Remodel/Reno ?

[WOT?*]

We're updating the house that was supposed to be temporary. It's 2005 construction and we just repainted and restained the exterior (and did some minor construction such as replace a bothersome vent cover and change out porch pillars) to the tune of $8K because it already needed to be done. It's a "cute" tract home on a small lot in a small subdivision by a "meh" contractor that did a decent job in some areas and really cut corners or was merely sloppy/lazy in others.

We're updating the office and family room with built-ins (desk and w2w shelving around fireplace with tv insert above - sorry but it was built that way) and replacing the carpet in the office with hardwoods. We also need new carpeting (beige frieze with black cats and claws and mediocre quality coupled with poor installation; we have bare spots and bumps and rolls so this is also a "must do.") We're also going to do a blow-out on the master bath at some point in the future, after the downstairs is done. (Want, not need.)

We need (yes, NEED) new countertops for the kitchen (and both baths). I priced out a quartz I liked at $8K, backsplash to be determined later but probably another $2K. I'm also changing out some of the lighting so it's turning into more of a remodel/reno than just a countertop installation.

The problem is the kitchen cabinetry. The reason we need new countertops is that they were improperly manufactured and installed per three different designers. The countertops are about a textured tile with a sanded grout and are 24.5" in depth rather than 25.5", which has led to water seepage damaging the sink base cabinets in the kitchen and both bathrooms. Every cabinet (four sinks, including two master) has water pour or drip from the sink down the front of the door and the finish has peeled from every single one (six doors total). These are solid wood doors that could technically be restained, but the cabinet boxes aren't solid wood so the doors would have to be stained to match - and we'd have to restain *all* of them to get an accurate match and finish. The current finish appears to be a spray on the surface of a solid door rather than a proper stained grain. And I'm not thrilled with the style to begin with.

We've lost about $130K on the value of the house but we're now going to be here a lot longer than anticipated (not until the third-grader is out of middle school.) The house is valued at only $300K or so now but there is a lot of new construction going on around us again, for the first time in five years.

Replacing the doors would cost $400 or so for all six doors. I got the quote yesterday. But while I'm "okay" with the style and color, it's not my favorite of all time (and I really don't like the drawer fronts but to change out we'd want to change the doors to match - which means all new upper and lower cabinets). And I'd want it to match the living room and office (both directly off the kitchen) rather than be very close. While we're doing all the renos is when we'd want to change out the cabinets. There are two that I am absolutely changing out no matter what, and probably the island as well. And if we change the cabinets when we do the new countertops I can go with a different manufacturer. More importantly for peace of mind, what's to say that the finish won't "peel" or flake or whatever another year (yeah, the master bath looked like crap within a year) or several from now if we keep the same product.

Other than the sink base doors, the cabinetry is in excellent condition, however.

We're already over-renovating for the area but the new construction will help band-aid some of this. DH and I are both typically of the "if we're going to do it let's do it so we like it" and we can afford the cost. But the money could do better elsewhere, I know, and we can live with the cabinetry if the new doors don't do the same thing. Buying new doors every few years would really suck.

In this situation, would you make do with the current cabinets in the kitchen and just change out a couple base cabinets to suit ($1-3K including upgraded island)? Or would you take the opportunity to upgrade to a different manufacturer throughout ($10K+)?