Transformations of an Ugly Kitchen

" Bruce Springsteen, Madonna..

way before Nirvana;there was U2 and Blondie

and music still on MTV....

Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink,

even St. Elmo's Fire... " (Bowling for Soup "1985" )

Picture this: It's 1985 -

• Ronald Reagan (73) has just taken the oath for second term as the 40th U.S. president with his vice president, George Bush.
• The cost of a first class stamp is raised from $0.20 to $0.22
• A gallon of gas costs $1.09
• LiveAid concerts raise over $50 million for famine relief in Ethiopia.
• A movie ticket costs $2.75
• Microsoft Corp. releases the first version of Windows (Windows 1.0)
• Nintendo makes its debut. Kids all over the country stopped playing outside ....
• Madonna launches her first road show, "The Virgin Tour"
• Tina Turner receives a Grammy for her record "What's Love Got to Do With It"
• Compact Discs are introduced to American consumers
• Popular films: Cocoon, Back to the Future, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.

You may remember your kitchen from 1985:

White formica cabinets.... White formica countertops ....Coral colored walls

The Weintraub family remembered 1985 only too well.... their kitchen still had the cabinets, floors, counters and appliances from 1985 when the house was originally built. They were ready for new....new....new...

The Weintraubs are a family of 6. Mr. and Mrs. Weintraub, their daughter and her husband, and two grandchildren. They had some very real concerns:

• Could the project be done in a timely fashion?
• Would there be a huge mess?
• What qualifications did the professionals who were going to do the work have?
• Could they get the styles/models/materials they had their hearts set on?
• Were there any ways to save money on this project ?

Upon meeting with the Weintraubs, we discussed the proposed scheduling for their project. I outlined that the demolition process would take a couple of days. The alteration of walls, a new floor and the installation of the new cabinetry would take another 3 days. Granite countertops usually take a bit more time. They have to be templated, fabricated and then installed, which usually takes at least a week. During that time, the painting was completed, appliances were installed and finish electrical work was done. The Weintraubs were pleased to find out that things could move as quickly as that.

Mess ? What Mess? Plastic sheeting was hung up to separate the kitchen area from the rest of the house. Every single day, the debris from the construction is cleaned up, never left on site. This is just one more thing that I am a stickler about. My work areas absolutely must be cleaned up each and every day.

The professionals that I use to complete kitchen remodeling are the cream of the crop. They have been selected personally by me after a lengthy weeding out process of others who did not meet my strict criteria.

The Weintraubs hand selected all of the items for their new kitchen. Ceramic tile, appliances, cabinets, granite countertops, light fixtures and paint colors.... all of their choosing. Allowing the clients to choose all of their own details, puts them in control of the costs of their own project. The Weintraubs enjoyed the autonomy of the selection/pricing process.

The project was completed on time, on budget and with smiles all around.

To see a slideshow progression of this kitchen's transformation:

Building for Life

Ok, what I really like to do..... what I am really good at .....is NOT writing ! But the consultants tell us, we need to have a blog to be current, relevant and 'hip'. Really, 'hip' ? So here is my attempt at relevance.



First, a bit about myself. I have been in the construction industry for over 25 years, beginning with my studies in handcrafted antique reproduction at the North Bennet Street Industrial School of Boston. My first project, under Walter, the 80 year old master craftsman of NBSIS, was a toolbox, all hand-tooled, with dovetail joints, carved finger hods and draw-down front cover. Although covered with dust from storage in the Buttonwood Barn for over 15 years, the box still holds a great deal of meaning and a source of pride for me, as well as holding LOTS more tools than it did back in 1982 ! ( One of my philosophies is "He who dies with the most tools....WINS)


For me, having a vision, and bringing that vision to reality with only my imagination, my hands a few good tools is what makes me happy.

.....Well.....that, and my family.....

You can find more of my favorite projects on my website's photo gallery. (Click Here)

Jenalzoco - Building for Life

- What's in a name?

I have four kids: Jenna, Alex, Zoe and Colton. Take the first syllable of each name and you have Jenalzoco. Fifteen years ago, my wife, Susan and I purchased a hundred-year old farmhouse in which to raise our children. The house ..... and the kids....are a work in progress.

Building for Life - It means I have been building my entire life. And what I build will last a lifetime. It also means that what I build will enhance lives.

Thank you for checking with the musings of a versatile contractor. Please visit my website: http://www.jenalzoco.com/ for more information on my products and services. I look forward to using this blog space as a resource to let you know what we are up to next !

With visions of beautiful spaces, Mitch

From Shoebox to Showcase

Click on the photo to link to a slideshow showing an impressive transformation from a tiny box-type home into a showcase- quality seaside residence.

"After consulting with an architect, I sent bids out to five separate contracting firms... The project presented many problems, the permitting process was arduous, and the site was extremely difficult. We were compelled to stay within the existing foot print, which limited construction options. Two of the (construction) bidders declined to take the job, citing "...too many obstacles to completion."
Mr. Finn cheerfully accepted the jog, brought in very capable subcontractors and manged the job seamlessly from start to finish"

-- Andrea Lapey, M.S. Ed., MLS
Director of Federal Grants/Regulatory Compliance
Lynn Public Schools

Jenalzocollc - Portfolio

Jenalzoco LLC
Portfolio of current and past work
Over 20 years of design/build.
Click the logo to view an online portfolio