Born out of the frustration of the author's own horror stories with contractors and backed by the experience of two decades in the construction and renovation industry, My Home Renovation: What you should know before you hire a home improvement contractor, which was published by AuthorHouse, is the new guide by Plainview resident John J. Girschick.

Home renovation guides are popular, but what distinguishes My Home Renovation from others is the amount of detailed information Girschick provides on the dos and don'ts - including strategies to use and pitfalls to avoid - when hiring a home improvement contractor.

Having worked as an electrician for more than 20 years, Girschick's vast knowledge and experience in the construction industry and as a homeowner gives him this enormous opportunity to exhibit the tools necessary for homeowners to successfully hire a general contractor to renovate their home.

The main goal of the book is to educate homeowners on some of the finer points of hiring a home improvement contractor.

"Plenty of people have told me about a bad incident they have experienced with a contractor, which could have been avoided if the customer had been more informed," said Girschick. "Trashing home improvement contractors is not the intention of this book. In the construction business, you have some good contractors as well as bad. Ask the average homeowner what he or she knows about blueprints, building codes, or home improvement contracts, and I am sure you will not get a lot of answers. This would be similar to someone asking me - an electrician - about investment banking or bond trading. If you're not in the business, then how would you know? Whether I am buying a car or planning to travel, I always do my research prior to making a decision. There is no such thing as getting too much information."

My Home Renovation explains how to successfully hire a contractor, while attempting to minimize the aggravation and disappointment that frequently accompany a great number of home renovations. Girschick discusses points that should be included in every contract and requirements that the contractor should meet before, during and after the project. And he gives homeowners a heads-up on what they should look for before making the final payment. My Home Renovation also chronicles Girschick's personal challenges as a homeowner who has taken on many projects with the help of hired contractors, including one incident that ended in court.

The book is currently available on Amazon.com, borders.com, and bn.com.