potential buyers! Paint your interior doors and door trim, and if dated or damaged then replace door knobs or doors altogether. New carpets and vinyl flooring make the house look clean and bright. Replace light fixtures if they are damaged or dated.

Remove most of your belongings - empty closets look larger than full ones! You should also remove most family photos and personal items.

Carry out a few big renovations that are must-dos (both interior and exterior). Focus on the front exterior of home, entry hall, bathrooms and kitchen; paint exterior, replace front door, exterior lights, front landscaping.

Paint bathrooms and the kitchen, possibly add a new toilet, vanity and sink in bathroom, depending on the condition of existing ones. Maybe also replace flooring. Unfortunately many of the changes in the kitchen are big and expensive; painting or refacing cabinets is sometimes manageable. Install new linoleum or vinyl flooring depending on what is in the kitchen already. Add new cabinet knobs if current ones are dated, and maybe a new countertop depending on the cost. Replace your appliances if current ones are damaged or dated.

Let us know your top tips to getting your home ready to sell!

house all put together...Its taken over a year to get what I want in this ONE room...of course you guessed it...my craft room. Soon I can post pictures of it..I do have the paint done, the carpet done, I have purchased the items mostly for organizing it, finally bought the OLD studio desk I have been wanting (wanted something I could repurpose and found it last week but we had to take it apart to even get it through the door!) but hopefully within a month will have my craft room ready.

EDITED HERE>>>>I think there were some things I added into the design that I had never seen (secret access to things like the side door on the cupboards above the fridge...I also have an opening in the living room (unobtrusive) to access the back corner of one of teh cabinets...and I extended the cabinet under the sink looks like a tiny cabinet added but really just more storage inside! I also designed the full wall unit to almost look like a built in..and made it so I could enclose my microwave and have roll out drawers on the bottom...those little things I just loved! Then my contractors wife stole my idea of the beadboard pannelling in their home and I loved that too!

What do you think? Am I doing ok with keeping control? Compare them to the ones 2 years ago I posted before....start here and you can click the button on the bottom and can see it as a slideshow..course this is only kitchen living room so far..will do the others and add to this later to see some True before pictures go here http://www.hometalk.com/cottageatheart#90748...

In this article, we will address one of those common questions: Is there a difference between a design-build remodeling contractor and a new home construction contractor?

New home construction builders use architects and/or "stock" plans and new home contractors to build your home. If an architect is involved, he/she usually imposes a personal style onto the design and develops the concept drawings and plans on paper. Most architects are not builders – they can conceptually draw the plans, but it takes a quality builder to see the architect's plans and know if the concepts can be transformed into practical, effective solutions without costly alterations during the project. What works on paper doesn't always convert smoothly to the building process. Also, having more "cooks in the kitchen" can cause confusion, a loss of the client's vision, and unclear communications, all areas which lead to significant disappointment during the process of a remodel or addition.

When done right, remodeling design is thoughtful and complex. Designing a new home easily allows you the opportunity to trade square footage and budget between bathrooms, kitchens and other rooms in your home. If you want a larger kitchen, you can add the square footage to the kitchen and decrease the square footage in your dining room, for instance. Quality remodelers know how to reconfigure rooms to fit in your existing home by utilizing the space to its maximum potential.

Jeff Titus explains, "Many people don't realize that there is a lot more involved in remodeling a home than new construction. When remodeling, there are several factors you need to contend with, such as taking precautions for safety and cleanliness when the home is occupied, working with conditions that are not square or plumb, matching existing materials such as tile, flooring and moldings, and creating designs that will enhance the home as if the new renovation was always there. When moldings need to be matched and suppliers no longer carry the product, Titus Built mills the molding to match the existing detail. When a tile type is no longer sold off the shelf, we contact our suppliers to find a match. It takes years of experience and connections to products and subcontractors to produce fine quality renovations."

clearing up at the end you can save the amount of time contractors are in your home for.

- What quality materials do you want to use? Marble and hardwood floors are beautiful, but you will pay a high price for them! There are many lower cost, great looking materials available.

- Will you reface your appliances and cabinets or replace them altogether? Giving your appliances and cabinets a makeover with some new siding and a fresh coat of paint can make them look as good as new - and save you money!