Sometimes the homeowners have already consulted an architect or a draftsman when they call her.  If they haven’t, she can make suggestions, but until she has drawings, she can only make ballpark guesses on the cost.  With plans in hand, she arranges for her subcontractors to look at the job.  "They have to see it," she says.  "I don’t like guesswork."

Once she receives their quotes, she compiles them into a contract that includes her percentage and presents it to her clients.  "My contracts are detailed; I list every outlet,” she says. "That way we’re all covered.  I’m not the cheapest or the most expensive, but I charge fairly.  They may not use me, but they like my contracts."

The bidding process can take up to three weeks, and Katherine does not charge for her, often, four-page contracts.  She’s philosophical: "Some jobs you get, some you don’t.  If you don’t get it, you weren’t meant to get it.  You move on to the next one.  You don’t expect to get them all."