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Before you invite competing contractors to your site to make notes on your proposed renovation, please take an executive approach to your project. It is called a "Scope of Work," and it is a key way of controlling cost and evaluating your candidates. With it, you can compare apples to apples when the estimates come in, and throw out the lemons. If you don't take this step, you will get a set of proposals...

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I Survived My Own Bathroom Renovation, But I was Grouchy I did it! I lived in my apartment in NYC while I renovated the bathrooms. Could a pro manage it better than the average well-informed homeowner? Hum.... As you might expect, being on site made things move along faster. I left the tubs in place, as they we re replaced in the first renovation, and removed the other fixtures to be re-installed...

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You've always wanted an unconventional kitchen, but no one supports your vision and you worry it might be a mistake. So your... avant-garde red, yellow, green, black; clear glass or floating shelves only; rustic and weathered with skirted trough sink; all hammered stainless; rippled or textured; 2-tone mot if or off-beat accent cabinet; backlit glass counters; toekick and cove lights...kitchen lives...

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If you have the option of any of these--a short-term rental, hotel, visiting with friends or family, residing in your second home, house sitting, or taking a vacation--you are well-advised to take it. If not, you may have to consider living on the site during at least part of the renovation. However, if you work at home or spend much of your day there, this situation will likely be both intolerable...

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You have thought about it a long time. Color, style, features…you are ready for your new kitchen, a kitchen that makes you happy. But you worry. Are your dreams just too grand and your budget just too unrealistic? So when the designer asks: “How much were you planning to spend on your kitchen cabinetry?” do you hesitate to answer because... A) You are concerned that your expectations exceed...

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Does your mind feel like it is shutting down when your dealer or designer begins to explain your new kitchen or bath layout, the materials, the colors and finishes, the backsplash and hardware? Whose wouldn't? Let me help you take most of the chance out of the process--meaning the chance that you will be disappointed in or even hate the outcome of your selections when the renovation is complete. TRUE...

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I once lived in a big Colonial with a spacious floorplan, yet all my invited guests always crammed into the kitchen, clustered around the dinette table, hanging over the peninsular, leaning against walls and doorways--of course, often in the way.Before I acquired taste (yes, it is acquired) the kitchen had creamy color cabinets, a pink tile floor, pink and blue wallpaper, and beige countertops. You could...

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It's my nature to resist arbitrary and tired old rules, boundaries, shapes, patterns, trends, textures and colors. The mission to "think outside the box" wells up in me as I approach a new project. So if you see me at work, rapping on walls and columns with my knuckles, craning my neck to check out beams and ceilings, opening adjacent closets, and sourcing drains and gas pipes, you can bet that the wheels...

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There are probably tens of thousands of knobs and pulls to choose from. So how do you begin? You will need to consider size, material, shape, combinations, and symmetry. Think of these items as jewelry. Is your kitchen a "plain black dress or conservative business suit" in need of some pizzazz? Or is it handsomely detailed outfit needing only a small additional statement? Here is your chance to accessorize...

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I am the President of the I Hate Grout Club. You can be Vice-President--no dues. So who exactly likes grout? Fresh and clean at the start, grout gradually turns dark. The wider the grout line, the more unsightly the look. Why? Mold, dirt, and mildew (yuch!) are most often the cause. Those sealers that go on after you have scrubbed, scrubbed, scrubbed with a powdered cleanser and toothbrush don't last...

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