job is a disaster...especially in a kitchen...where you're spending all this money.

 

[PandaBear]

Thanks guys.

1) Sure, screw over nail, and dump the old paint and color match a small can, need to be the same brand? or same type and glossiness should be ok? I forgot what was used before, HD or Kelly Moore.

2) doitmyself, yes, that's the part I'm worried about, not the "behind the cabinets" part. Some of the exposed part reaches the window sill as well.

3) Time: I am on my 2nd all nighter overtime and am sleeping about 3 hours a day at the moment. The week I start the demolition / drywall / Ikea cabinet installation work would also be the week I'm on call, so no, unlikely I'll have time to do it no matter how much money I want to save.

4) So far I'm more concern about where to find drywall guys as well as tile setters that are good. If possible the same person doing both so he better do a good dry wall job. I can prime and paint the mudded and sanded drywall afterward.

5) Ikea: wife just like the style better, and it is guaranteed to be on time. She wanted as little downtime as possible because she doesn't want to share her dad's kitchen. She wanted to remodel at the time because her dad will be traveling. She's even willing to pay a few hundred bucks to have the guys done it faster. She is not picky about beauty, as long as it is clean and in good shape, and not dirty and old, all is good. Ikea would be ideal for her with door updates after 10 years. High quality cabinets would be a waste for her personality. I'm not a huge fan because of the unusual corner cabinet size = fillers, but then again, happy wife happy life.

Right now a guy from porch.com / go smith contacts me with a very low quote: about $900 to demolition, haul away, drywall, mud / prep. He's around $300-600 cheaper than a real business with lots of reputation on yelp, and he can do all of that in one day. I'd probably not trust him for tiles or cabinets install (leveling) but he has photos of his previous job on those. Risky? or better to go with different guys specialize in each and spend a couple extra days in between?