Case studies give homeowners something that cost guides and planning articles cannot, a real look at how a kitchen remodel actually unfolds. This post walks through a completed kitchen remodel by D.E. Mitchell Construction in New Bern NC. It covers the starting conditions, the decisions made, the challenges that came up, and what the homeowners got when the project was done.
Project Overview
Location: New Bern, NC Home type: Single-family, 1970s ranch-style Kitchen size: 210 square feet Project scope: Full custom remodel with layout adjustment Cabinet type: Custom in-house built maple, painted finish Countertops: Quartz throughout Flooring: Large-format porcelain tile Project duration: Six weeks from demolition to final walkthrough Total project cost: $54,000 including appliances
The Starting Conditions, Before
The kitchen in this home had not been touched since the house was built in the early 1970s. The homeowners had lived with the original kitchen for four years after purchasing the home. They came to D.E. Mitchell with a specific list of frustrations that had built up over that time.
The cabinets were failing. The original particleboard cabinets were delaminating at the door faces. Several cabinet doors had swollen from moisture exposure near the sink and no longer closed properly. The hinges were original hardware, exposed and worn. The interiors had sagged shelves and inadequate storage for the household’s cooking equipment.
The layout created a traffic problem. The kitchen had a galley configuration, two parallel counter runs with a 36-inch walkway between them. The entry from the dining room was at one end of the galley and the entry to the hallway was at the other. Anyone walking through the house during cooking crossed through the active cooking zone. With two adults and two school-age children, this created daily conflicts.
Counter space was inadequate. The galley configuration provided counter space on both runs but no landing space adjacent to the refrigerator, which was positioned at the end of one run with no counter on the pull-open side of the door. The range was positioned so that the counter to its right, the primary landing zone for hot cookware, was only 14 inches wide.
The lighting was a single overhead fixture. One flush-mount ceiling fixture in the center of the kitchen left the perimeter, where all the counter work happened, in shadow. The homeowners had placed a lamp on the counter near the workspace to supplement the ceiling light, which took up counter space they could not afford to lose.
The flooring was original vinyl tile. Several tiles had cracked. The grout lines between tiles had darkened to a color that cleaning did not improve. The overall condition of the floor made the kitchen look older than it was and created a maintenance burden.
The appliances were aging. The dishwasher was the newest appliance in the kitchen at 12 years old. The range was original to the house. The refrigerator was a previous owner’s replacement from approximately 15 years ago. All three were functional but operating near end of expected service life.
The Consultation & Planning Process
The homeowners contacted D.E. Mitchell after getting one other quote for a full kitchen remodel that focused primarily on cabinet and countertop replacement without addressing the layout. They wanted to understand what addressing the layout problem would involve and cost before making a final decision.
The initial consultation covered the following:
The traffic flow problem. The consultant assessed the galley configuration and the two entry points. The wall separating the kitchen from the dining room was a non-load-bearing partition wall. Removing it would open the kitchen to the dining area, eliminate the traffic conflict by opening the space so foot traffic no longer needed to pass through the active cooking zone, and allow a peninsula to be added that would create a natural boundary between the kitchen work area and the combined dining space.
The refrigerator placement. Relocating the refrigerator to the end of the opposite counter run, where it could be accessed from the open side without entering the galley, was identified as a high-priority layout adjustment. This required a short plumbing extension for the water line to the ice maker and a minor electrical circuit adjustment.
The counter space problem adjacent to the range. Extending the counter run to the right of the range by 8 inches, achievable by reconfiguring the cabinet at that location, would bring the landing zone to 22 inches, which is functional for the household’s cooking habits.
The wall removal scope. A structural assessment confirmed the wall between the kitchen and dining room was non-load-bearing. No beam or post system was required. The removal scope included demolition, drywall work on the exposed surfaces, flooring extension into the dining area, and the trim and finish work required to close up the opening cleanly.
After the consultation, the homeowners decided to proceed with the full scope, cabinet replacement, layout adjustment, wall removal, and a peninsula addition, rather than the focused cabinet and countertop refresh the other contractor had proposed.
Material Selections
All selections were finalized before the contract was signed. The homeowners used a selections schedule provided by D.E. Mitchell with decision deadlines tied to the production and procurement timeline.
Cabinets: Custom maple, painted Sherwin-Williams Alabaster. Shaker door style. Soft-close hinges throughout. Deep drawer stacks in three base cabinet locations, adjacent to the range, adjacent to the sink, and in the island base. Pull-out trash and recycling cabinet. Plywood box construction throughout.
Countertops: Calacatta Laza quartz. Applied to the full perimeter counter runs and the peninsula top. Waterfall edge on the peninsula visible from the dining room.
Backsplash: Rectangular ceramic tile in a white matte finish, stacked vertically. Extended to the bottom of the upper cabinets across all counter runs.
Flooring: 24×24 porcelain tile in a light gray with minimal veining. Extended from the kitchen through the dining room, using the same tile eliminated the transition between the now-connected spaces.
Sink and faucet: Undermount single-basin stainless steel sink. Matte black bridge faucet with separate spray.
Lighting: Six recessed ceiling fixtures on a dimmer circuit. Under-cabinet LED strip lighting on a separate switch. Pendant lights over the peninsula, two matte black fixtures at appropriate height for counter seating.
Appliances: Slide-in electric range with convection oven. Built-in microwave above the range. Counter-depth French door refrigerator. Dishwasher in stainless finish.
The Construction Process, Week by Week
Week 1, Demolition & Structural Work
Demolition began Monday morning. Existing cabinets, countertops, appliances, and flooring were removed. The partition wall between the kitchen and dining room was demolished. The opening was framed with a header where the wall had been to support the ceiling above.
During demolition, two conditions were discovered:
Condition 1, Water damage at the base of the sink cabinet. The original sink had a slow leak at the drain connection that had been active long enough to cause water damage in the subfloor beneath the sink cabinet. The damaged subfloor section, approximately 8 square feet, was removed and replaced with new plywood before flooring installation. This added $850 to the project cost and was covered within the contingency reserve.
Condition 2, Outdated electrical circuits. The kitchen had two electrical circuits serving the counter outlets, neither was GFCI-protected as required by current code for outlets within a certain distance of the sink. The electrical subcontractor updated both circuits to GFCI protection and added a dedicated circuit for the new dishwasher location. This added $1,100 to the project cost, also covered within the contingency.
Both conditions were identified, assessed, and approved by the homeowners before any remediation work proceeded.
Week 1, continued: After demolition, the plumbing subcontractor roughed in the relocated water line for the refrigerator ice maker and adjusted the drain and supply connections at the sink location. The electrical subcontractor ran the new circuits and updated the panel. Both trades were inspected and approved by the end of Week 1.
Week 2, Flooring
Tile installation began Monday of Week 2. The 24×24 porcelain tile was installed across the full kitchen and dining room floor area, approximately 380 square feet combined. Large-format tile installation requires careful layout planning to avoid small cut pieces at visible locations. The tile setter planned the layout to center full tiles in the primary sight lines from the dining room entry and from the kitchen entry from the hallway.
Grout was applied and sealed at the end of Week 2. The flooring was protected with builder paper for the remainder of the project.
Week 3, Cabinet Installation
Custom cabinets arrived from the D.E. Mitchell shop at the beginning of Week 3. The same crew that built the cabinets installed them. Installation proceeded in sequence, upper cabinets first, then base cabinets, then the peninsula.
The upper cabinet run on the wall adjacent to the removed wall required a filler panel at the end where the wall had been, the drywall at the termination point of the removed wall was not perfectly flat after patching. The cabinet installer built a scribe molding on site to cover the transition cleanly.
All cabinets were installed level, plumb, and properly anchored to studs. Doors and drawers were adjusted for even gaps and smooth operation. The drawer soft-close mechanism on one deep drawer stack required adjustment after initial installation, resolved the same day.
Cabinet installation was complete by the end of Week 3.
Week 4, Countertop Templating, Backsplash, & Drywall Finish
Countertop fabricators arrived Monday of Week 4 to template after cabinets were confirmed level. The waterfall edge on the peninsula required a precise miter cut at the corner where the horizontal top surface meets the vertical side panel, the fabricator marked this detail during templating.
While countertops were in fabrication, the backsplash tile was installed across all counter runs. The electrician returned to install the under-cabinet lighting before backsplash installation was complete, the wiring was routed inside the cabinet before the tile was installed so the cables did not have to be surface-mounted on the backsplash.
Drywall work at the removed wall terminations was completed and finished to match the surrounding surfaces. The dining room wall that had previously connected to the kitchen partition was patched, skimmed, and primed.
Week 5, Countertop Installation, Painting, & Trim
Countertops arrived and were installed on Tuesday of Week 5. The waterfall miter was executed cleanly. Countertops were installed and the sink was set in the undermount position and secured.
Painting began after countertop installation, Sherwin-Williams Alabaster on all cabinets, ceiling, and walls throughout kitchen and dining room. Two coats applied. Touch-up coat applied at the end of the week after the remaining work was complete.
Interior trim was installed at the dining room entry where the wall had been, new casing was installed around the opening and a new base molding run connected the kitchen and dining room baseboards through the former wall opening.
Week 6, Fixtures, Appliances, Lighting, & Final Work
Plumbing fixtures were installed Monday, sink, faucet, garbage disposal, and dishwasher connection. The electrician installed the recessed ceiling fixtures, the under-cabinet lighting, the peninsula pendants, and all counter outlets.
Appliances were delivered Wednesday and installed, refrigerator, range, built-in microwave, and dishwasher. All connections were tested.
Hardware was installed on cabinet doors and drawers Thursday.
Final paint touch-up was completed Thursday.
The final walkthrough was scheduled for Friday of Week 6.
The Final Walkthrough, Punch List
The homeowners and project lead walked the kitchen for approximately 90 minutes. The punch list included:
- One cabinet door hinge that needed a minor adjustment, the door was catching the adjacent door face when opened fully. Adjusted on-site during the walkthrough.
- A small tile grout void at the peninsula base where the tile met the cabinet base molding. Filled and sealed before the end of the day.
- A paint touch-up needed on the dining room wall where a screw head from a removed picture hanger was visible through the new paint. Touched up same day.
- The refrigerator water line connection needed to be verified, the ice maker was not producing. Investigated and found the water supply valve had not been fully opened. Opened and confirmed ice maker operating before end of day.
All four punch list items were resolved the same day as the walkthrough.
The Results, After
The homeowners moved back into the kitchen at the end of Week 6. Here is what changed.
The traffic problem was resolved. The wall removal and peninsula addition separated the kitchen work zone from the path between the dining room and the hallway. The peninsula created a boundary that family members walk around rather than through the cooking area. The daily conflict that had been a consistent frustration is gone.
Counter space is adequate. The peninsula added approximately 32 square feet of counter surface. The refrigerator relocation added a 24-inch landing zone on the pull-open side. The extended counter run adjacent to the range brought the landing zone to 22 inches. The homeowners have more usable counter space than they had in the original kitchen despite the kitchen footprint being the same size.
The storage works. The deep drawer stacks store pots, pans, and dry goods accessibly. The pull-out trash and recycling cabinet eliminated the under-sink garbage setup that had been using cabinet space. The upper cabinet run at the wall adjacent to the dining room has additional depth, the peninsula’s upper cabinets were built deeper than standard to maximize storage in this location.
The lighting is adequate for the first time. The six recessed ceiling fixtures with dimmer control and the under-cabinet task lighting eliminated the counter shadows that had characterized the original kitchen. The homeowners noted in the final walkthrough conversation that they had not realized how dark the kitchen was until they saw it lit correctly.
The flooring reads as one continuous space. The consistent tile running from the kitchen through the dining room makes the combined space feel significantly larger than the kitchen did when it was enclosed. The homeowners noted this as one of the most noticeable improvements even though it was not a change they had specifically requested, it was a recommendation made during the design phase.
Total cost came in at $54,000, within the $50,000 to $58,000 budget range established at contract signing. The two discovered conditions, subfloor water damage and electrical updates, added $1,950 combined and were absorbed within the contingency reserve. The contingency was not fully consumed.
What This Case Study Shows
Addressing the layout is often more valuable than upgrading finishes. The homeowners’ primary frustrations were functional, the traffic conflict, the inadequate counter space, the poor landing zones. A cabinet-and-countertop refresh without addressing the layout would have produced a better-looking kitchen with the same functional frustrations. The layout adjustment was the decision that most changed how the kitchen works.
Discovered conditions are manageable with a proper contingency. Two conditions were found during demolition that added nearly $2,000 to the project. Both were assessed transparently, communicated to the homeowners before work proceeded, and absorbed within the contingency reserve without affecting the overall budget.
Flooring continuity between spaces has an outsized visual impact. Running the same tile through the kitchen and dining room was a design recommendation rather than a specific homeowner request. Its impact on how the combined space feels was one of the most commented-upon results of the remodel.
Custom in-house cabinetry fits the space. The scribe molding at the wall termination and the deeper upper cabinet run at the peninsula were both solutions that required the cabinets to be built for the specific conditions of this kitchen. Stock or semi-custom cabinets would have handled both situations with filler panels or standard solutions that would have been visible and less effective.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did this project stay on a six-week timeline with discovered conditions?
Both conditions were identified early, during Week 1 demolition, and the remediation work was completed within the existing trade schedule. The plumbing and electrical subcontractors were already on site for their rough-in work. Adding the subfloor repair and the electrical circuit updates to their scope did not require additional mobilization. Timing matters, conditions found during demolition are manageable. The same conditions found during finish work would have caused a more significant schedule impact.
Would this kitchen have benefited from a full layout reconfiguration?
The wall removal and peninsula addition were the most impactful layout changes available within the existing footprint. A more complete reconfiguration, moving the range, relocating the sink to the peninsula, expanding the kitchen into adjacent space, would have added significant cost and extended the timeline without proportionally improving the function for this household’s specific use patterns. The changes made addressed the actual problems. That is the right scope.
What would this remodel cost in today’s market?
Material and labor costs in Eastern NC have increased since this project was completed. A comparable project in the current New Bern market would likely fall in the $58,000 to $68,000 range depending on specific appliance selections and countertop material. Contact D.E. Mitchell for a current estimate based on your specific kitchen.
Plan Your Kitchen Remodel With D.E. Mitchell Construction
D.E. Mitchell Construction handles kitchen remodels in New Bern, Havelock, Morehead City, Jacksonville, and the surrounding Eastern NC communities. We build all cabinets in-house, manage the full project scope, and provide written estimates at no charge after a site visit.
If you are planning a kitchen remodel and want to talk through what the process would look like for your specific kitchen, reach out and we will set up a consultation.
No obligation. No pressure. A direct conversation about your kitchen and what it will take to remodel it right.