Redesign Your Kitchen
One Step at a Time

Visions of gastronomical feats or even modest microwaveable meals may dance in your head, but the road to an efficient kitchen plan will be full of important decisions. After all, the space you want to create may very well cater not only to you and your family's cooking and dining habits, but also may provide a place for you to pay the bills, the children to do their homework or the entire family to indulge in hobbies. It's fine to window-shop, comb through books and magazines filled with appealing pictures and make lists of all the things you want your new kitchen to be. And doing these things should be part of your homework, but you're eventually going to have to take stock of the big picture. Ultimately, your careful analysis and planning is what can make or break the successful outcome of your endeavors. Here are seven tips to help you get started:

1. Get the Right Help

Redesigning and remodeling a kitchen requires skill and knowledge. In most cases, you'll need to seek professional help at some point, depending on your particular level of skill. If you're not sure if you're qualified to do it yourself or if you need a professional, take a quiz from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry to help you decide.

There are many different kinds of professionals who can assist you. These include: architects, certified kitchen designers, interior designers, design-build remodeling firms and remodeling contractors.

Whenever you hire people to work in your house, take the time to research them carefully. Your home is likely your largest single asset so don't take unnecessary chances with it. Interview professionals, inspect their portfolios, ask them for references and, by all means, follow up by checking their references thoroughly. Ask tough questions both of them and their former clients. It's also wise to call state agencies and trade associations to inquire about the credentials of anyone you engage for the project.

Remember that whomever you choose to remodel your kitchen will end up knowing you and your family better than your lawyer or doctor does. He or she will see you first thing in the morning and will probably still be there when you come home after a long workday. So, scrutinize all professionals as closely as you would prospective tenants.

2. Establish a Working Budget

This is the not-so-fun part: Finding and parting with money. No one likes to crunch numbers, but establishing a budget is the only way to determine the size and scope of your project. It's disappointing to plan a state-of-the-art kitchen that could rival any well-known chef's only to find you can barely afford a new cooktop and fresh wallpaper. Don't shy away from big dreams. Just don't get your heart set on any luxury until you determine what you can honestly afford to spend on the project.

Try to avoid paying cash for remodeling. If it comes down to a choice between paying cash for a new kitchen or for buying a car, always finance the remodeling. You can deduct the interest of the remodeling loan from your taxes. You can't deduct the interest on a car loan. Unfortunately, many homeowners will gladly use cash to pay for a home-improvement project and take out a loan for a car. It just doesn't make sense.

3. Familiarize Yourself With Legal Issues

Anytime you enter into an agreement, remember we live in a litigious society. As one of the contractual parties, you do have certain rights. For example, you can change your mind. This is called the "Right of Recision," which allows you to change your mind within three days of signing a contract without any liability if the contract was obtained some place other than the designer's or contractor's office -- your home, for example. This grace period protects you against hasty decisions and hard sells. Federal law mandates making consumers aware of the right to cancel the contract without penalty. Ask your contractor about it.

You also may request waivers of lien, which release you from liabilities for subcontractors and manufacturers. At the end of the job, ask for a final lien waiver for each person who worked on the project so that you are protected from any third-party debts and obligations. It's also a good idea to ask your contractor for a signed affidavit stating that all contractors have been compensated. You don't want to be legally forced to pay for a job twice because your general contractor didn't make good on his debts. With a lien waiver, you can refer an unpaid subcontractor to the general contractor for payment.

Furthermore, don't allow anything to happen on your property that's not in writing. If you want a change, get a written "change order." Remember, any change -- whether initiated by you or a supplier or vendor -- will cost more money. That's the nature of the game. Every change order should clearly describe what's to be done and how much it will cost. It also should include an estimate of how long it will take to complete the new work and its impact on the production schedule and project time line.

4. Review Licenses, Insurance and Permits

Ask to see the remodeler's license, if your local or state government requires one. However, just seeing it is not enough. It normally won't show expiration or suspension notices. Call the licensing agent to verify the status of the license.

All contractors should have current liability insurance and worker's compensation. The insurance protects employees of the remodeling firm while they're working on your property, so it pays to check it out before you allow possibly uninsured workers to place themselves in hazardous situations in and around your home. If you're still worried about your liability should an injury occur, talk to your insurance carrier and attorney. You may want to adjust your homeowner's coverage during the project.

Also, never allow the work on your home to be done without a legal permit. Permits may cost money and require inspections, but they can save you thousands in the future. In some states, if you have any work done without one and a problem occurs, you're held responsible. Years may go by, but when a tragedy such as a fire happens, you can bet that your insurance agency and the fire marshal will investigate all the causes. If faulty electrical work done during your kitchen remodeling is to blame, the insurance company can refuse to pay the claim if there's no permit on record. This could be disastrous if the entire house burns down. Remember: Nowhere in the home is the possibility of fire more likely than in the kitchen. By obtaining a permit for your remodeling project, you're guaranteeing that a third party will inspect the work to make sure it complies with all safety regulations.

5. Have It Your Way

It's your house and your money. Don't hesitate to ask as many questions as you like about any detail concerning the project. The more information you have, the happier you'll be with the result. This is particularly true when selecting products or figuring out warranty coverage. Find out what's allowed under any warranties and what's forbidden. Many manufacturers won't honor a warranty on an amateur "fix-it" job. To avoid disasters, call your contractor or the manufacturer for guidance.

Make your contractor sign for all deliveries during a job unless you personally ordered the materials or are prepared to be liable for them. Signing for materials is the contractor's responsibility. Imagine what would happen if you signed for an incomplete shipment or the wrong-size floor tiles. That's right, you're responsible for the mistake. Don't take chances. Let your contractor shoulder the burden of tracking down incomplete or damaged orders.

Also, the people you hire to work on your house are in your home. You have every right to tell them not to smoke, play music or curse. You even have the right to tell them where to park and how to store their tools around the place. Of course, you don't want to be unreasonable, but don't be completely put out either. Establish a set of rules before the work begins, and ask the general contractor to enforce them. If he or she doesn't, do it yourself. Include your rules as part of the contract so you have a vantage point from which to operate.

6. Talk the Talk

There's nothing more frustrating than trying to communicate with someone who doesn't speak your language. That is how it can feel, sometimes, when you're trying to talk to someone outside your profession. We all have our own jargon and feel at a disadvantage if we can't use the language of the trade.

Decide how you're going to convey problems to your contractor. Again, if you know how you'll respond if something goes wrong, you won't panic. If you don't handle stress well, someone else in the household should take over the day-to-day communication with the contractor. Maybe your talents could be better spent in the early planning stages and the final decoration.

7. Prepare Yourself Emotionally

Remodeling is stressful. It's hard to deal with the sawdust and noise and constant inconvenience of not having a finished kitchen. At times it will seem like the project is something that's being done to you, rather than for you. But there are ways to ready yourself and your family for the temporary upheaval that could last weeks or even a few months.

Begin by talking to everyone in the family about what's involved. If there will be strangers in the home, let everyone meet them before the project begins. Your house is your most personal asset and your most private retreat. It's essential that you and your family know how to protect it and yourselves before there are unfamiliar faces around the place. Also, plan ahead for those times when the kitchen is off limits. Include a stipend in your budget for restaurant meals and take-out food.

Contractors often talk of what they call the "remodeling curve" -- the wave of ups and downs everyone involved in remodeling goes through. Some days are good (such as when the framing is done) and some days are bad (when it looks as if nothing has happened in days). This is normal. You can stave off the frustration by anticipating it, and you'll feel more in control if you have a plan of action.

-- Ms. Maney is the author of "The Smart Approach to Kitchen Design" (Creative Homeowner, 1998), from which this article was excerpted.

Email your comments to rjeditor@dowjones.com.