If experience is the best teacher, then Gene and Katie Hamilton are extremely well-educated in the process of home remodeling. They’ve remodeled 14 homes over the past 30 years - all of them their own. They’ll share the “tragedies and triumphs” of the home remodeling process during three presentations scheduled for Sunday, May 7, at the New Home and Remodeling Show & Tour at Norfolk’s Scope Exhibition Hall.

At noon, they’ll present “Fix it and flip it,” a presentation that offers advice to residential investors about finding and evaluating property, red flags to look for and improvements and repairs that pay back -- whether you’re going to live in it or sell it.

At 2 p.m. they’ll present “Improve, don’t move” where they offer sage advice about how to decide what improvements add value.

At 4 p.m., it’s “Kitchen and bathroom remodeling,” offering inside information about redefining space, knowing the location of critical elements and making a doable game plan.

A major focus of their presentations will be the cost versus the value of home improvement projects. They’ll also discuss when you should “do it yourself” and when you should hire it done. “For example, you could refinish your own floors, but you probably shouldn’t,” says Katie. “You can do a lot of damage if you don’t know what you’re doing.” The Hamiltons have been writing a syndicated column, “Do it yourself - or not” since 1987 and have since authored over 20 books on home remodeling.

Their first “For Dummies” book, Home Improvement for Dummies, was published in 1998. In all, they’ve written 20 books, including Carpentry for Dummies, Plumbing for Dummies, Painting for Dummies, and Bathroom Remodeling for Dummies.”