“It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.” To the two couples who worked at Main Line Kitchen Design.
Bob and Jenny Smart and Craig and Lisa Novetta began thinking about renovating their kitchen in late June.
[Note – Ladies and Gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent]
The Smarts began reading kitchen cabinet dealer reviews online, looking at kitchen photos on the website Houzz.com and Pinterest, and evaluating the styles and colors others had chosen. The Nowbettas wanted to move things. You think you can save money. They dismantled the kitchen themselves to get a ‘sense of space’. Lisa Nowvetta started working on her designs using software she found online.
About a week later, the Smarts completed a survey of kitchen designers and furniture vendors.
Based on the reviews they read, they placed their first booking with Main Line Kitchen Design. Inside the Nowvetta family, Craig Nowvetta, recovering from an electric shock and a few stitches, finished wrecking the kitchen, and Lisa continued experimenting with different layouts in her free online software.
Progress of Lisa and Craig
About a month after starting the kitchen project, the Smarts completed a preliminary kitchen design in collaboration with one of the designers at Mainline Kitchen Design, and they were commissioned by Mainline Kitchen Design and a neighbor-recommended contractor. I was waiting for a quote for
The Nowbettas were having trouble getting contractors to bid on their project.
They thought they knew why contractors got such bad reviews. What the Nouvettas did not understand was that contractors were reluctant to take risks on projects with such rudimentary and imperfect designs as Lisa had created.
By mid-August, the Smarts had selected a contractor and finalized plans for their beautiful kitchen. Intellectuals were surprised that the construction estimate turned out to be too high. The contractor they hired took a deposit and said work could begin when the cabinets were ready for delivery. Then, using printouts of Lisa’s designs, Mr. and Mrs. Nowvetta began obtaining cabinet prices from various showrooms and home centers.
School started in September and the smarts had already ordered cabinets, appliances, countertops and flooring.
The start date was October 1st. The Nowbettas realized that the kitchen design center had serious problems with Lisa’s design. The project turned out to be more expensive than planned and the family still lived in the construction area. Dan was also frustrated when his new car got dented in the Loews parking lot.
On October 1, construction of Smarts began on schedule. The Nowbettas were still confused, struggling to solve kitchen design problems or find cabinet lines and door styles that they could afford. They turned to online to find a well-respected local furniture store and design firm and contacted Main Line Kitchen Design.
A few months into the project, the Knowbettas found themselves where the Smarts were in early July.
Main Line Kitchen Design measured the space they demolished over three months ago, worked on the design, and provided detailed pricing for the project. The good news is that our new kitchen design turned out to be more beautiful and functional than anything we bought at the home improvement store. Above all, the cost of cabinets has become cheaper. Luckily, Main Line Kitchen Design told me that the estimate for the installation could have been cheaper, but they knew the contractor and did a good job. By November he had the Knowbetta design completed and the cabinet ordered. Their contractor was scheduled to begin construction after Thanksgiving.
On Thanksgiving Day, both families had a completely different holiday.
Family and friends enjoyed a great meal in Smarts new kitchen. Praises were pouring in, and the Smarts had a great Thanksgiving holiday. The Nowbetta family traveled to enjoy a vacation with out-of-town families. After nearly five months without a kitchen, we didn’t expect construction to be complete until early January, so it was a nice respite.
In the end, both families got great kitchens, but had completely different experiences.
Every kitchen designer knows that the first person to complete a kitchen is never the one to start from scratch. They are the ones who did the most planning before they started.
We look forward to providing you with smart kitchens and of course. . .
bon appetite!
Paul, Julie, Chris, Ed, Lauren, Jeremy, Camilla, Juliet, Mark
Below are some related blogs to read before starting your kitchen renovation.
Why not buy cabinets from a kitchen contractor?
The IKEA Effect: A Phenomenon That Drives Kitchen Designers Insane!
