Question
Ronald, I live in Houston, TX. I don't know the first thing about lawn care, except to cut the grass and trim. My lawn has always been a combination of grass and weeds. This year drought killed most of the lawn. When we finally got some rain, mostly weeds grew back. There are still large patches of dead grass. What can I do to get rid of the weeds (I've tried all the "popular" weedkillers in the past with no success) and how do I inexpensively revive the lawn? Thanks for your time.

Answer
So, you have an area that is mostly weeds and you want to establish a lawn.
Well first, you have to get rid of those weeds and then sow grass seeds or lay sod. Or, if you are up to it, you can plug the lawn.
Whichever you choose, you must have a way of watering the area thoroughly and regularly. In the establishment stages, watering will have to be done twice daily.
If you choose sodding, you can scalp the existing weeds, apply "Milorganite" and lay the sod immediately. You will be relying on the sod cover to smother anything that wants to come back from below. Therefore it is extremely important that the sod is laid tightly and coverage is complete. You must devote the time everyday to observe the area closely and pull any weed that pokes through. You must seal any seam that starts to open up. Use sand or topsoil. Wilting indicates that water is needed in that particular area and any brown grass would be the wilting that you failed to see three days ago.
Seeding is more demanding. You have to prepare a seed bed that is free from emerged weeds, roots, rocks and other foreign material. Sow the seeds evenly and err on the side of a little more but do not overdo it. Water the seedbed often and lightly. You want to keep the top six inches of the soil moist at all times but you do not want to wash away or move around the seeds. You want the seedlings to get a jump start on the weed seeds which are in the soil (you can bet on it). The grass seed must germinate and grow 'quick and thick' to shade out any weeds that germinate. You can bet on that happening too. Do not even think of pre-emergent weed killers when growing from seed.
If you decide to plug the lawn, mow and then spray the weeds with glyphosate ("Roundup"), or any non selective, non residual weed killer. Allow three days at least (a week is better) for the product to work its way to the roots. Use a plugger that matches the size of plugs and make a row of holes, add a teaspoon of "Milorganite" and press a plug into each hole. Repeat the routine until the whole area is plugged. Walk the whole area afterward, stepping on each plug to ensure it is tightly in place. Water the area well and keep at it until the plugs are firmly rooted in. Plugging is best done and most fun as a team effort, family or friends.
Just in case I did not stress it enough let me emphasize that you must have a way of providing water for germination and establishment if you use seeds or rooting in if you choose plugging or sodding. If not, you are setting yourself up for failure.