Hire a pro- Good architects, designers and contractors will add to the initial cost of the project, but can save you money and frustration in the long run. There experience will help you find design pitfalls early that can cause budget and timeline creep later. So how do you find a good architect or contractor? The best way is through word of mouth and referrals. Talk to your friends to see if any of them recently used either and if they were happy with the results. Local builders can also provide referrals. Another great source can be your local parade of homes or home builders association.

Design Fees and Contractor Costs - Most large scale remodeling projects will require the services of a professional interior designer, architect or contractor. Insist that each bid include a detailed propose on the scope of the work. Do some analysis to determine if the fees are comparative when you shop for rates. The bargain rate firm may leave you with the clean-up and finishing work. The pricier bid may include oversight costs that you can do yourself. Be sure you are comparing apples to apples when reviewing the bids.

Planning is Key- Like any significant project, planning is a key to success. Take the time early in the project to spend the quality time needed to make informed decisions ahead of time. Be sure to adequately review bids from contractors and don't select a contractor just because they are the lowest cost provider or are available immediately when you need them. Do your homework. Choose the design materials carefully to avoid costly changes later.

Develop Goals- Develop cost and timeline goals and stick to them as much as possible. Breaking the remodeling project down into smaller elements makes it easier to estimate the costs and manage the timeline later.

Helping Hand- Stay involved and pitch in where you can. By removing old fixtures, cabinets or doing other clean-up work you can save on the overall remodeling project. If capable, do some of the final finishing work yourself to also drive down the costs. Painting, touch up or installing faucets or other fixtures yourself can keep you within budget and give you the satisfaction of knowing you did some of the work yourself. Check out these great painting tips at the Pleasure of Paint - an exerpt from Barbara K's book on Room for Improvement: Change Your Home! Enhance Your Life! With Tools, Tips, and Inspiration from Barbara K!

Design Choices and Customizations- Using custom cabinetry, windows, doors or other products can quickly drive the costs up for any remodeling project. This is one of the area where you can exercise a great deal of control over the remodeling costs. A standard window at your local home improvement store may cost $300, but a custom-sized window will cost at least double. Some elements of the project will need to be site specific and possibly customized. But some product categories - such as windows, doors and cabinetry - offer a wide variety of standard or semi-custom choices. Adding your own trim or embellishments later may make these standard choices look customized.

Stick to the Plan- Don't let yourself get side tracked. For example, if you are painting your bedroom and you discover that the adjoining bathroom paint now looks dingy, don't get side tracked. Schedule the bathroom paint upgrade for another weekend. The desire to add or change along the way will be tempting and may prove irresistible. If your remodeling projects stick to the original plan, most would finish on time and within budget.