More than 50% of American homes were built over 40 years ago. Some of the most valuable real estate in the country is in near-desparate need of serious repairs and renovation, but most homeowners don't have any idea of how to manage this complicated process.

The award-winning book, Homeowner's Guide to Managing a Renovation, written by a woman with over 20 years experience managing home remodels and coaching and teaching homeowners how to do the same, provides both guidance and insight into the project management process so that readers can stay in control and out of trouble while they manage a professional architect and a general contractor.

This book is NOT for do-it-yourselfers. But if you have to open walls, change the roof line, put on an addition, replace major plumbing or electrical systems, or use more than two different trades to complete your plan, you will find Managing a Renovation an invaluable resource. It has over 300 full-color photographs of work in progress, and is full of sidebars with more detail than the main text, in case you want more information.

1. Part 1 describes the project management process and explains when to take each step and why it's important to you.

2. Part 2 provides you with a make-believe project that allows you to practice everything you just learned, make all the decisions yourself, and keep the books -- exactly what you will do once you start spending real money on your own project, but this one won't cost you a dime, even if you make a mistake. Once you have completed this exercise (which is designed to be fun) you ought to be ready to manage your own job like a pro!

Work on The Homeowner's Guide with your partner. When you share an understanding of how the project ought to work, your work will go more smoothly, you will make quicker decisions, have fewer disagreements, and provide moral support for each other if something goes awry along the way.

Use Homeowner's Guide as a workbook. Write in the margains. Fill out the forms. Do the math. Use the contract in Appendix A when you've finished bidding your job and have selected your contractor, because it took me 20 years to perfect it, because it's fair to both parties, and because and it has kept hundreds of my clients safe. Everything you need is there for you.

And finally, if you have a question that is not answered in the book, you can email the author via the book's website. You'll have a professional remodeling coach by your side if you need one.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, go to www.managingarenovation.com