Step One: Assess Your Property's Needs. Prioritize: Check the condition of the wiring, plumbing, foundation and roof (new shingles or complete roof). Keep the current market and location of the property in mind when determining costs and the appropriate amount to invest in repairs. Determine whether you plan to live in the property or sell it. This will help you decide the size of projects, but don't compromise on quality when it comes to materials or hired help. Buy the best you can and stay within budget. Evaluate the floor plan and changes needed to increase property value: extra bathroom, fireplace, garage, interior storage space. Call professionals in the areas you need to bid on jobs you are not qualified to estimate yourself and complete. This is also the time to learn about city and/or county building codes and permitting requirements. Step Two: Now you need to determine what you are qualified to do. This could save you a lot of money if you have the skills and time. Gain knowledge of subcontractors in the area for projects you can't do. Here is an opportunity to hire small business owners. Find out the reputation of local contractors. This can be tricky because it can be very subjective! If possible, stay away from medium-sized companies. They tend to charge more for several reasons. Collection of quotes and/or offers. On larger projects, get written bids and contracts to stay within at least a percentage of the bid, for example: written commitment not to exceed the bid by more than 10%. Many homeowners have been stuck with large home renovation bills due to issuing…half of paper…get the job done all the way, even those little things! Too many times companies can forget those little things and chase big projects. This is another reason to look for smaller, more reputable contractors. Your house is finished now, I hope. You have decided to move or sell. If you are moving, I hope you are happy with your furniture because at this point you are undoubtedly out of funds. Ohwell, another project to look forward to, plan for and budget for! Perhaps you have fixed up this house to sell, perhaps to the family of a son or daughter. Family projects can be very rewarding, if not a little stressful. This was a learning experience for you and I hope you made it through with your sanity intact. I hope this was more rewarding than anything else.