Editor's note: Barry Courter has a 25-year-old son who is a college graduate and a 21-year-old daughter who is a junior in college.
Q: Dad, you've done a lot of remodeling projects. What is your best tip?
A: Hire someone to do it. Second best tip is to have a plan that includes having all of your finished materials -- trim, appliances, fixtures, whatever, on hand so you don't leave a space for a 36-inch piece, for example, when what you actually buy is 35 inches. Plan on it taking much longer than you think it will. The last piece of advice is not be intidimated. It's like eating an elephant. One bite at a time, but you can do it.