Kitchen Remodeling in the Rio Grande Valley, TX
Cabinets, tile and appliances arrive before anyone tears out your kitchen. You lose the sink for 2 to 4 weeks, not the whole job.
You can remodel a kitchen anywhere in the Rio Grande Valley with us, from Rio Grande City to Brownsville. Most kitchens take 3 to 10 weeks. David Aceves framed complete houses before he remodeled them, so moving a load bearing wall is still an option.
What the job includes02
What a kitchen remodeling job with us includes
A Valley kitchen works in heat that runs from April to October. Cooking adds load to an air conditioner that already runs most of the year. A hood ducted to the outside earns its cost here. Humidity does the other damage: particleboard boxes swell next to the dishwasher, and hollow core doors warp. The median Starr County home was built in 1987, when a kitchen carried far fewer counter appliances.
- —Demolition and haul-off of cabinets, countertops and the old floor
- —Cabinet boxes in plywood, not particleboard, because of Valley humidity
- —Countertop template, fabrication and install scheduled with the stone shop
- —Sink, faucet, disposal and dishwasher hooked up by a licensed plumber
- —Two 20 amp counter circuits and GFCI outlets by a licensed electrician
- —Range hood ducted outside, with makeup air planned if it moves over 400 CFM
- —Drywall, texture, paint and trim put back with no seam showing
- —A written punch list walked with you before the last payment
Price range03
How much does kitchen remodeling cost in the Rio Grande Valley?
4 to 6 weeks when the kitchen keeps its current layout
Three weeks for cabinets, counters and paint. Ten weeks when walls move.
Which material holds up best in Valley weather?
| Material | Holds up because | Watch out for | Best for | Lasts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate countertop | Lowest cost per foot, and it goes in inside one day | A hot pan or a knife leaves a mark you cannot sand out | Rentals, and budgets that are set before the job starts | 10 to 15 years |
| Granite | A hot pan does not hurt it, and Valley yards keep slabs in stock | Needs sealing, and some slabs hide a seam badly | Most Valley kitchens that get daily cooking | 30 years or more with sealing |
| Quartz | No sealing, and the color runs consistent from slab to slab | The resin scorches under a hot pan, and it costs more than most granite | Kitchens with kids, where spills sit before anyone wipes them | 25 to 30 years |
| Butcher block | You repair a burn or a gouge with a sander and oil | Water at the sink and Valley humidity move the wood | An island or a coffee run, not the sink cabinet | 15 to 20 years with oiling |
How we work this job04
How does the job actually run?
A written estimate before anything starts, a start date we commit to, and one person responsible from the first walkthrough to the last inspection.
- 01We measure the kitchen and the house around itDavid measures, opens a sink base to see the plumbing and checks the electrical panel. The visit takes about 90 minutes.Day 1
- 02You see the layout on paper before anything is orderedA scaled plan with cabinet sizes, appliance clearances and where the sink lands. You move things on paper, not on site.Week 1
- 03Material lands before demolition startsCabinets, tile and appliances arrive first. Nobody tears out a kitchen while the cabinet order is still in transit.Before demo
- 04Demolition, rough trades and inspectionCabinets and counters come out. The licensed plumber and electrician do their rough work. Whatever inspection your city requires happens before the walls close.Weeks 1 to 3
- 05Cabinets, countertop and the punch listCabinets go in level first. Stone gets templated after that, and the shop usually needs 7 to 10 days. Then paint, trim and the punch list with you.Weeks 3 to 10
From the build site05
Which homes has David Aceves helped build?
Homes built by Cuates Construction, with David Aceves on the build. Look at the cabinet lines, the backsplash cuts and the island work: David plans a kitchen remodeling job with that same eye.
Questions we get06
Questions homeowners ask us about this work
How long does a kitchen remodel take in the Rio Grande Valley?
Four to six weeks when the layout stays where it is. Three weeks is possible for cabinets, counters and paint alone. Ten weeks is realistic when walls move or the plumbing shifts. The countertop adds a pause of 7 to 10 days, because stone gets templated only after the cabinets are set.
Can you take out the wall between the kitchen and the living room?
Usually yes, but first we find out whether that wall carries roof or ceiling load. A load bearing wall needs a sized header, posts and a path down to the slab. David framed complete houses before he remodeled them, so this is normal work for him. Where the span or the load calls for it, an engineer sizes the beam.
Who does the electrical and the plumbing on my kitchen?
Licensed trades do both. Texas licenses plumbers and electricians, and it does not license general contractors or roofers. So on a kitchen, the license that matters belongs to the plumber and the electrician. You get their names before they set foot in your house, and David stays responsible for the schedule.
Do I have to live without a kitchen the whole time?
You lose the sink for 2 to 4 weeks, not for the whole job. Before demolition we set up a temporary kitchen with the refrigerator, a microwave and a work table. The laundry room or the garage usually works. Plan on paper plates and a slow cooker for that stretch.
Should I replace the cabinets or just reface them?
Open a door and look at the box, not the door. Plywood boxes that are square and solid are worth refacing. Particleboard boxes that sag under the sink are not, and most 1980s kitchens here have particleboard. Refacing saves money only when the layout already works for the way you cook.
Do you remodel kitchens outside Starr County?
All four counties. Edinburg sits about 58 minutes from Rio Grande City, and Weslaco about 72. Kitchens further east run on a set crew schedule, so your start date depends on what is already booked. Your zone carries a travel rule, and you hear it during the estimate.
What usually goes wrong in a kitchen built in the 1980s?
The counter runs on one circuit that trips when the toaster and microwave share it. The range hood vents into a cabinet instead of outside. The floor is out of level enough that new cabinets need shimming. And the drain line under the sink has been patched at least once.
A remodeling contractor based in Rio Grande City, working across the four Valley counties. The team is led by David Aceves, whose background is building custom homes, from the slab and the framing to the finish work.
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