The Kitchen Consultant: A Common-Sense Guide to Kitchen Remodeling

Over the past two years, my wife has purchased about every kitchen remodeling book there is (at least a dozen) and I've read every one. "The Kitchen Consultant" is clearly the best of the bunch if you're looking for practical, useful information about the many options and decisions that come with kitchen remodeling. This book is NOT a kitchen design book and it is NOT loaded with beautiful kitchen photos (there are some drawings), and it is NOT a do-it-yourself remodeling manual, but it does what none of those kinds of books (at least that I've seen) do---it clearly explains how to find and work with a good kitchen designer, how to find, evaluate and work with a professional remodeler, and how to make informed choices about things like lighting, ventilation, cabinets, countertops, sinks, flooring, and appliances (there are chapters on each of those categories). This book is obviously written by someone who knows his subject intimately (the author is a professional kitchen remodeler with 20 years of experience) and is able to present all the information it in a clear, organized, and easy to read manner. Reading this book is like having a friend who is an experienced contractor come over and help you not only sort out all your options, but also give you his professional opinion and point out some things you may not have considered, but should.The Kitchen Consultant helped us to make a lot of decisions. For example, it settled a long standing dispute my wife and I have had about the kind of refridgerator we should buy.

This book is written from a contractor's perspective, and is an excellent overview of the remodeling process. There is great advice on hiring contractors, selecting materials, and otherwise surviving the remodeling of your kitchen. The book is very detailed, and gives some shrewd "insider" tips.However, there are two groups of readers who may be disappointed by this book. If you are designing your kitchen and are at the dreaming stage, you may not be ready for this book. While there are suggestions on material selection, the advice is not given from a design perspective. The book I recommend is Better Homes and Gardens "Kitchens: Your Guide to Planning and Remodeling."This book may also be disapointing to do-it-yourselfers. Since the author is a contractor, he is not encouraging of this approach. If you are uncertain whether you can handle the work, he gives solid advice regarding the potential pitfalls. If you are definitely doing the work yourself, you are better served picking up a Time-Life type book.

This book describes the advantages and disadvantages of all the choices you have when remodelling a kitchen: cabinets, countertops, sinks, flooring, appliances, lighting, ventilation, windows/doors, plumbing, etc. The author is practical and is not shy about telling you when the expensive choices are not the best, and which materials are hardest to maintain. Note that this is not a design book, and so has no pictures. For that, I recommend the "Big Book of Kitchen Design Ideas" by Tina Skinner.

Of all the books I purchased to page through while remodeling my kitchen, this is the one I go back to time and again. I haven't had a question yet that this book has not answered. The best investment I have made thus far in my kitchen project

This is an excellent book to begin with when you're considering a kitchen remodeling project, whether you want to do it yourself or hire a professional. The author summarizes all the steps in such a project, from designing and hiring a contractor, to the specifics of materials and appliance selection. He also points you to the best resources when you need more information about specific issues. A good starting point!