Plan Your Kitchen Renovation Without the Guesswork
The planning tools I use on projects—simplified for homeowners managing their own renovations.
Most Kitchen Renovations Go Over Budget Because People Skip the Planning
You may not need a designer…
But you do need a system.
These are the tools I use to plan budgets, vet contractors, and stay organized on kitchen projects. I made them simple enough for homeowners who are managing their own renovations but want to approach it professionally.
No fluff. Just the planning tools.
What’s Included:
3-Number Budget Tracker
Your target budget, your realistic budget, and your absolute max. Plus space to track change orders so you know exactly where you stand at any point in the project.
Decision Timeline Planner
A 16-week timeline with every major decision mapped out. You'll know what needs to happen when, so you're not scrambling at the last minute.
Contractor Interview Checklist
The questions to ask when you meet with contractors. What to look for, what's a red flag, and what you need to document.
Contractor Vetting Scorecard
Compare three contractors side-by-side on the things that actually matter: references, timeline, payment terms, warranty, communication style.
3 Email Templates
Pre-written emails you can customize: reaching out to contractors, following up after estimates, and making your final decision.
This Is For You If:
You're planning a kitchen renovation in the next year
You're managing it yourself (not hiring a full-service designer)
You want to feel confident talking to contractors instead of wondering if they're taking advantage of you
You'd rather spend 2-3 hours organizing everything now than waste thousands on mistakes later
Why I Made This
I'm Cristina, and I've been working in interior design for over 20 years—on residential projects, commercial spaces, hospitality design, and design-build teams.
I've taken on different roles depending on the project: sometimes managing, sometimes consulting, sometimes designing while someone else handled the build. Across many of those projects, I kept seeing homeowners (and sometimes even contractors!) make the same mistakes: jumping in without a real budget plan, making rushed decisions, hiring contractors and subcontractors without proper vetting, and having zero documentation when things went wrong.
These tools are what I use (and wish people had used) on kitchen projects. I took out the designer jargon and made them work for homeowners managing their own renovations.
You're not hiring me to design your kitchen. You're getting the planning system I'd use if I were.
Cristina DePina, NCIDQ
Certified Interior Designer | 20+ Years Experience