Be prepared: Your motto for a successful remodel

Remodeling your home can definitely be an exhilarating undertaking. A new look, new space, new colors, new fixtures -- it's all very exciting! It's also all very disruptive. When you are remodeling, whether you're doing the work yourself or having professionals do it for you, your entire lifestyle is disrupted for days, weeks, even months at a time. It may not seem like that big of a deal before you start, but until you live through a remodeling, especially a major one, you have no idea just how stressful the entire process can be. So, before the first nail is driven, take some time to get yourself, your family, and your home prepared, and you'll find it a little easier to cope. With a remodeling of any size, there are two things you need to know up front so you can successfully plan around them -- what will be disrupted, and how long will that disruption last? If you are having a contractor do the work, they should be able to provide you with a detailed schedule that answers both the...