Kitchen remodel - backwards

[** Frank **]

Saw a few TV home improvement shows on kitchen remodels.

Show number one: After the cabinets were ripped out from the walls leaving it damaged and full of holes, they just put the new cabinets back covering the damage areas. It only take a little effort to repair the damage, why skip this step? Those holes in the walls could be a health issue inviting nesting areas for rodents.

Show number two: They paint the kitchen walls *after* everything was installed; cabinets, counter tops and appliances that is. Much easier to paint when the room was empty. This was done by pros, am I missing something?

Show number three: The owner was given two options by the TV designer. One was keeping the existing cabinets and install high end granite countertop. Option two was to replace the cabinets and replace the countertop with Formica. Owner took option two to have better arrangement of the appliances and workplace. It turn out the designer spend something like $700 on the countertop and $6,000 on the backsplash. Is this stupid? Why couldn't the designer put the money in a real nice granite (or some other nice solid surface) countertop and less money on the backsplash?

[DerbyDad03]

-- Those holes in the walls could be a health issue inviting nesting areas for rodents.

How? I didn't see the show so maybe you saw something that I'm not picturing. Why would a cabinet back covering the holes be any different than drywall covering the holes?

BTW - regardless of your answer, I'm not taking the wainscoting off my bathroom wall. ;-)

[Malcolm Hoar]

Sloppy but not much of a risk.

Silly. But maybe the cabinet installers were waiting to get started but the painter was unavailable, on another job ;-)

Crazy. I had ~70 sq ft of granite countertop installed with granite backsplash for less than $6,000.

[Mamba]

I've seen several of those shows, they seem to be popping up as frequently as "reality" TV these days. Some have merit and highlight quite realisitc design and materials decisions well. Others are total garbage. Remember this is TV, designed to attract sponsors and sell time. The actual content is often secondary.

[Banty]

My reaction to this is .... and so what.

It'd be easier to paint before cabinets the first time, true. But sooner or later the kitchen will need to get paint again. The cabinets will need to be masked off and/or covered and care taken then anyway.

Banty

[** Frank **]

1/4" to 1/2" spacing between the back of the cabinet and the drywall, plenty of room to move around between the drywall, cabinet and floor cavities for a mouse. Not the same as wainscoting which has no spacing unless you've installed a furring strip.

I'll bet there are droppings below the bathtub (between the tub and the subfloor) and inside the bathroom walls as plumbing and electrical penetrations are usually not sealed.