503-632-8801
FREE KITCHEN REMODELING E-BOOK!
The New Kitchen E-book by Diane Plesset will help you overcome almost everything that’s keeping you from achieving a great new kitchen. You may feel alone, separated by circumstances, believing that there isn’t enough money to remodel your kitchen. You may believe that you have to design and do all the work yourself, or you may feel overwhelmed with all of your choices. Although no one can wave a magic wand to have thousands of dollars appear magically in your bank account, the good news is that there are things — many things! — that you can do now to help you prepare for a better future. There is hope!
THE NEW KITCHEN E-BOOK WILL HELP YOU
Hope is something to look forward to, no matter what life is like now. Thinking about and planning for a better future that includes achieving your dreams is the best thing you can do proactively to make today and tomorrow better. Hope will become your reality as you read my New Kitchen E-book, “THE Survival Guide: Kitchen Remodeling.” It contains the how-to’s that will lead you to believe that you can have the kitchen of your dreams. Yes, you can achieve your dreams.
It’s normal to have dreams and goals. To make these realities, we often need help. That’s what this new E-book offers! Help and Hope.
We have to work to make our dreams and goals a reality. But we have to work smarter, not harder. Diane believes that when we have the right tools, our efforts are easier. That’s why this book gives you real-life methods you can use. You’ll feel satisfaction along the way, knowing that you’re making progress towards your goal.
Most of us have wishes and aspirations that include living in a home that expresses our unique lifestyle. Working in a kitchen that really works. Functional and safe as well as beautiful. Enjoying the company of family and friends when we entertain.
Diane believes it is possible to achieve our dreams, but it does often require tradeoffs. She wants to help you in every way humanly possible. Nothing gives her greater joy than knowing that a family still enjoys the kitchen she created with them, whether it’s last year or 27 years ago.
WHAT’S INSIDE
THE Survival Guide: Kitchen Remodeling is 90 pages, broken into 10 sections:
1. Kitchen Remodeling Surveys to help you pre-select and prioritize what features you want
2. Investment and Budget information, including 3 sample spreadsheets for good-better-best projects
3. Designing Your Kitchen includes a breakdown of the design process so you know what’s involved
4. Design Professionals: Classifications and Fee Structures, to assure that you have options
5. Detailed Plans and Hints has a sample kitchen plan with elevations and specifications; there are also virtual-reality perspectives so you can see what the proposed kitchen looks like
6. How to Find a Qualified Designer; this is where many homeowners make a mistake
7. Hiring and Working With a Designer, to make the process easier for everyone
8. Kitchen Remodeling Construction, to help you to communicate about your project
9. Finding and Working With a Contractor; this is the biggest problem for many homeowners
10. Kitchen Remodeling Legal Information; how to avoid serious problems that can occur
“Emotional Rollercoaster” is one of the funny illustrations in THE Survival Guide: Kitchen Remodeling E-book.
BOOK EXCERPT
The “Might-as-Well” Factor
“We didn’t actually overspend our budget. The allocation simply fell short of our expenditure.”(Keith Davis)
It’s human nature to want more than we can really afford. The American culture and economy is driven by advertising and trends. It’s very easy to justify an investment in luxury items, “We’re only going to do this once, so we might as well get . . .” It’s okay to splurge on one or two top- priority items, if there’ s a willingness to make tradeoffs. But if the “might-as-well” argument is applied to everything we think we want, and don’ t keep track of the investments logically, our target budget is meaningless. How many times have you heard, “Remodeling (building) always takes twice as long and costs twice as much.” You CAN be in charge of your investment! Designers have a responsibility to be the voice of reason — not to tell you what you can or can’t afford, but to offer questions like, “How much value is this (……) really going to add to your home?”
CASE STUDY (shared by a contractor): Homeowners had decided not to hire a designer to freshen up their kitchen with new countertops, backsplashes, and flooring. They were on the fast track for many mistakes (+$$$). Friends and family members could give advice, but it wasn’t the same as reasonable advice from an experienced professional who knew suppliers and showrooms.They fell in love with imported glass tile for their backsplash. After their project was finished, they discovered the same tile at a local “to the trade only” supplier that would have saved them time and money. Like most of us, they didn’t know what they didn’t know.
You have completed the Surveys, and have read the “Good-Better-Best” philosophy and spreadsheets. Now it’s time to gather product information and pricing for your project. By this time, you have ideas about changing your kitchen. What do you want and why? How do you want your kitchen to look, feel., and function? But if you’re still concerned about your investment and are concerned about what a contractor will tell you, there’s a quick way to calculate a guesstimate. Please read on . . .
“When you change one thing in your life, you will discover it is hitched to everything else in the world.”
(Dr. Nelson Clements)
EXCELLENT RESOURCE!
Read this before you begin. This was the best of 5 books I purchased on Amazon to give me an idea of what to expect in a remodeling project and how to approach it. If you’ve never been through a remodel (like me), this is an excellent resource to help you understand (i) all the different people you’ll need to coordinate and what they might charge, (ii) how to approach a budget, and (iii) just how much things really cost. The case studies also prepare you for the emotional upheaval that likely will ensue in such a large endeavor. Buy this book if you want to be prepared! It’s a very interesting read, besides. (J. Doyle)
GREAT GUIDE FOR REMODELING!
I have had 2 homes built and am an electrician so I am familiar with construction. I wish I had had this book when I built my houses. It gives such good guidance. It lays out scenarios, discusses the pro and cons of things like doing the work/design your self vs. paying someone, gives good examples to think about. (Pacifica)
FROM DREAMING TO REALITY!
This book was recommended to me by a construction project manager when I asked about the possibility of remodeling our home. This book helped my husband and me to figure out what we wanted to do with our home, what was really important to us, and how we should go about accomplishing our remodeling project. It took us from the “dreaming” stage to the “reality” stage. The book has a great questionnaire, with detailed descriptions of the items in question, that my husband and I took separately, then we compared our ideas and desires for our home. (A. Cleve)
About the Author
I’ve been interested in architecture and creative hobbies ever since I was in grade school. Pursuing a creative career didn’t become a reality until the early ’80s when my husband suggested that I take interior design and art classes at a local college. While finishing the course that included architectural drafting, kitchen and bath design, and lighting design, I worked with a contractor who specialized in kitchen and bath remodeling. That’s all it took! While working with the contractor, I was frustrated to hear previous remodeling horror stories from homeowners. Most of their problems could be avoided, if only they had knowledge about remodeling. I wanted to make a difference for homeowners. That’s when I established D. P. Design in 1984. In 1985, I started teaching classes for homeowners through the local Park & Rec. Department. I prepared detailed handouts for every class. Everyone who attended was excited to learn the hints, how-to’s, and tips that I offered, and appreciated the information I gave in the handouts. 99% of them said, “You should turn these handouts into a book!” Research proved that there wasn’t a book like the one I intended, so I embarked on a 5-year journey to write, edit, and publish “THE Survival Guide: Home Remodeling.” My assistant dogged me to submit it to the North American Book Dealers Exchange to help with our marketing efforts. I was shocked to win their Pinnacle Award for Best How-to Book. It’s been a wonderful journey up to this point. Everything has changed drastically since I entered the kitchen-bath design business. People need honest, ethical, caring service providers now more than ever. That’s why I’m here, and that’s why I created “THE Survival Guide: Kitchen Remodeling.” Order your FREE copy now!
Wishing you success in everything you do,
Diane Plesset,
CMKBD, C.A.P.S., NCIDQ
D. P. DESIGN
OTHER BOOK
Diane Plesset won the NABE “Pinnacle Award” for best how-to book. “THE Survival Guide: Home Remodeling” was compiled from notes she provided to homeowners who attended her seminars and classes. Nearly 100% of the attendees suggested that she write a book to help more homeowners. After extensive research that took almost five years, she added information about products, remodeling investments, and created an extensive glossary (over 800 terms!). The new E-books contain portions of the original book, plus updated technical and investment information to help homeowners.
NEW BOOK COMING SOON!
THE Survival Guide: Kitchen Remodeling
Product Guide – Glossary
You’ve just ordered the FREE new E-book about how to prepare for a kitchen remodeling. Soon you can complete the set with the upcoming E-book containing a 45-page Illustrated Product Guide and a 33-page Glossary (over 800 construction terms defined!).
Diane Plesset, CMKBD, C.A.P.S., NCIDQ D. P. Design
Greater Portland, Oregon Area (United States)
Call Today: 503-632-8801
Send an Email: diane@dp-design.com