Slow is smooth and smooth is fast

Hi Reader,

We have a saying in our shop: slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.

When you don’t slow down from the very beginning, you tend to make mistakes and you have to do it twice. And there’s no room in the budget for that.

Measure twice, cut once…. Because once you cut it, you can’t uncut it.

Your renovation works exactly the same way.

You get excited to start swinging the hammer. Demo day feels like progress because finally, something's happening.

But if you rush through the planning you’ll pay for it later with things like…

• Pressure from contractors or trades who need a decision NOW
• Additions to the project because you didn’t think about the fact that your new flooring would mean that now you need new baseboards and drywall repair
• Back-ordered materials because they weren’t ordered in advance

None of that is fast. (Or smooth or stress-free.)

The "slow" on a renovation is the unglamorous work you do before anyone picks up a tool:

• Get clear on where you'll stop, not just where you'll start. Think through what your project touches, and how that might add to your to-do list.
• Anticipate the stuff you’ll need in advance (materials, finishes, appliances) so you have it on hand — this avoids delays and pressure-filled decisions.
• Decide on your must-haves vs. your nice-to-haves — it makes those pressure-filled decisions much easier in the moment.

My rule of thumb is pretty simple math: the time you "lose" planning, you get back three times over once the work starts.

Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.

What's the one part of your project you're most tempted to rush? Hit reply and let me know. I read every email.

Till next time,
Gerald