An indispensable quick-check guide to saving money and headaches during home renovations Lured by skyrocketing real estate values, more Americans than ever are renovating their homes. Some have had some experience with home renovations. Many are trying their hands at it for the first time. Most are totally unprepared for the thousand-and-one pitfalls, screw-ups, and headaches that can plague a home improve project, including runaway costs, unscrupulous suppliers and contractors, arcane building codes, and more. Written by America's #1 source of real estate know-how, Home Renovation Checklist is an indispensable guide to navigating the renovation process and keeping costs, time, and headaches involved to a minimum. Modeled after Irwin's bestselling Home Buyer's Checklist, this book is packed with hundreds of checklist questions (and answers) covering every detail of any home improvement project, including: Budgeting costs Dealing with contractors Obtaining financing Determining whether or not to do all or part of the renovations themselves