I was sent this link by Maria and I really enjoyed reading this post by James Curry, Executive Editor of Epicurious, who blogs about renovating his kitchen. If you have recently renovated your kitchen, or are planning to, I am sure you will identify with this article. I was recently was asked by a client if their kitchen could be completely re-done in 10 days. Here, we do not have the paperwork issues, but there are other issues. Cooking out of a microwave is not an option and Ranibai refuses to work in a makeshift place !! The design is finalised, and even though we do not have all the appliance options available in other countries, and there is a budget restriction —deciding on a new fridge,chimney,backsplash and flooring is turning out to be a whole project in itself 
This is what James has to share —-
So how’s the kitchen renovation going? S-L-O-W-L-Y. Here’s what I’ve had to face over the last few weeks:
Architect/Contractor Negotiations
I love the folks I am working with but they have questions, lots of questions. Not just: How much can you spend? But also: Do you want an island? (Yes, we want one.) Should the island have electrical outlets? A heat source? Wheels? Internet/TV like in the photo from dvice.com (uh, no thanks). Do you realize that moving plumbing and/or electrical outlets will devour your pathetic budget? And finally, are you prepared to cook exclusively with a microwave for a few months?
Asbestos Testing
It’s going to cost $500 (by far the cheapest rate we could get) to find out if demolition will unearth unspeakable chemicals into the air. Another few grand if the walls are asbestos-filled. Our house was built in 1910. My fingers are crossed. My stomach in knots.
Filing Paperwork
The city government will have to approve our plans. So our architect, Susan Sloan, has drawn the most detailed plans I’ve ever seen; she included shelves, lighting, and even nooks (technically “niches” on the plans). The finished design looks nothing like our existing house (a good thing). Soon, we file and wait for a stamp of approval. Or something like that. It is the beginning of many fun waits, I am assured.
Appliance Indecision
I thought I’d know which brands I wanted by now. Yes, we decided to go with a “French door” fridge, a member of the side-by-side family. We especially liked the CleanSteel GE Appliances 25.0 cu. ft. GSL25JFTBS recommended by Consumer Reports. But now we’re wondering if we should take advantage of one of those buy-a-bunch-of-our-appliances deals and select range, fridge, and microwave from the same company. Or is that a sucker ploy
