2 comments about About Your House.

1. This book is wonderful and especially if you have a house which is not so old but needs little work here and there. I got a copy from my friend and use it all the time. But sometimes it needs little courage to use this book and expertise in tool handling. I will rate this book better than the Time Life books specially for the brave ones.



2. I found the book excellent for the average home owner. I recently attended his talk in the Pullman Historic District and I found it very informative and got many of my questions answered. Being an owner of a historic Pullman rowhouse built in 1881, I knew it needed special attention then what was being advertised by just regular contractors. Once a resident of Palos, I love old homes and I'm glad I have moved to Pullman and can be a part of the restoration. Thank you for coming to Chicago!

1 comments about Contracting Details: a do-it-yourself construction schedule and homebuilding handbook.

1. This book is full of good information. The author provides aq very good level of step-by-step information about the entire construction process. Each section states it's objective, highlights relevant topics to consider, tells you how to accomplish each task, and provides examples. Includes explanations, progress/task checklists, cost estimating, and a sample project calendar and timetables usually missing from other books of this kind. It walks you through the whole process. This is the book I was looking for to build my house.

No comments about Scroll Saw Basketweave Projects.

2 comments about The Home Renovation Workbook (Home of Your Dreams).

1. My only reservation so far is ALL the copying of forms to make the book more re-useable (btw this is suggested in the book). Be sure and turn up the darkness setting on the copier, because the pages are printed in very light colors.

   OK, so what about the rest of the book? It looks fantastic. It encourages the reader to carefully consider all the steps of a home improvement project. So far it has really made me focus on the important issues of cost and scheduling.

   Worth the money? I say yes!




2. I read through this book after reading Diane Plesset's book, "THE Survival Guide: Home Remodeling", and was somewhat disapointed in the content of this book. Yes, there are questionairs, but Ms. Plesset's are more complete. Yes, there are cost guides, but again, Ms. Plesset's are more complete.

   The general tone of the book is that of an "expert" talking to a "beginner". I would rather have a conversational style that doesn't talk down to me. . .

   I'm glad to have this book, but if I had only one to purchase, that purchase would be the other one.

5 comments about The Insider's Guide to Buying Home Furnishings.

1. The Causey Book is outdated. The information included is available online in a more professional format. A good internet browser will get you more information than this book.



2. I want to buy this book but strangely, Amazon.com only carries the 1996 edition. My understanding is that there have been several editions after that and the latest edition is 2004. This is available on the author's web site but at a much higher price. I tried emailing Amazon to clarify, but they have not been able to help in this matter.
   
   I then emailed the author and she says that they regularly ship the new editions to Amazon and they should carry the new editions. By the way, I got admonished for even mentioning her post here saying that she will exchange the older edition for the newer one. She said people like me "greatly abused her offer"! She has a good book but she sure is rude.



3. When I was first married I innocently went to a department store and bought a bunch of furniture. Well, half of it no longer survives, the fabric on one couch is being shredded as it pulls away from the monofilament thread and the Phillipine mohogany dresser that I bought really isn't any kind of mohagany at all.
   
   Except for never buying my bedding from retail stores, I made just about every furniture buying mistake you can make so reading this book was a rueful experience. But, hey, thanks to Kimberly Causey, I now I know what to do and this time I'm heading to North Carolina with measurements, an idea book, and a plan.
   
   Before you spend thousands of dollars on furnishings buy this book.



4. This book goes outside the Highpoint/Hickory area with their coverage of stores, which can be of value.
   
   My wife and I decided to make a trip to NC for our 10th wedding anniversary. Figured since we were going to spend the money to go someplace anyway, we'd go figure out the NC furniture mysteries. This book was a great guide to helping us plan the trip. As for the contents, it is everything you need. But, make sure to update the store hours via the web or phone calls before you travel. Many of the stores had changed hours/days. In fact, one location that is prominantly mentioned as a cluster of many retailers, a good one stop shop, is almost out of business. Most retailers have left.
   
   As for whether you save money shopping in NC, I really don't believe it. Before we left, we had found some furniture groups we liked here locally. We called several of the stores in this book for competitive quotes. The actual per piece price was about the same. Some were cheaper, some were more expensive, so the group price was about the same. Then you have to add on shipping. BTW, NC is collecting sales tax for most states now, so you won't save that, either. It would have cost more to buy in NC.
   
   So we took the trip. Even writing off the entire cost of the trip, which is not insignificant, but since we were going to spend it to go someplace anyway, we didn't count it, we didn't see where you could save money if you have to have the furniture shipped. At best the savings were $50-$100 per peice. The liquidation outlets are something of a joke. We saw two women get into a fight over who could buy something that was damaged. We saw a bedroom suite "on clearance" that was within $100 as a group of what we saw it new for in a showroom earlier that morning. You might get lucky in a clearance center, but having seen what we did, I'd never go back. The Thomasville factory outlet was OK, but the selection was extraordinarily limited, and if you wanted a group, you were out of luck. But, it is the only way to get Thomasville cheaper than your local store.
   
   Overall, the book is good, and it would be valuable to give you a few numbers to call to check your local retailer's prices. I am one of those people who research for a year before buying anything, and it is a good resource. However, unless you live in an increcibly inflated area such as New England/DC/NY area, you are going to end up spending the same or more by shopping NC. About the only advantage of going there in person is you can make one stop in Highpoint, by Furnitureland South, and in one day you can basically see every single piece of furniture currently made between the 6 stores clustered right there.



5. Makes it easy to find dealers of many different furniture products. We would find items in department store, then call the distributors for competitive prices. Saved thousands!

No comments about Outdoor Living: The Ultimate Project Guide.

5 comments about Measuring, Marking & Layout: A Builder's Guide.

1. This author is in the dark ages with respect to the use of the metric system. As a country, we've been there / tried that. We can't help it if the rest of the world is backwards using the metric system! Why was at least a whole page WASTED in talking about this? How ridiculous! It is an okay book, but mostly black and white drawings and lots of text. Perhaps if the author, and Taunton, had spent more time with the content of the title and included some color in a book that is the same price as their other titles with LOTS of color, they would have had a good book.



2. This is a well written book, in plain language. It will help any amateur considering building, or constructing brick, or wooden structures, or extensions. John Carroll makes the reader think about accuracy when approaching any building project. He provides many simple easy-to-understand methods on how and what, to measure.
   
   He shows many examples of how simple miscalculations can result in costly errors. Unlike other American DIY books, that pretend the metric system does not exist, Carroll covers imperial for the home market and metric conversions for the rest of the world. This factor, and his humble writing style and experience as a craftsman, will make this book an international best seller for anybody who will pick up a saw, rafter gauge,or masonary hammer. The book is a must for anyone who needs important tips on construction methods. In conclusion this excellent book makes you think and visualize what you want to achieve before you start the job.



3. Learn to layout. Really just a good reference book. If you are a carpenter then you must know how to layout correctly. Different techniques, good practice.



4. Stop reading these reviews and buy this book right now. It is indispensable. Once you get it, read it. Read it again a few years later.
   
   Saying this book is outdated is like saying the Pythagorean theorem is outdated. Some of the techniques in this book are centuries old and some are tricks developed by builders of the 20th century. The point of this book is to understand the fundamentals so you can be effective, efficient and flexible at any project you are a part of. It is geared toward home building and carpentry but anyone in construction would benefit from it, even if you use a laser theodolite.



5. I was a bit dissapointed in this book. Being in the building trades I was hoping to get a couple of good tips or techniques i hadn't come across. Much of the information and processes in the book I would consider outdated or too inaccurate for commercial use. May be fine for the novice home improvement crowd.

No comments about Wood Magazine: Build Your Own Shop Jigs & Fixtures.

5 comments about Katie Brown Decorates: 5 Styles, 10 Rooms, 105 Projects.

1. As a huge Katie Brown fan, I was disappointed with this book. As a truly eclectic decorator, I am open to any possible source for design...scrap yard, junk yard, garden, etc. But, come on, a coffee table with a base made of coiled up garden hoses? A hard-cast clay sandcastle? Not to be totally negative, a few crafts, and that's what this book majors in, are cool. The corseted pillow, for instance, or the bright lights, big city illuminated table. This book is a good choice for newlyweds or students, first-time apartment dwellers on tight budgets. And for truly hip urban cats, I would recommend Pad: The Guide to Ultra Living. If we could give half marks, I would give this book two and a half stars for effort. Save this book for a library check-out item and not as your decorating guide.



2. I'd seen magazine articles that featured Katie Brown's own homes, which are designed with a creative mix of antiques and modern pieces and somehow manage to look both edgy and cozy. But, this book was really disappointing. Full of ideas that are overly trendy and that I would quickly tire of, if I even liked any of them enough to attempt them. Somehow her personal style is not translating well to her books. Is her publisher encouraging her to aim for a less sophisticated look?



3. This book is hilarious. I never laughed so hard. THat is, until I realized she was serious with her outlandish ideas in this book. Don't waste your money, unless you want a very very good laugh.



4. What a great book, full of interesting and new ideas. I'm glad to see something different than all the other run of the mill decorating books. I loved the leather belts idea. Definitely worth checking out, nice, fresh ideas.



5. I remember seeing Katie Brown on TV and being fairly unimpressed; chancing on this book at a library, I borrowed it and was still unimpressed.
   
   All too often she seems to be trying too hard to be whimsical and cutesy-poo, with diminishing results. And there are ideas that are decent enough on their own, but combined with all the other ideas for her different styles, just ends up being cloying.
   
   Some are weird...like curtain rods made from push brooms and mops, or a lighting fixture made from rakes. A lighting fixture made from a wok actually doesn't look too bad, and some lights made from socks (!) don't look too bad, actually.
   
   Others, though, look good at a glance, but on closer examination don't work too well. A faux-quilt made of plaid wool scarves crisscrossed on a bed and pinned together looks authentic enough when just flipping through pages, but on a closer look just looks chintzy. A kid's room lighting fixture looks fun until you realize it uses flashlights and might not light very well (or possibly need continual batteries).
   
   And some are just plain weird and/or impractical. A coffee table covered with contact paper is OK enough, but another covered with sandpaper?!? Another, given a pebbles-and-grout top, actually looks kinda cool but might not be a good surface for a wineglass. But the idea of decorating a living room with actual tree branches strikes me as colossally bad (unless for a single evening); I can envision all sorts of cleaning horror stories as twigs and bits of bark, or possibly even bugs, start to litter the floor. (And heaven forbid they end up being a fire hazard...)
   
   There are some decent ideas with fabrics, including some very nice workable pillow concepts. The book isn't entirely useless; I would recommend using an idea here and there. But overall the styles are cloying and unlivable, with too much emphasis placed on whimsy and looks-good-at-a-glance and not enough on permanence, practicality, and a workable graciousness. Try harder next time, Katie.

No comments about The Complete Idiot's Guide to Electrical Repair.