Invest in Your Kitchen

Stick to Your Budget

• Stick to the plan. While it’s tempting to have your contractor do something else while he’s handy, like adding undercabinet lighting, anything that’s not specified in the original contract will be added to the final bill. Painting kitchen walls with bright colors can add excitement to the room and provides an inexpensive way to reflect your personal style. The same holds true for changing cabinet hardware.
• Keep a reserve. Decide the upper limit of what you can spend, and then decrease that amount by 20%. That way you’ll have enough to cover unexpected change orders, such as updating old plumbing or wiring that’s not up to current building codes.
• Just say “no.” It’s easy to change your mind and think, “A little extra expense on this one lighting fixture won’t matter,” but that’s how people go over budget.