If you decide to tackle your own remodeling project, here are some planning tips:

1.     Understand what is involved. Get an overall sense of the project and what skills you will you need to complete it. Will you have to work with electrical or plumbing? What resources -- friends, neighbors, reference books -- can you tap into for help?

2.     Plan out the project. A project should follow a sequence. There are many references available that provide estimates of what step to take first and how long a typical project will take. Use those estimates as a guide, but add on a day or two to cover unexpected delays. Also, if the project required working outdoors, consider the weather in any schedule you prepare.

3.     Make a list of materials to buy. How heavy are the materials and can they all fit in your vehicle?

4.     Consider whether the project can be spread out over time. If you plan to work on the project in spurts over several weeks, think about how it will affect your daily routine. If you are replacing the only shower in the house, you will face a hardship if the project lingers on. If you are adding drywall in the basement, you can leave the mess and go back to it at your leisure.

5.     Take a look at your finances. Estimate the cost of the project. How much will the materials cost? Will there be delivery charges or related fees? Decide how you will pay for it -- through savings or a deferred payment plan at a home improvement store, for example.