I’m not a big sports fan but every four years, I become glued to the television…I even stayed up until midnight to watch Michael Phelps win his nineteenth medal and the U.S. women’s gymnastics team take the gold. During all this TV time I heard a newscaster talking about an interview he did with a number of the medalists. He wanted to know what they thought made them winners. They all basically listed the same three traits and it got me thinking; the same thing that makes athletes shine is much like getting through a remodeling. See what you think.
Discipline: If you are going to have a successful kitchen or bathroom remodel, you have to stay focused. Finding the right designer is first on that list. Talk to your friends, find out who did a super job for them and talk to two or three others before making a decision. More than that, and you are only going to add to your confusion.
Stay focused on your priorities for the project. Do you primarily want good storage, a kitchen that will make your friends jealous or a place to cook family meals efficiently? Most of us can’t afford everything we’d like so be sure to communicate the list to your designer.
Teamwork: It’s going to take a lot of people to make the dream of a major home renovation a reality. All of them deserve clear and open communication from you. One of the toughest issues to talk about is the project budget. Designers can work with any reasonable budget but matching up desires with real-world finances can be tricky. Need some help putting a budget together? Your designer can walk you through your options. And don’t forget anyone on the team: from the installer to the painter, they are the artisans who will make the plan a reality. Bring them a pot of coffee or a box of doughnuts. Set up a bathroom for their use during the remodeling and give them the courtesy they deserve.
Handling Adversity: OK, it’s a rare project that goes without a hitch. Most of the issues will be caught by your designer during the site visit or in the planning process. But when rotting framing is discovered during tear-out or the electrician ends up in the hospital on the very day he is due at your home, it takes some of the fun out of the process. But hang on, it will all get worked out. Just expect some things to go wrong and celebrate if it all goes without a hitch. Either way, a beautiful project will be yours at the end.
OK, so maybe you won’t get a gold medal for living through a remodeling project but you will have a beautiful kitchen, bathroom or built-in to enjoy for years to come.
