Kitchen Redo Contemplated

Ok so we found ourselves 'a guy'. You know 'a guy' who can do for us. For money of course. First we had him do some siding that had come loose and the resulting water damage to the wood underneath. Also a shower and tub recaulk. Then he did some water damaged wood in the carport at our rental house.

Now we are thinking about a kitchen redo. Our 70's style kitchen is screaming for a redo. The cupboards are off while with chips showing the olive green paint beneath. Some of the guides are worn out or not working and they are old but still ok.

The counters are horrible, the old woodgrain formica and it is chipped and nicked and scratched, not to mention we have a huge dip to the side of the sink so water is always pudddling there. When we got the new frig it wouldn't fit in the space so our handy man cut away at the counter and it ain't pretty there or where the dishwasher went in.

The backspash is beyond ugly, it's a red brick veneer and there is no way to clean it.

Can you imagine? Guess I need to post some photos so you can really see and feel the ugliness.

Anyway it started with a low quote for just painting the cupboards ($1350). But I wouldn't be satisifid living with that countertop or with that yucky backspash, so we morphed up. (For a brief moment we flirted with complete redo including new cabinets, but that will take it up over $10k.) And I just don't want to spend that kind of money right now. For one thing we don't have that much so we would have to go deep in debt and we don't want too much debt. (again)

Now we are contemplating an almost total redo, with new Countertops maybe made of some sort of solid surface or Silestone; mosaic tile backsplash, (see above) new paint, new cooktop, new vented microwave over the cooktop, and new hardware for the cabinets etc.

We have recently purchased the oven, microwave and refrigerator so those will stay the same for now, and not quite ready to tear up the floor even if I do hate it.*

*Does anyone put down vinyl flooring anymore? This tile is killing my back and hips!

Ok on that note, I must go rest my aching Home depot trodding body, more to come on this!