From Closed-Off Galley to Open Island Kitchen: A North Hills Ranch Makeover

## Before: a galley that fought every meal

The original kitchen in this North Hills ranch was 11 by 9 — a true galley with a single window over the sink and a wall separating it from the dining room. The homeowners had lived with it for nine years and were done. We walked the space before quoting and came back with three layout options. They picked the one that opened the kitchen to the dining room by removing the non-load-bearing wall and adding a 9-foot island between the window wall and what used to be the back door.

Cabinets were 1990s oak, dinged and yellowed. Countertops were laminate. The vinyl floor had a soft spot near the dishwasher — we factored the likely subfloor repair into the quote before demo day, not as a surprise add-on. The biggest structural change was rerouting the plumbing to put the sink in the island. That opened up the crawlspace and relocated 14 feet of drain line. We pulled the Wake County permit for plumbing and electrical before demo started.

## After: a kitchen that holds a dinner party

The finished kitchen is 11 by 16, opening onto the dining room through a 9-foot cased opening trimmed in poplar. The island is quartz with a farmhouse apron sink at the center and the dishwasher tucked underneath on the island side. Cabinetry is frameless shaker; uppers run to the ceiling on the back wall. The backsplash is a handmade Quaker green tile laid in a stacked pattern. Lighting is layered: recessed cans, two pendants over the island, and under-cabinet LEDs on a separate dimmer.

## The decisions that got us there

The homeowners wanted warm and timeless. We steered them away from a waterfall quartz edge because it would date quickly — a standard eased edge reads better five years out. We pushed uppers-to-ceiling because the existing soffit was already there and the extra doors cost less than leaving the gap bare. The handmade tile was a splurge — it sets the visual tone of the whole room for about 8% of the total cost.

We pulled the homeowners in for two walk-throughs during construction. Both were Tuesday evening, when they get home from work. The walk-throughs prevented two scope changes that would have cost more than a thousand dollars each later. Two walk-throughs is the cheapest insurance you can buy on any kitchen renovation in the Triangle — we do the same checkpoints on jobs in surrounding towns like Apex and Cary.

## Timeline and budget

Demo day was a Monday. Plumbers and electricians took three days. Cabinets arrived week three, after a four-week lead time. Counter templating ran end of week five, fabrication a week, install at week six. Backsplash, fixtures, appliances, paint, and punch list filled weeks seven through eleven. Total cost landed in the mid-range for a full gut-and-rebuild in the Triangle — exact numbers vary by scope and finish level, and we always walk the kitchen before quoting.

If your kitchen looks anything like this one did, the right next step is a free estimate. Mike walks every kitchen himself before giving you a number. See the full Raleigh kitchen remodeling service page, or request a free estimate online and he'll call you within 24 hours.