1. Be really clear about your budget. Start with a figure that you think you can easily afford and call this the minimum figure. Then decide on an absolute must-include-everything figure that you can afford at a stretch. DONT tell this figure to your kitchen designer; tell them the bottom end figure is what you are aiming for but they should also include a second design idea costing up to x% more in case you get a (fictional) bonus from work in the next month or so.