Question
I bought a house in Huntsville, Alabama almost 2 years ago.  Thankfully, I didn't start my yard renovation last year as the drought last summer would have ended any improvement.

But, I'm ready for action this spring.

I'm trying to put together a comprehensive lawn improvement plan that will get me that beautiful green carpet that all new homeowners dream of.  I've got several issues to deal with.

First off, I got several old oak trees that create lots of shade.  Next, I've got clay... not soil... clay.  The existing lawn is junk.

I know that I need top dressing.  I know that I need aeration.  I know that I need reseeding (I really can't afford sod).  I don't know what order to proceed.  I'm also torn about which seed to use.  

Should I add some sand and organic compost, and then aerate, or aerate and then add the top dressing.  Or should I just add the soil amendments and just till up the whole thing to mix it and level it at the same time.

I love the feel of bluegrass and fescue, but worry that our summer heat would cause constant reseeding.  I don't know of any other seed that would thrive with the limited, dappled sunlight.

Help me figure out where I should start.

Answer
K.C.:

Wonderful planning!

You can choose to completely renovate the lawn of overseed it with a proper method of dealing with weeds.

Option one:
plow and grade yard
add a professional grade of compost, 2-3  cubic yards per thousand square feet
till
regrade
sew grass (with or without straw

Option two:
kill weeds (Roundup and 2-4D type herbicides)
wait a few weeks
grade rough spots
aerate deeply
sew seed
topdress with professional grade compost @ 3/8 inch per thousand sq. ft.

Yes, in Hunstville a summer grass like Bermuda, St. Augustine will do best.  BUT you may be in the zone allowing for winter grasses, the mix you mention.  I would look at lawns in your area to see if they are planted.  You can tell if the lawn is green now, rather than tan or brown.  I believe that you may be in zone 6 or 7 and on that boundary allowing it.

The key to winter grass in those zones is establishment.  Once in, they can be maintained successfully.

Best wishes.