Is remodeling your kitchen a do it yourself project? Do not try to remodel your kitchen by yourself. When embarking on the venture of kitchen remodeling, many wonder if it is a "do-it- yourself" project....
When embarking on the venture of kitchen remodeling, many wonder if it is a "do-it- yourself" project. Ellen Mercer, who has been a kitchen designer for eighteen years and is currently a designer at Cabinet Solutions, answers this question: "Absolutely not. We work with some folks who try on occasion to remodel their kitchen, and the job just doesn't go as smoothly. This is because they don't know what to anticipate in the re-modeling process. They don't deal with this day in and day out. For the most part, they have a dilemma. Usually, they have a full time job that occupies their time. Then, they try to work in the re-modeling project in their spare time. This makes the project drag out, and it takes much longer than it would a professional. A homeowner usually becomes frustrated with the project. The kitchen is torn up and non-usable for a long period of time. A professional contractor is used to working through these things. He is used to seeing what works and what doesn't. He works with the same stuff all the time, and he has his own crew. When they remodel your kitchen, they are going to tear it apart, and put it back together in a very concise time manner."
Now, this isn't to say that parts of the project are not "do-it-yourself". Many homeowners, in an attempt to lower the budget or just because they want a more hands on role, do perform the work for various aspects of the remodel. If you want to do certain things yourself, discuss this with your interior designer and/or contractor. In this way, you can find out the amount of work that is involved, as well as how much money will truly be saved by not hiring someone else to do it. You may find out that, in the long run, you'd be better off with a professional. If you do decide to go ahead and do it yourself, your designer and/or contractor can offer tips and well as resources to make it easier.
The book "Your Home: Kitchens", published in 1985 as part of a series by Time-Life Books, states that "...even ambitious tasks can often be handled by the amateur who has a well-appointed toolbox and a modicum of patience." Just make sure you research everything first, including the supplies and the knowledge that is required to do the task right. Above all, you need to discuss it with the one in charge of the remodel, lest you get in their workers way and slow up the entire job. As they say "time is money" and this couldn't be truer then when it comes to construction projects.
Remodeling a kitchen can change a person's quality of life, more so then any other room, but it is also one of the most involved and detailed endeavors that one can undertake. The stress from all of the decisions that have to made as well as having to live without one of the most used rooms in a home is reason enough to seek out professional help.
