Another part of her success is her relationships with her subcontractors.  Katherine knows which one is going to come the minute she calls, and which one goes off the clock at 3 p.m.  She’s learned when one says he’ll finish on Monday to tell the homeowner Thursday.

"The key is scheduling correctly.  I don’t want to start a kitchen job unless I know the cabinets are going to be ready when they’re needed," she says.  "I really try to keep it going – not rush – but everyone knows what’s expected."

Katherine says most people choose renovation because they like their neighborhood, and they don’t want to move.