How should one prepare for kitchen remodeling?

It is helpful, although not necessary, to think about these things before you talk to a kitchen planner.

• What kind of a budget are you setting aside for your kitchen project?

• Are you just replacing your kitchen cabinets, or are you looking for a whole redesign?

• Take some preliminary measurements of your kitchen, and the kitchen planner can be more precise about costs.

• Choose the type of design you'd be interested in. For example Country, Contemporary, Colonial, etc.

• If you see a style you particularly like in a book or magazine bring it along as an example of what you are after.

• Choose the quality of the products you'd like to use. For example Stock, Semi-Stock, or Custom products.

• Ask about the time it would take to create the changes, and see if you can work with that kind of schedule.

Realistically, how does a kitchen planner help?

A good kitchen planner has been doing what he does for a long time. He knows what works and what doesn't. He knows what countertops will last, he knows what garbage disposals are best, he knows how to take advantage of that little nook or cranny that you were just going to leave as wasted space.

Having built or installed as many variations as he has, helps to keep a job on schedule and on budget. This means you know what you are going to get ahead of time, and there are not going to be any hidden surprises in costs to make your hair fall out.

What is the best way to select a kitchen planner?

Look at his record, his years of experience and any companies that highly recommend him. Russ at Tuscan Sun handled countless kitchen redesigns working many years for DuBell lumber as their head sales manager.