Not that I'm a pro, but I wanted to give you some tips in 2020.

1) Do homework up front. Before you get quotes, we took measurements and laid out the kitchen how we wanted it. It took 6-8 attempts. 5D Kitchen Design Planner ($6 a month) is all it took us to visualize what we want and to do all the work upfront). All the KDs had to do is fit cabinets within the space. If you don't have this ability, then HIRE a kitchen designer to take care of you. USE THIS HIGHLY EXCELLANT FORUM to get advice! This forum literally designed our kitchen!

2) Get quotes. Don't feel bad if you need 3-5 quotes, but get quotes! Don't go over 3-5 because you're just wasting your (and the KDs) time, but you really need to understand a good range of what you're getting.

4) Things that don't matter: Plywood vs "Furniture board". I just ripped out 30 year old "Furniture board" cabinets. The construction remained 100% perfect. This was a rental house for several house before I moved in as well. Don't pay for what you don't need. And of course, "plywood vs furniture board" is a complex topic where plywood doesn't automatically mean better. Don't get sucked in the trap of cheap Chinese "all wood" cabinets (some cabinet places in your town may press on this fact). It's the construction method that really matters.

• a) Example: Kraftmaid Vantage offers "all plywood" construction. Must be better, right? But these are "stock sized" cabinets. Would you rather have plywood construction and be stuck only with factory cabinets that fit with weird sizes here and there? Would you be rather stuck with their "all or nothing" slat vs shaker door styles where you don't have a choice if you wanted a shaker top row if your top row is smaller? Keep in mind the trade-offs.

5) Things that don't matter #2: Having sanded dovetails. This is a sales tactic. You are not going to feel your dovetails every time you open a drawer, so who gives a crap. Some of the nicer brand cabinets don't sand their dovetails. Some of the cheaper brands do. Don't get trapped just on this one thing, it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

6) Get a couple "stock" cabinet quote (name brand stuff) and get a couple "custom" cabinet quote. Compare the DESIGNS of both. We found with a "stock" cabinet quotes that we had some weird spaces, and we had some really skinny cabinets. We also found that for our 8' ceilings that a custom quote gave our wall cabinets an automatic upgrade of 39" over the standard 36" height. This is a big difference when looking at the entirety of the kitchen. Paying a little extra to get rid of weird spaces and to expand other spaces is highly worth it. Don't just pick the cheapest, pick the best for your space!

7) Don't quote and run. If you walk in somewhere, not knowing what wood and door style you want and just quote something "mid range", ask about the other styles and wood options when you get your quote. Take notes. You may be surprised to find that what you picked out was +18% over what you we really wanted and you may be blowing off your best choice place! Ask them for the breakdown % of the options so that you have an accurate mental model of what that current place can do for you. If you are not going with someone, please return them the favor and thank them for their time. Don't ghost!

8) In 2020, I know of NO other way around this one, but you will need to budget 40-50% of your remodel on cabinets. The only other way around this is Ikea or Barker Cabinets. Wood prices are currently through the roof. Cabinet places are swamped, and they don't necessarily need your business. Just be prepared when you start looking.

9) Don't cheap out on things that matter. Get the counter top that you want. It makes a huge difference in the end. Get the accessories that you truly need and would use daily. These are a very small percentage of your bill, so feel free to adjust accordingly. An undermount sink is generally the same price nowadays, and installing it is pennies on the dollar. Don't cheap out on highly functional improvements!

10) Solid wood (dovetail) drawers are a must. If the cabinet brand you are looking at does not come standard with this, then they are typically considered a "low end" cabinet. If you have to upgrade the construction, get real wood drawers. ALL of my drawer faces have been repaired on my 1990s cabinets (without dovetails, particle) have been repaired, so get the dovetail. Also in relation to this point, be aware that a budget line with these must-have upgrades can significantly increase your cost to where you could have gone with a mid-grade line and got it standard. Take a look at (2) to help with this.

11) Prepare for an 8-10 week lead time once you order. This is pretty standard. It may have always been standard, but I can guarantee it is standard right now.

12) DON'T start demo until you have cabinets en-route. Good KDs will tell you of an install date. Get this date first, then build up a plan to work backward. Plan, plan, and plan. Create a planner board.

13) Review these guidelines in detail and never look back. Some "KDs" have no problem breaking these rules and we had one that did it without any reason! Some rules are meant to be broken, but make sure you are fully aware of these design standards. This is a really good way to way to help entrust who you are working with. http://starcraftcustombuilders.com/kitchen.design.rules.htm

14) Aisle spacing seems to be a common question that comes up. 42-48" is what you need. Mark out a 42" and a 48" space for you an your S/O, then pretend to work in the space, whilst also being aware of your appliances. WE personally felt that 42" was minimum, 48" maximum, so anywhere in the range we personally would be happy with for a 2-cook kitchen. Be very focused on what trade-offs would occur with a 42" aisle, and what trade-offs would occur with a 48" aisle. Anything smaller than 42" is unpopular and is breaking standards.

15) Framed vs Frameless. I personally have zero opinion on this. I don't think it truly matters in the grand scheme of things for a medium-sized kitchen.