Lessons Learned: Surviving Construction

*Consider demolishing the space in phases. For this renovation, the contractors worked hard to attack the kitchen in phases so the family could keep functioning elements of their kitchen for as long as possible.

*Be accessible to the contractor for choices that need to be made on the spot. The contractors for this project were able to communicate easily with the homeowners because someone was always available.

*Like the hand-painted backsplash in the kitchen, custom work takes longer and costs more, so plan for it. But the advantage of custom work is that it also allows for easier fixes of problems such as size and layout concerns.