The Fifteen Kitchen Commandments

Change is constant and we need to be savvy. Renovating a kitchen is a major undertaking — one which we will probably do only once in our lives, one which takes a whole lot of our time, effort and hard-earned money. We don't want to make any major mistakes yet there are so many things that are unknowns to us. How can we make good decisions?

Being savvy may mean knowing where to concentrate awareness rather than knowing all the details up front. With that in mind, here are the Fifteen Kitchen Commandments to guide you and help you as you move through the project.

  1. You will learn as you go. A good professional will help you focus on the possibilities and their outcomes so you can make decisions at the right time and at a comfortable pace.
  2. The key to a successful remodeling project is the ability to solve problems as they come up — and they will come up. Communication and flexibility are the best tools for everyone.
  3. Pay close attention all along. Do not assume that the professionals know what's on your mind or that they are perfect. Keep on top of the details and keep asking questions.
  4. The more you get professional help in thinking through the details prior to construction, the smoother it will go. Professionals can help you avoid disasters.
  5. If the contractor didn't specify what you are getting, the price doesn't mean much. Look at the products as well as the price.
  6. If one price sounds better than all the others, something is going to give down the road. The only question is which thing.
  7. On every job there are the unknowns which can throw schedules off — sometimes greatly.
  8. Plan ahead, so you can order ahead, so that products are on site when they need to be there.
  9. Humans make errors and the professionals you choose are only human. Picking people who have a record of solving problems promptly can minimize the frustration level of the project.
  10. The smaller the space, the longer it may take because fewer professionals can be in there together.
  11. You need to know which part of the time-quality-money triangle is most important to you. You can't have it all!
  12. If time is the most important factor, the project can be hastened by putting more people on the job and having more office support to follow the details of the job.
  13. If quality is the most important factor, find professionals who focus well on the details, who take their time to do it right the first time. Check out their other projects to make sure the details meet your standards.
  14. If money is the most important factor, choose quality over quantity.
  15. If you want it to happen, put it in writng.