I close on the house, meet the final member of my renovation team, and say a very satisfying good-bye to the HOA. Tomorrow, the real work begins.

Even the best-managed home renovations yank you out of your comfort zone and into a noisy, dirty, stressful reality where strangers suddenly become the most important people in your life. Your home renovation doesn’t have to become a Death Spiral. With the right approach, you can stay in control of your reno—and your sanity.