Remind yourself that this is part of your home and your personalized space. Don’t short change yourself, but carefully plan your project well ahead of time. Think about your vision for your space. Think about what you like (layout, accessibility, window position), what you don’t like (low light, inaccessible space, clunky layout) and make a wish list.

If you can, mark some items higher or lower priority. Don’t think about whether something is too outlandish or potentially too expensive. You may be surprised at some of the solutions that are available today. Many clients will work with a designer who in most cases will work with you on your cabinet layout, countertop, tile, flooring, lighting and color scheme. I have worked with Kitchensync in San Francisco and Ecohome Design in Berkeley. Both have an incredible array of cabinets and countertops available and top notch customer service.

Before you meet with your designer, think about style. Do you want a look that is period correct for your building, or do you like a more modern look? What materials are you partial to? Do you like the classic look of natural lumber or more contemporary painted or thermofoil finishes? Think about your needs and your lifestyle. Do you have kids? Do you entertain frequently? Do you keep kosher? Talk to neighbors and friends about their projects and find out what has worked and not worked for them. Get photos of materials and designs you like from magazines or other publications. Scour the internet. Sites like Architectural Digest, Houzz and Pinterest are gold mines for ideas. 

If possible, speak to a few contractors to get rough estimates for labor. You are best off if they give you figures assuming they will do a full down-to-the-studs renovation. You will be in a much better position to budget your project if you think it will be more expensive than it actually is. Prioritize wish list items and be prepared to pare down your list.

Several sets of eyes will be more likely to give you good design ideas or spot potential problems. Find out what level of work will be necessary – if the wiring and plumbing are up to date, you are already way ahead of the game.

Figure out how much you are willing and able to spend. Keep in mind you will be paying for labor, materials and fixtures and that your time involved with the process is worth something. Cash savings are generally a better value than HELOCs or credit cards because of interest rates. If you think you can hold off for six months or a year, saving even $500 a month will net you $3,000-$6,000 to put toward your project.

Once you have established a scope, reconcile it with your budget. If the two do not agree, revise your scope or increase your budget. I typically put together a project that is about 80% of the budget. That way, any overruns are mostly accounted for. Every job has unforeseen complications and last minute additions. Running out of money in the middle of the project is not an option – cheap finish materials and rushed labor will leave you wondering where all your money went. Some contractors, when given a budget of $50,000 for a project, will bring back a scope and a bid for $54,000. A 10% overrun puts the project at close to $60,000. As you might imagine, this can be quite stressful.  For any project, prices will vary widely depending on the scope of the job, quality and amount of materials, and unexpected complications. I have redone kitchens with new flooring, cabinets and counters for about $15,000 for a small rental unit on up to a space that cost over $100,000.  As of October 2024, a complete bathroom redo will start at about $28,000 for labor and rough materials, and a kitchen will start at about $34,000.

Meet with your contractors again and outline your project. Make sure you know exactly what you are getting and who is responsible for handling and purchasing what.

Predictability in your project is your friend, as is adaptability. Repeated design changes get expensive very quickly as work has to be undone, corrected, then brought back to a workable state – you are paying for the work three times.

Be careful if you are undecided about your components – items such as stoves often have very specific places where the gas and electrical access should be placed.

We will know in advance what the scope of your job is likely to be but expect the unexpected. Every job has its unforeseen hitches. Be ready to think quickly and be decisive.

Ask and answer questions. Offer and solicit feedback.

The process will be expensive, obtrusive and time consuming – do not let anyone tell you otherwise. There will be dust in places you never thought possible. You will almost certainly grow weary of people and noise. There will be tools and materials in every corner of your property for the duration of the project.

Keep focused on the finished product and how much better things will be than when you started. Each day on the project is one day closer to the end.