Hi, I'm Alan Hilsabeck, Jr., registered interior designer and certified master kitchen and bath designer. Today I'm here at the Kitchen Source Showroom in Dallas, Texas. We are going to be talking about do-it-yourself makeovers. Do-it-yourself kitchen makeovers have always been a popular choice in updating or remodeling your kitchen. Like in any other remodel, there are many details to be considered along with pros and cons in taking on a DIY project. We've all watched multiple programs on television and there's even an entire network dedicated to the do-it-yourself projects and those who want to take on this challenge. I am going to share with you my experience and tips on successfully completing a do-it-yourself kitchen project. Using these five easy steps will help guide you along through the process in ending up with the kitchen of your dreams while doing it yourself. The very first step in achieving a successful kitchen project is to hire a design professional. The biggest mistake that most homeowners make is they do not spend the money upfront in hiring that professional, thus costing them equal to if not more money in the end by making costly mistakes. Step two is organization. After watching several of these DIY programs myself, the mistake most homeowners make is lack of organization. Organize everything, from the design material's list, the construction schedule and the budget. Spend time to put everything in a logical order before starting the project. Now, on to step three. Realize your expectations. Do-it-yourself programs that you see on television usually feature do-it-yourselfers that have some sort of experience in the construction business. Now, what I want you to do is I want you to focus on the programs where they don't. This is more of the reality of what to expect. DIY projects have their advantages and create the great "I did it" feeling. Just make sure that you and anyone that's helping you can handle all aspects of remodeling your kitchen. This moves us to step four, planning your project. Plan all aspects of your project before you begin. Make sure that you have all your materials on the job site before you begin the construction process. Also, plan each day and set a milestone for each day so that way by the end of your kitchen project, you will be on schedule and on task. The last step is to always have a construction professional inspect your Work. Even with a DIY project, building codes should still be followed. If you use these five easy steps along with having your construction professional inspect your work, you should also have less stress, be within budget and end up with a beautiful new kitchen to boot. So until next time this is Alan Hilsabeck, Jr., your design professional of Hilsabeck Design Associates here at the beautiful Kitchen Source Showroom in Dallas, Texas. Have a great day.
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