And to make it more kitchen-related, this week the kitchen framing will be completed and I will order my kitchen cabinetry. Lots and lots of stuff to panic about there ;-)

I am 5 weeks into an addition/remodel and still have the rock in the stomach feeling. I am questioning all my decisions - layout, cabinet brand/color, appliance color, need to find an eat-in table, will the knobs look like I envision? We just put a deposit on soapstone Monday and that decision is eating at me.

I took the kids to the playground today and we flew a kite and played in the sand. It was nice to remember what I used to do before spending every minute thinking about the kitchen.

We are building our "forever" kitchen. I just hope there isn't something I'll wish I did differently for the next 20 years. Its hard, isn't it?

I just figured it out. The panic stops when you've run out of money. Because then its too late to change anything.

I panic nearly every day - and every time when I take out my tape measure or go over the plans I have found that my panic is completely unfounded - and yet I still have that moment of panic!

(like I had earlier today with my countertop on my island)

Please tell me this is normal and that it will go away at some point .....

ABout 6 months after it's complete. I say 6 months, because even once it's complete, every time you hear a new noise, you're going to panic that the "settling" and "adjusting" are going to somehow throw things out of whack.

You'll be fine. So long as you trust your contractor, settle back, and let him do his job. That's what you hired HIM for-- to have the sleepless nights!! :-)

I really hated having to make every decision, it was so stressful. I was acting as my own GC, but I had used all the contractors on other jobs before, so I knew they were up to the job. Still there were dozens of questions everyday and tons of doubts about my Ikea cabinets (I used their installer) and lack of a lighting plan and whatever other type of plan.

In the end everyone was impressed with the Ikea cabinets and my design. I do wish I had listened to the electrician when he said I'd want outlets on new pony walls (in space adjoining the kitchen), but at that point I was so stressed out about making decisions that I had shingles. I also wish I had updated the electrical service panel, it is adequate, but completely full. By the time the electrician suggested that, I was so concerned about the budget I had shingles!

One thing I know, you don't want shingles, so try not to get too stressed out!

I stopped panicking (er... stopped panicking MUCH ;) when I realised that even if things DID "go wrong" it was going to be more-or-less ok despite. Things aren't perfect - and they won't be. But I LOVE my part-finished new kitchen, despite the little fudges here and there it looks (and, more importnatly, functions) GREAT and, even though I still feel slightly queasy when I think about the money we're spending, I KNOW that our quality of life is improving so significantly from the extra space we've opened up in our attic and our WAY WAY WAY more useable kitchen-dining room space that, come what may, it's worth it.

Remind me I posted this when the next glitch occurs, 'k?!

so whats wrong with a little panic??? :) Its a major investment and you spent a great deal of time thinking about it.

AND a healthly amount of rechecking is just fine because everyone once in awhile it turns up somehting you can fix. I.E. I orderd my SS backsplash for behind my stove. I checked the measurements with my cabinet guy, with my contractor. I searched for the perfect size and finally found one and had my local applicance store (very reliable) order it. It came before anything else and I checked it off my list. One night I sat straight up in bed and thought "I think the package label said a different size than I ordered. and then thought nope the cabinet guy and the contractor both saw the package and did not say anyting. BUT I got up and checked it anyway and sure enough wrong size. I got it traded in time not to hold anyone up.

Round about the same time I went and looked at the markings for the new lighting fixures (also in the middle of the night) which two people also checked and they were just plain wrong.

Everytime I checked something else after that with my contractor he just smiled and said "better now than later"

And don't worry -- I finished my kitchen a month ago and the panic is completely gone. So know I am getting up the nerve to redo my living and bedroom.

Good luck.! You'll love it in the end.