The television is filled with shows about renovating your house these days. Contractors are at work everywhere, it seems. Americans became “homebodies” after September 11, 2001, and that has led to some of the home renovation frenzy. But it can be a real hassle. Sometimes you have to move out of your home while the construction happens, and – if you don’t move out – it’s a lot to live with while the work is being done. The prices can get out of control, as well, especially if you let the project get out of control. So, keep the project small and keep it on schedule. If a contractor says a job will be finished by a certain date, make sure it happens. And add language into the contract that says what the contractor will do for you if the project runs long. Also, ask for the last 10 jobs done by the contractor, along with the start and end date. And call the people on the reference list. Ask them if the work was done on time, how it was handled and what - if anything – went wrong. Also, don’t think you’re doing the improvements to increase the value of your home. Research has shown that this doesn’t work. So, do it for aesthetic value because you will like living there.