Homeowner University

Help! Should we buy new cabinets or keep existing in our kitchen?

2010-08-15T13:38:00.000-07:00

Dear Mike and Kathe:

We are thinking about remodeling our kitchen and don’t know whether it would be better for us to keep our existing cabinets or get new? We know that the trend is to get away from oak, but we don’t mind oak and the cabinets are in pretty good condition. Any advice would be appreciated.

Joan and Mark

Answer:

Dear Joan and Mark,

Cabinets are definitely the big ticket item of a remodel and the bones of your kitchen. Here are some questions to help you evaluate your situation:

· How long are you planning to stay in your home- at least 5 years?
· How much are you able to invest in your kitchen- at least $50K?
· Will your existing cabinetry need some modifications to make your new appliances fit and/or improve the function?

If you answered yes to all of these questions, then you will get a much higher value from your remodel by replacing your cabinetry. If you answered no to any of these questions, refinishing them could be a great option. Refacing is another option, if cost is not issue or you have no other choice. Refacing involves keeping the existing cabinetry boxes, replacing the door and drawer fronts, and putting a thin veneer over the cabinet box frames. Because a good refacing job can cost as much as buying new cabinetry these days, this is an option that people choose if they’ve already put new granite or quartz on their countertops and then decided that they don’t like their cabinets anymore. Once you put granite or quartz down, you can’t take it off and re-use it again.

We will be discussing the in’s and outs of cabinetry in our upcoming seminar this month: “Cabinetry 101: what you should know before you buy”. We are also presenting a companion class called “Storage Solutions for All Kitchens” on the same time. Join us for both seminars at our showroom on August 28th from 10am to noon. To register for these free seminars, visit our website at www.ourdreambuilder.com.

Mike and Kathe

Deb and Ted's Excellent Adventure: A Design Case Study

2010-07-05T00:47:00.000-07:00

Christina and I recently began the design process for Deb and Ted’s new kitchen. Deb and Ted live in an older home with a galley style kitchen that is separated from the rest of the home. Their goal is to have an open plan kitchen that incorporates the family room and eating area together. Their wish list includes a gourmet style kitchen with a large eating area and a second sink for prepping. Deb enjoys baking and Ted loves to cook. And he intends to do some serious gourmet cooking in his new kitchen!

Before we started Deb and Ted’s design, we spent some time with them to understand what their goals are then created a preliminary scope of work and budget for their project. Once this was done, we were ready to start the design process according to our proposed schedule. For Deb and Ted’s project, we estimated that it would take 6 sessions to complete with them.

Visit 1: The Design Conceptualization:. On the first visit, about two and a half hours, Christina and I went to Deb and Ted’s home for a design consultation. We measured, took pictures, and listened to their thoughts and wishes. We had a lot of fun sharing ideas and looking at their idea file. This session was very productive and we got a very good idea of their style and tastes, which were more on the contemporary and transitional side.

Visit 2: Design on the Big Screen TV: This is my absolute favorite part of the design process. This is the big reveal where our clients get to explore some different possibilities of what their space can be. Many clients have to pinch themselves when they see the 3-D rendering of their new space up on the big screen! So, we met in our conference room at the showroom to review their design on our big screen tv. Christina and I presented two separate concepts for Deb and Ted to consider. Deb and Ted loved the first design and we made some modifications with their input to really make the design work for them.

After the design review, which took about an hour and a half, we spent the next hour showing Deb and Ted vignette’s that we had selected for their cabinetry, countertops, and backsplash. They were very excited that we had really tuned in to what they wanted. They were able to decide very rapidly what they wanted. This is not always the case with our clients.

Visit 3: Selecting Appliances: Christina met with Deb and Ted down at our appliance vendor to select appliances. I can hardly wait to see what they selected!

Stayed tuned for my next blog where I will show you pictures of the design and some of the products they’ve selected.

A Place to Put Your Stuff

2010-03-27T20:25:00.000-07:00

The late comedian George Carlin used to have a comic routine about how we always need a place to put our “stuff”. Whenever I’m working with a new client who complains about not having enough storage space in their kitchen, I am always reminded of this routine.

There are many reasons for lack of storage in a kitchen. Common problems that I often see include layout problems with appliances and cabinetry, accessibility problems with corner and wall cabinets, and not enough drawer space. However, the universal culprit of this “lack of storage” problem that I encounter across the board is really something else. It’s called “clutter” or “too much stuff”! Unfortunately, this problem can’t be cured with new cabinets and fancy storage devices. The only thing that can cure this is getting rid of stuff.

And that’s where we start. The first step in designing a great new kitchen is clearing the clutter from your existing kitchen. That’s right. “Ok, so what does that mean exactly?” you ask with a worried look on your face. That’s when I smile and gently tell you to go get some boxes.

Here’s the deal. We don’t want your new kitchen to be a repeat disaster of your old kitchen. So we take everything out of your cabinets and do a complete inventory. In other words—clear the clutter. We make 3 piles: 1) Stuff you use everyday, 2) Stuff you use occasionally, and 3) Stuff you never use and forgot you had. Guess where the stuff you never use goes? That’s right. Goodwill, a garage sale, or in the trash- you choose. Now, for the stuff you use occasionally, that doesn’t need to be in your kitchen unless you have room for it. So now, we’re left with the stuff you use everyday. Let’s talk about how we deal with that.

Every kitchen has at least 4 main zones: 1) your clean up zone, 2)your cooking zone, 3) your prep zone, and 4) your food storage zone. In larger kitchens, there may be additional zones. In each of these zones, you need to have the stuff that you use in these areas accessible. We’ll go through each of these zones briefly.

The Clean Up Zone: This zone should have cabinets for your dishes that are within easy reach of the dishwasher. Take a good look around and note any problem areas and frustrations. Before I remodeled my kitchen, I had to put up with a dishwasher that was jammed in the corner and made it impossible to load dishes into my cabinets while the dishwasher door was open. This is the kind of accessibility problem that, unfortunately, I see too often in my client’s kitchens. The other problem that I run into a lot is the lack of a trash can in the clean up area, or a tiny one shoved under the sink cabinet. In planning your new kitchen, I would definitely recommend a double trash roll out cabinet. If you prefer a trash compactor, that will work too.

The Cooking Zone: This zone includes the area on either side of your cooking surface and any adjacent prep space. This is the place where you want to keep your pots and pans, cooking utensils, spices and oils, pot holders, and anything you might need to access quickly while cooking.

Some of the issues that I commonly encounter in this area, particularly with my clients who love to cook, is the lack of storage for spices and oils. There are many storage solutions available for this problem that will be great for your new kitchen or can even be used to retrofit your existing one. A tiered spice tray that fits into your top base cabinet drawer is wonderful for small spice bottles that you need to access quickly. Spice racks that fit inside of the door are also a nice solution. My favorite is the roll out spice cabinet that may or may not be something you can do in your existing kitchen, but could definitely be specified for your new space. The other problem is lack of accessible space for pots and pans. If you don’t have deep drawers or roll outs for these items in your cabinets, you’re probably down on your hands and knees, fishing through the cabinets to get them. I prefer deep drawers over roll outs because it’s only one step, instead of two that you have to deal with when you have roll out shelves.

The Food Zone: This area houses your dry foods and canned goods. Many kitchens have some sort of cabinet pantry in their kitchen, but most have fixed shelves that cannot be adjusted and the cabinets are too deep to access the stuff in the back. Rollouts are definitely the solution here. Although there are many fancy new cabinets that have all kinds of storage compartments for pantries, they are not very flexible. You are forced to put the items of different sizes into pre-defined sections. That does not work for everybody. Refrigeration drawers can also be great if you have the room in your kitchen. These can be used to store produce and perishables that you need to get to frequently.

The Prep Zone: This is the counter space that you have the largest amount of room available and is most accessible to the sink. In a larger kitchen, having a second sink in an island that is used for a prep zone is ideal. The most common issue that I see is that most kitchens don’t have much of a prep zone and the space that they do have is not very close to a sink. This problem also makes it challenging when multiple cooks are in the kitchen at the same time. Finding space for cutting knives, mixing bowls, and other items used in this area can be another challenge without enough drawer space. There are many ways to create additional storage and prep space, depending on your layout. If you have a U shaped kitchen, a small, movable island on wheels can be a great supplement to your kitchen. If you are planning a new layout, an L shaped kitchen with an island can be designed with ample space for your prep items.

Now that we’ve gone through each of the zones and discussed problems that are typically encountered in these areas, you may feel like you can relate to some of these issues. And you may be asking yourself how clearing the clutter from your existing kitchen is going to solve the accessibility and functional problems that you’ve just identified in your kitchen. The short answer is this. By getting rid of the clutter, you will begin to understand how you really use your kitchen, the space you waste, the space you maximize, and how you should equip it. What you may find is that you don’t need more storage, just better storage…and less stuff! Once you understand what the problems really are with your existing kitchen, you are on your way to creating a fantastic new kitchen!

Design: The Softer Side

2010-03-07T10:43:00.000-08:00

Last week, I took a road trip with two of my colleagues to San Francisco. No, it wasn’t a vacation, but it was definitely a lot of fun! We were part of a large group of volunteer professionals who served as faculty and staff for the Student Career Forum, an annual conference for interior design students. Students attended the conference from all around Northern California. Appropriately, it was held in the design district at the San Francisco Design Center.

If you’ve never been to the design district, it is comprised of 10 buildings, all within walking distance of each other. The showrooms provide more than 2,100 furnishings, fabrics, accessories, and carpeting for residential and commercial applications. It’s what I call the softer side of design. One of my responsibilities as a volunteer for the Student Career Forum was to take a group of students on a tour of some of the showrooms in the design district. Having only been to the district once before, I scouted out my route before the tour to make sure that I didn’t take the students on a wild goose chase! The showrooms were expecting us and I had an opportunity to introduce myself before the tours.

One of my favorites stops on the tour was “Forgotten Shanghai”, an importer of Asian furnishings. For those of you who know me and have been to my home, you can imagine that I just wanted to stop the tour and stay there for several hours! What I liked about that store was that there were some very unique items there at reasonable prices. One of the items I saw was a rice container lamp that was very unique. Forgotten Shanghai is one of the few retailers in the district that allows the public to buy direct. Most of the showrooms in the district sell to the trade only.

My other favorite was visiting Partridge, a fabric furnishing and wall treatment retailer in the district. They carry Farrow and Ball paints and wall treatments, which I have completely fallen in love with! This brand is manufactured in London and is an environmentally friendly, clay based paint with virtually no VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds). Not only is it healthy for your home, but also has some very unique, colors with visibly greater depths. It’s not cheap, but well worth it!

We ended the first day at the Sierra Select showroom, a distributor for high end appliances, including Miele. I have a built in Miele coffee service in my home and I am a huge fan of their products. Sierra Select hosted a wine reception following the tour and I enjoyed their beautiful showroom.

The next day, I got to attend workshops and introduce speakers. While there were about 16 different break out sessions that were offered in the morning and the afternoon, the caliber of speakers and topics was amazing. The topics covered a wide range of interior design, building, and marketing topics—all areas that are critical for a budding interior designer to know about.

The best part of the trip was the students—seeing their enthusiasm and talent. My chapter, was one of the hosts of the event and sponsored the Master Bath Design Competition portion of the Student Design Competition. As the President of my chapter, I was honored to present the master bath design award to a very talented design student who also took home awards from several other categories in the competition.

I am ashamed to admit that although my chapter has been involved in this event for a number of years, this is the first time that I’ve attended. I’m so glad that I did. And I will definitely do it again next year!

The 3 Little Bids

2010-01-27T00:07:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, there were three contractors and the time came for them to go out and give their bids to the world.

Just before they left, their mother told them “Whatever you do, do it the best, because that’s the way to get along in the world.”

The first contractor gave a bid to build a house made out of sticks and it was really cheap. It was the easiest thing to do. The homeowner was really happy and signed the contract.

The second contractor gave a bid to build a house made out of straw. It was a little bit better quality than sticks. The second homeowner was pleased and signed the contract.

The third contractor gave a bid to build a house made out of bricks. The third homeowner was concerned about spending more money, but decided to sign the contract anyway.

After the projects were complete, a rain storm came along one night. It washed away the house of sticks. The first contractor went out of business. The homeowners were left out in the rain.

Then the storm came to the house of straw and blew it away. The second contractor was no where to be found. The homeowners were devastated.

The house of bricks stood solid during the rain storm and the homeowners relaxed by the fireplace. The next day, the third contractor came over to check on the homeowners and the house to make sure everything was ok. The homeowners were very happy.

That evening, the third contractor invited his mother over for dinner. She said, “You see, it is just as I told you. The way to get along in this world is to do things as well as you can.” Fortunately for the third contractor and his clients, he learned that lesson. And they lived happily ever after!

Is This a Good Time to Remodel?

2010-01-19T10:26:00.000-08:00

When housing prices started to drop, many homeowners began to think that remodeling prices would also drop proportionately. In reality, this has not happened. Why? Because remodeling prices were never artificially inflated to begin with. What we are seeing is something else. And buyer beware.

Many remodeling companies have gone out of business, leaving the pasture wide open for laid off workers, inexperienced in business to create start-ups, as well as custom home builders without the requisite remodeling experience to permeate the market with low ball pricing. This is a recipe for disaster for homeowners, as these inexperienced companies may not be around long enough to finish the job, yet alone handle any future service or warranty issues. While this phenomenon has always been around, in good times and bad, it seems more prevalent in an economic downturn. These companies are often “one man shows” who operate out of a pick up truck and have limited resources. Because of their inexperience, they typically spread themselves thin, under price the job, and bite off more than they can chew. The homeowner is then left to pick up the pieces.

The economic downturn of the past few years has been a challenge for many established remodeling companies, with bricks and mortar places of business. There is the old adage that says “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”. This has certainly been true of many of the remodeling companies that have weathered the economy and held their ground, continuing to provide quality service. Many of these experienced companies have made adjustments in their companies such as taking on smaller projects and finding ways to reduce their costs so that they can stay in business and pass the savings along to their clients. This is different than “low-balling” for the sake of getting a job. The experienced companies, in any economy, understand how to offer a fair price and still make a profit. Their goal is stay in business so that they can be there for today’s clients, in the future. Their success is your success.

With that said, is this a good time to remodel? It depends. If you’ve just lost your job, you’re maxed out on credit and your mortgage is upside down, now is not a good time to remodel. But if you have good credit, equity in your home or a nest egg set aside, it’s a great time to remodel—with an experienced remodeling company. Here’s why.

1. Experienced remodeling companies are getting very busy right now, but still not up to the pre-recession boom. If you’re planning to remodel and want to start soon without waiting a long time, now is the time to do it.
2. Product manufacturers are very competitive right now and many are offering rebate packages and incentives to purchase their lines. This is a great time to take advantage of these savings.
3. Interest rates are at an all time low. If you have equity in your home and can get a loan to make home improvements, now is the time to do so.
4. Because this is not a good time to sell, it’s a great opportunity to make the house the way you want it and be in a better position to sell when things turn around.

Happy remodeling!

Double Vision

2009-12-19T12:22:00.000-08:00

No, you're not seeing double! What you're seeing is the design conceptualization drawing that we did during the design process and a real photo of the project as we near completion. Although we're not completely done with the project above, I couldn't wait to show you a picture. Even without the crown molding and the finishing touches that will go in shortly, it's not difficult to see how amazing this project has turned out. Our lead designer Christina did a wonderful job at putting this together for our clients- Terry and Kristine. And our remodeling team did a fantastic job at executing their vision. While a few changes were made by the homowners and design team with some of the ceiling and floor detail that you see in the original photo rendering, the project pretty much stayed the same. The end result: the homeowners got exactly what they wanted. This is why our clients and staff love our design process and photo realistic drawings. It really works!! To see more photos and videos of this project, click here.

Pricing Your Project: What's the Right Approach?

2009-11-03T22:05:00.000-08:00

Finding the right remodeling professionals can be overwhelming and confusing. Many people start with the outdated notion that they need to get 3 bids. While this strategy makes sense when you’re only purchasing a single item such as flooring, it doesn’t work for design based projects such as kitchen and bath remodeling. For one, you don’t have a set of plans yet. Even if you’re not planning to change the footprint of your kitchen and appliances will be staying in the same location, you still need a plan for your cabinetry, storage features, lighting, and the list goes on. No one will be able to give you an accurate “bid” until all of the details are worked out. On the other hand, you don’t want to end up with a set of plans that you can’t afford to build. So, how do you find out what kind of budget you will need to do your project before you start designing?

Stated simply, your goal at this stage of the game is not to get bids, but rather to set a realistic budget for your project. And unless you work in the industry and have lots of experience you can't do this accurately on your own. With that said, there are a number of options for getting professional help with creating your budget. Some of them are better than others, depending on your specific needs.

Design Build

Bob and Robin knew it was time to give their 70’s ranch style home a major overhaul. Now that their children were grown and they were near retirement age, they wanted to do the much needed renovations that would not only fit their current lifestyle, but also take them through their retirement years. Their plans called for an open plan kitchen and great room remodel, as well as an addition for Robin’s art studio. They knew that this project was not something they wanted to tackle as an owner/builder nor did they want to piece meal it with a separate design and construction company. Bob and Robin wanted one company to help them through the entire design and construction process.

In planning their project, Bob and Robin needed to have a budget to base their financing on. They wanted to work with a one stop company that could give them realistic numbers up front, with no surprises later. For Bob and Robin, design-build was a good fit and gave them the peace of mind they needed.

Design-build companies offer both design and remodeling services under the same roof. Some of these companies are also kitchen and bath dealers that can furnish all of your products without going through an outside vendor or middleman. One of the advantages of working with a design build company is that they can give you a realistic ball park of what your project will cost before they start design. They also employ kitchen designers, architects, or other design professionals that are there to assist you with your project in-house, If your expectations are unrealistic, they can suggest other cost effective ways that you could do your project that works with your budget. Some charge a nominal fee for the initial consultation, and this is a small price to pay for knowing what your budget numbers are early in the game. Other design build firms will also credit part of their design fee back towards the remodeling project as an incentive to work with them.

If you decide that design-build is the best approach for you, we advise you to interview several design-build companies. Since all of them have the ability to advise you on your budget and make suggestions that could work, your interview focus shouldn’t be on what things cost, rather on how comfortable you feel with the company and how responsive they are to you. To find companies to interview, start by asking friends for recommendations as well as trade organizations such as the National Association of the Remodeling Industry or the National Kitchen and Bath Association.

Kitchen Designers and General Contractors

Mike and Barbara built their custom home 30 years ago. Situated on countryside property and complete with a fishing pond, this home was the ideal setting for their retirement years and they weren’t planning to move. The project included a kitchen, 3 bathrooms, and updating throughout the house. At the advice of their friends, they hired a highly recommended kitchen and bath designer to assist them with the planning and design of the space. It was their intention to take the project out for bid upon completion of the design. When Mike and Barbara began working with the designer, she helped them create a realistic budget for what they were trying to accomplish. As the project progressed and more things got added to the project, she advised them that they were going over budget so that they could be prepared when they took the project out for bid.

When it was time for bids, the designer recommended several contractors that she had good working relationships with. Mike and Barbara interviewed each of these firms and got their bids. Although price was certainly a consideration, they wanted to make sure that the remodeling firm was reliable and had a good reputation. In the end, they did not hire the lowest bidder. They chose the company that they felt most comfortable with and consistently gave them excellent service.

Working with an independent kitchen designer and separate general contractor is another popular approach to kitchen remodeling. Similar to design-build firms, independent designers can help you explore the many possibilities for your space and have many resources at their disposal. Many kitchen designers can recommend contractors that they have experience with to bid your project. This approach is a good option is you want to create your design first and then take it out to bid to several companies. It is also a good way to go if you don’t have a committed timeframe for your project or want to get of sense of what you can do with your space before you make a commitment to move forward.

If this sounds like the approach for you, we advise you to start by interviewing several designers, looking at their portfolios and visiting some of their completed projects. The National Kitchen and Bath Association and recommendations from friends are good referral sources. When you’re plans are done, then you are ready to interview contractors. If you can hire a contractor that has a working relationship with your designer, this is always best. There are many issues that often come up during the remodeling process that require field decisions on design. You want to make sure that your designer and contractor can communicate with each other so that your project doesn’t suffer.

Do It Yourself

Nathan and Selene were in their early thirties and living in their first home together as a married couple. With no children in the picture yet, Selene was focused on her career as a physician and Nathan was self employed in a seasonal industry that allowed him time to work on projects around the house. Over the past few years, Nathan had successfully renovated much of the house by himself. With only the kitchen left and a tight budget, Nathan knew that it would be more complicated than the other rooms. He decided to hire a designer to help him plan the kitchen and then he would remodel it himself.

Nathan and Selene hired a designer to help them with their kitchen plan. Nathan also consulted a contractor during the construction process when he needed some direction on how to approach a couple of problems he encountered. Nathan not only had the time, motivation, and skill to succeed, but he also knew his limitations and built his support team before he started. As a result, his project was a success.

Many cost conscious homeowners will attempt a kitchen remodeling project on their own. This can be a huge undertaking and a full time job, at best. In this scenario, the owner is responsible for scheduling all of the subcontractors and coordinating the project. If there is a problem or things get out of sequence, the owner is responsible for handling it. If you are considering this approach, we recommend that you hire an independent kitchen designer to help you plan the space and recommend subcontractors. If you’ve never done this before, we recommend that you find a contractor that would be willing to be hired as a project consultant in case you run into problems that are over your head.

Some homeowners tend to rely on cabinet shops for their kitchen plan and retail sales people to advise them on their products. This can be a mistake. First, cabinet plans are not a kitchen plan. They do not give you the full scope of work, a lighting plan, and mechanical plan. Secondly, you can easily order the wrong size sink or oven if you don’t know how to read your cabinetry plan. Buyer beware. These kind of mistakes can cost you thousands of dollars. It’s best to invest some money in a good set of plans if you’re going to manage the remodeling part yourself.

Summary:

1. Decide on the approach that best fits your needs: design-build, independent designer and contractor, or do it yourself.

2. Once you've determined your approach, compare apples with apples. In other words, interview several companies within the same approach. If you try to compare a design-build company to an independent contractor, you will be comparing apples and oranges.

3. Visit the following websites to help you get familiar with resources that fit your approach. Each of these organizations have links to their local chapters that you can access from these national websites. This will help you connect with companies in your area.

National Association of the Remodeling Industry: www.nari.org
National Kitchen and Bath Association: www.nkba.org

Help for the Ugly Duckling Bathroom

2009-10-08T22:15:00.000-07:00

Oak cabinets, Hollywood light fixtures, and white ceramic tile with large grout joints. Walk into a typical Sacramento area tract home and that’s what you’ll find in the bathroom. In fact, you may be the proud owner of one or two yourself. If your shower isn’t leaking and everything is functioning well, you may be feeling guilty about wanting to remodel such a “perfectly good bathroom”.

While many people talk about remodeling, the truth is that few move forward without serious reservations. For one, remodeling can be expensive. Besides the purchase of your home, remodeling can be one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make. According to the 2008-2009 Remodeling Magazine report, an average 5x7 bath remodel is $15,899 in the Sacramento area and yields an 87% return on your investment. If you are expanding a 35 square foot bathroom to 100 square feet within the house’s existing footprint, the average cost in Sacramento is $51,455 with a 71% return, according to the study. Fortunately, it is one of the few investments that you can make that will actually yield a large return, especially if you’re planning to stay in your home for at least five years.

It’s normal to have fears about remodeling. If you’re like most people, here are some of the questions you might be asking yourself:

Will I get a fair price for my remodel?
Am or overspending for my neighborhood?
Will I have enough money to pay for the remodel?
Will I get what I want?
How long will I be inconvenienced during the remodel?
Will my house get trashed by the contracting company?
Will there be “unknown” expenses during construction?

Finding the right remodeling professionals can be overwhelming and confusing.
Many people have the notion that they need to start by getting 3 bids. While this strategy makes sense when you’re only purchasing a single item such as flooring, it doesn’t work very well for projects such as bathrooms that involve planning, multiple trades, and products. Even if you’re not planning to change the footprint of your bath and everything will be remaining in the same location, you still need a detailed plan and scope of work of what you’re doing. No one will be able to give you an accurate “bid” without these plans. On the other hand, you don’t want to end up with a set of plans that you can’t afford to build. So, how do you find out what kind of budget you will need to do your project before you start designing?

There are a number of options for getting help. Some of them are better than others, depending on your specific needs. The three main approaches include working with a one stop design-build firm, hiring a separate designer and contractor, or doing it yourself as an owner/builder.

Design-build companies offer both design and remodeling services under the same roof. Some of these companies are also kitchen and bath dealers that can furnish all of your products without going through an outside vendor or middleman. One of the advantages of working with a design build company is that they can give you a realistic ball park of what your project will cost before they start design. They also employ designers, architects, or other design professionals that are there to assist you with your project in-house, If your expectations are unrealistic, they can suggest other cost effective ways that you could do your project that works with your budget. Some charge a nominal fee for the initial consultation, and this is a small price to pay for knowing what your budget numbers are early in the game. Other design build firms will also credit part of their design fee back towards the remodeling project as an incentive to work with them.

Working with an independent designer and separate general contractor is another popular approach to bath remodeling. Similar to design-build firms, independent designers can help you explore the many possibilities for your space and have many resources at their disposal. Many designers can recommend contractors that they have experience with to bid your project. This approach is a good option is you want to create your design first and then take it out to bid to several companies. It is also a good way to go if you don’t have a committed timeframe for your project or want to get of sense of what you can do with your space before you make a commitment to move forward.

Some cost conscious homeowners will attempt a bath remodeling project on their own. Doing it yourself can be a huge undertaking and a full time job, at best. In this scenario, the owner is responsible for scheduling all of the subcontractors and coordinating the project. If there is a problem or things get out of sequence, the owner is responsible for handling it. If you are considering this approach, we recommend that you hire an independent designer to help you plan the space and recommend subcontractors. If you’ve never done this before, we suggest that you find a contractor that would be willing to be hired as a project consultant in case you run into problems that are over your head.

If you’re ready to turn your ugly duckling bathroom into a swan, here are some ideas to help you get started. First, start by visiting a home and garden show. On the weekend of October 16-18, the Sacramento Home and Garden Show will be held at Cal Expo. This is a great way to quickly get access to products and companies that can help you. Another way to get started is to visit the website of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry www.narisacramento.org and the National Kitchen and Bath Association www.sacnkba.org. Both of these non-profit trade organizations have licensed and certified professionals that can help you. Finally, asking friends and families for referrals of companies that they have worked with is another great way to get help.

So what are you waiting for? Get quackin on that ugly duckling bathroom.

Kathe Russell, CKBR is the co-owner of DreamBuilders Kitchen and Bath, 893 Embarcadero Dr., Ste. 103, El Dorado Hills, CA www.ourdreambuilder.com.

Dinner From the Garage: 10 Tips for Surviving a Remodel

2009-09-02T00:45:00.000-07:00

Anyone who's ever lived in their home during a kitchen remodel knows that preparing meals without a kitchen can be quite a challenge. Before I remodeled my own kitchen, I was sympathetic to my clients about the matter. However, it wasn't until after I remodeled my own kitchen that I really got what a hassle living without a kitchen can really be. Over the years, I've compiled tips from my clients and my own experience that will hopefully help make life a bit easier for those going through a remodel.

1. Set your temporary kitchen up near a source of water. Garages, bathrooms, and laundry rooms are good choices. Ideally, you should have some counter space and cabinetry storage near by. You will also want to keep your refrigerator as close as possible. I set my temporary kitchen up in the garage, where I had a laundry sink, refrigerator, and some cabinetry. Although I whined and complained at the time, it was actually a pretty good set up.

2. Don't try to be on a diet during the remodel. However, that doesn't mean that you can't eat healthy. This is where your microwave comes in handy. Before the remodel, while you still have your kitchen, prepare a bunch of meals that you enjoy and freeze them in labeled containers. Store bought frozen dinners also work great. During the remodel, simply heat them in the microwave.

3. Use your crockpot. Mine was packed away during the remodel, but many of my clients swear that they couldn't have survived without it. There are many simple and healthy meals that can be prepared using the crockpot. Google crockpot recipes and you will find tons of them.

4. Outdoor grilling is another great alternative. Fish, poutry, and grilled vegies can quickly and easily be prepared on the barbeque.

5. Use paper goods whenever possible, particularly for messy stuff. Trying to wash dishes in a bathroon sink or laundry tub is not a day at the beach. The less you have to clean, the better.

6. Dust gets into everything. Cover the temporary kitchen work area with a tarp when you're not using it and try to store things in air tight containers whenever possible to keep the dust out. You'll be glad you did.

7. Plan to eat out some of the time. Invest in an entertainment book so you can save a little money and try some new restaurants. Trust me, you will get sick of eating at the same places. Take out food, like pizza, is also good. And you'll get tired of this too, after a while.

8. Use a friend or relatives kitchen to prepare additional meals that you can freeze during the remodel. Of course, never turn down an invitation to dinner at someone's home!

9. If you have pets, make sure that they have a safe place to eat and fresh water. Remodeling can be disorienting for pets, especially if they're used to being in the old kitchen with you.

10. Enjoy a glass of wine or your favorite beverage. Spend time with your loved ones and try not to snap at them too much...Before you know it, your new kitchen will be ready.