4 comments about The Complete Guide to Doors & Windows (Black & Decker).

1. Not only did it cover step by step on all doors and windows. It covered garage doors and openers. It discussed installing locks. And there was even a section on if your window won't open you do this to fix it type of stuff. Also, if you are putting in a bay window, there is a section on how to roof it. I had been looking for a help book like this for a long time. It does not bog you down in highly technical stuff.



2. I had to tear out an old, rotting window that had an old rotting air conditioner wedged into it. My fiancee and I decided to install a wider window in it's place. Oh oh. That meant tearing out the stucco exterior and plaster interior to do so! I didn't want to spend 1000 bucks (or more) to hire someone to do it and install a new window. I've never done any work like this before, and I didn't know where to begin. So I looked into getting Home Depot to do it, but they would only replace existing windows with the exact same size window for a fee of 250 dollars on top of the price of the window. So that wasn't going to work for us. I needed help! So I found this book on Amazon and decided to check it out at Home Depot, since they had the same book but for a little more.
   Well, since it was the only book that seemed to cover everything I needed to know, and I was running out of time, I decided to purchase it and put in the order for the window. Well, the window came and I got right at work at demolishing the old window and extending the opening for the new one.

   This book was GREAT! Although the book is only 300 pages, it gives you a good overview of what you need to do to get your project done. Once I started figuring out exactly what I needed to do, I could use this book as a reference on what to do to accomplish it. You see, this book does not really give you an "idiots guide" how to... it will not explain the little detail, like how to plaster a wall or how to miter cut trim for your window or door. You need to use it as a reference book and an overview of your project. You MUST read the book through and figure out what steps you need to take. For example, for me... I had to:
   1) Tear out the old window (without destroying the wall completely)
   2) Extend the opening (which means I need to know how to cut/remove stucco on the outside and plaster on the inside)
   3) Reframe the new opening to support the ceiling and new window (which also gives you ways to support the ceiling if you intend to mess around with the studs in the wall that hold up the ceiling)
   4) Install the window (different types of windows have different types of ways to install)
   5) Fix the stucco outside and plaster inside (this is where I am now)
   6) Add trim on the outside and trim on the inside (I've already read what I need to do this and have gotten the materials to finish it)

   And you know what, this book gave me great examples on how to do ALL that. BUT, I had to jump around the book to read the sections that applied to me. Remember, this book only gives you a great overview of your project. That is the ONLY reason why I gave it 4 stars. I'd like to give it 4.5. This book is very very good at giving me the information I needed and had GREAT pictures and examples. JUST MAKE SURE YOU READ THE WHOLE BOOK FIRST (skim through sections you don't need to know, but maybe look at them anyway because you may learn something useful), and then read the sections again that apply to you! If you need more details, find another suppliment book for that task. Know what you need to do first before you start any major project.
   
   And you know what, I probably saved myself $1000 doing it myself. This book more than paid for itself.




3. This book is one of the Black and Decker series. It concerns doors and windows. It has a lot of pictures. It shows each step of installing a door. It shows which tools to use and when to use them. It shows how to cut and fit the door and trim. I like it when there is a picture with a caption under it which explains what is happening in detail. Often times a two page spread would have 12 pictures with 12 captions. I think my work will look more professional now that I have read the book. I use it for reference at times. I recommend the book.



4. This review comes from a certified non-handy guy with minimal practical skills. I was fortunate enough a year ago to discover a fine window guy. As a result, we have excellent Pella window replacements in our 1930 Indiana home.
   
   I bought this book to help me with next steps: specifically, what do do about our crumbling main entrance way and our on-again, off-again internal doors. It all has charm, you understand. The problem is it only works half the time.
   
   Before I make the investment in these next steps, I want to understand my options, what portions of it I might remotely hope to do myself, what I'm in for if I hire an external expert to do the work.
   
   THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO WINDOWS AND DOORS has helped me on every one of those fronts. In addition, it's just a handsome book with lots of good illustrations and well-written text.
   
   We're not talking Dostoyevsky here. You'll need to go elsewhere for great literature. But I doubt the old Russian was much good with windows and doors, anyway.
   
   This book is a keeper.

5 comments about Insulate and Weatherize: Expert Advice from Start to Finish (Build Like A Pro).

1. Sealing up your home envelope (the border between conditioned and unconditioned spaces) and proper insulation are the most cost effective improvements you can make in a home to significantly reduce your energy consumption while improving comfort. This book is a guide based on a professionals experiences, teaches the best ways to make those improvements, and educates you on why and how. Though it's scope is constrained around insulating and weatherizing, it's the best reference in that space I've found.



2. I think of all the poor suckers who pay $50,000 for new windows when they could accomplish more energy savings quicker, easier, and for only a couple hundred bucks even if they hire out the work using the suggestions of this book. Everthing you think you know about saving home energy is wrong! Read this book instead! Incredibly detailed and photographed. If you can't do it yourself then hire it out -- but DO IT!



3. This is the best book and only book you will need on insulating and weatherizing your house. We have gained much insight and valuable information to make our house more energy effcient. The author will also (for a fee) come to your house and evaluate and recommend what you need to do. We cannot say enough about this book.



4. same great features of other books in the series (pro tips, what can go wrong...). these books are thorough and informative.



5. This book gives credible (not just a repeat of info on manufacturer websites) coverage of insulation, air leakage, ventilation, moisture problems, etc. and handles each subject with respect to different climates. I learned a lot and it helped me make decisions in the renovation of a 60 year old house.

3 comments about Mini Farming for Self Sufficiency.

1. If you are new to mini-farming, this is the book to get. Markham grows a tremendous amount of food in a postage stamp piece of land, and he tells how to do it in this book. From planting the seeds to processing the harvest to a lesson on soil chemistry in between, this book covers it all in a folksy, easy to read style.
   
   It is a very practical book, for people who need to grow gardens to save money and to provide their children with better diets. America is dividing along class lines, and one of the major class differences is food. The poor eat junk food and suffer obesity, diabetes, arteriosclerosis and heart disease; while the wealthier class eats real food -- that stuff that EVERYONE ate back in the old days.
   
   The fact that junk food exists at all is a great injustice; junk food is "feed" for us "human cattle," if only it were as nutritious as what we give livestock! The fact is, you'd be better off eating alfalfa pellets and cracked corn with a bowl of water, than Doritos and Pepsi. That's right -- livestock feed has more nutritional value than so-called "fun foods," which are becoming more and more a staple of the American diet.
   
   How many square feet of cropland is necessary to feed one person? John Jeavons put the number at 1250 square feet. Brett Markham puts the number at 700 square feet, based on his experience. If Markham is right, that means the average suburbanite can supply most of the food for their family. I think it's worth getting this book and giving it a try. I got the book, and I'm going to try it this year.
   
   And if you have children, for heaven's sake, feed them right! I work in a health care related field, and I can tell you that we are seeing an American pandemic of diet-related diseases, all because we gave up our gardens and turned out food supply over to ConAgra and Archer Daniels Midland. Most of our food is basically the corn surplus in fancy packages. Partially hydrogenated corn syrup will KILL YOU! The next time you go shopping, read the labels of all packaged foods, and think twice!



2. I just read this book and I am very impressed. It compares favorably both to classics of intensive gardening and to classics on self sufficiency. Less complicated than How to Grow More Vegetables and Fruits: (And Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains, and Other Crops) (How to Grow More Vegetables: (And Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains,), less expensive and resource-hogging (in terms of peat moss, vermiculite, and grids) than All New Square Foot Gardening (which is still well worth buying for the beginning gardener; the charts on planting for a continuous three-season harvest alone are probably worth the price of the book). More focused and with more current (though perhaps still debatable) numbers than One Acre and Security: How to Live Off the Earth Without Ruining It, and written for an even smaller (and tractor-free) scale than Successful Small-Scale Farming: An Organic Approach (Down-To-Earth Book).
   
   This book contains the simplest and most understandble description of double-digging that I have ever read, and the simplest way of placing seeds at the correct spacing in intensive gardening. It has good discussions of thermophilic composting and of the importance of aging compost; various types of irrigation systems; food requirements per person and practical ways of meeting them (including the economic infeasibility of growing wheat in the home garden); making aerated compost tea with a simple and inexpensive homemade system; the best media for seed starting; an introduction to saving and storing seeds, and references to excellent books that provide more information (such as Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners and Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties: The Gardener's & Farmer's Guide to Plant Breeding & Seed Saving); inexpensive ways to extend the growing season; fruit trees, bushes, and vines; raising poultry for eggs and/or meat; organic and certified naturally grown; and maximizing the money you make selling produce. The chapter on preserving the harvest by canning, freezing, and dehydrating (no mention of Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables) is not in-depth and will not take the place of other books on the subject, but serves as a good introduction. The only disappointment to me was that there was no mention of sheet composting (see Lasagna Gardening: A New Layering System for Bountiful Gardens: No Digging, No Tilling,No Weeding, No Kidding!); I might suggest building your raised beds in that way rather than by double digging.
   
   If you are trying to move off the grid, grow 100% of your own food, and make your own clothes, this may not be the book for you. If you'd like to raise a lot of your own food in a garden that will fit in the typical suburban yard (the actual number of square feet he suggests cultivating for a family of three is just under 1/20th of an acre), this book is a great place to start.



3. Practical advice on how to create a self sustainable garden, and profit from it both nutritionally and financially. A must have for the self-suffiecient gardner.

5 comments about Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House.

1. The early chapters of this book are very entertaining. The author describes the different housekeeping methods employed by her two grandmothers, one of British descent, one Italian. She also reflects on the events in her life that lead to her interest in housekeeping. I found the chapter on "neatening" to be perhaps the most valid in the entire book - if we pick up after ourselves on an ongoing basis, things will never degenerate into total chaos, and the house will always look decent. If you don't know how to make good coffee, you can get some great instruction on this, including the different types of pots and brewing methods.
   
   But once the author covers these areas, the book becomes ponderous and boring. Personally, I think a certain level of "germiness" in the house is beneficial to one's health, and helps us develop immunities to the contaminants in our environment. She is way over the top in the areas of cleaning and sterilizing everything around us, especially hardwood floors!



2. The author made a point that most house keeping books are of the tone, "I hate housework...here are some quick tips...get on with life..." while her book is about appreciating and enjoying housework. After all, she wrote an 800+ book about it, so either she's eccentric, or she truly enjoys housekeeping. This makes one wonder, "What is there to enjoy about housekeeping?" and can find the answer within the pages of this wonderfully-written book.
   
   I give this 4 stars: She is thorough with instruction and ideas, she doesn't tell you why she enjoys housework, but rather SHOWS why, and there are excellent illustrations to explain what is already well-explained in word (for example, folding a fitted sheet).
   
   I didn't give it 5 stars because if you already do well at keeping house, this book would at best be used only as reference or to get new ideas. As a new house keeper, it may be intimidating. There is a tone of "you HAVE to do all this work" but if you overcome that tone, and realize that you can choose to do what you feel is appropriate for your household, family life, etc, then this book is excellent.
   
   What I personally have done is to use it as a reference manual in some sections and thoroughly read through other sections.



3. Absolutely fantastic book- I bought it knowing little about it, just knowing that I needed a kind of resource manual for the 'how' of housekeeping. What I got was not only the 'how' but the 'why'. She is highly detailed (I don't recommend trying to read this book in the traditional sense) but its a great book to pick up when you're wondering what the best way to clean the fridge shelves is. As a newlywed, this book has been great as I start setting my own housekeeping routines and standards!



4. I love that this book is a definitive guide. It's approached with information and analysis as it's base. A real 'how-to' in many ways, that allows the individual to apply what is needed.
   
   I love when things are orderly and efficient, and never learned to clean. (my mother was extraodinarily organized and efficient, and I never learned outside of my narrow list of chores).
   
   I'm not sure how much of this book I will apply to our home/needs. I am planning to have the binding cut off, and the pages 3 hole drilled so I can create my own 'home keeping book' by adding and deleting over time.



5. This is a weighty tome that celebrates homekeeping with enthusiasm and a healthy dose of obbsessive-compulsiveness. The author, a doctorate in philosopy, has a law degree as well. Her childhood was influenced by two grandmothers with radically different styles of housekeeping, and her own home in a rural setting. She brings history, intellect, and a thoughtful approach to all the things that go into running a household, from food, cleaning, maintenance and all areas in between. The book is not for people who hate to clean, and if you have problems hearing about germs and in-depth ponderings on bed linens and folding towels skip it. There are gems for practical approaches to age-old problems, and her insights on diverse topics are innovative. Read it in small dollops and refer back so as not to become overwhelmed.

5 comments about Home Improvement 1-2-3: Expert Advice from The Home Depot (Home Depot ... 1-2-3).

1. Good Book



2. Great for estimations and knowledge of what's involved. Have implemented some suggestions but probably would have to attend a free lesson at home depot to really do the advanced stuff. Great for small things like repairing toilets, snaking drains etc.



3. If you have ANY home improvement project or own a house..this book is a MUST have!



4. If you own a home, this is the book for you because each page teaches you how to each project. Full of color pages, step by step instructions and a list of the tools you will need. For the expert, this is too simple, but for the novice, every project can be done.
   
   I like how the book gives you the tools you will need so that if you do not have it, you can get it before you start the project.
   
   The book covers all the basic home repairs that you may need from bathrooms to beadrooms, from door to windows and from interior to exterier. While it does not take on projects you want it takes care of all the project you need for your home.
   
   Good Luck.



5. I've used this book as a guide for repairs / maintenance on a condo in a 100-year old apartment building and a 60-yo house -- it's been a great guide. Estimates of time, skills, tools and materials required are really helpful to keep you from starting too big a project or getting halfway and realizing you're missing some essential materials.
   
   Especially if you're a homebuyer trying to make sense of a home inspector's report -- and figure out how big the tasks are that might be required for the new home -- this book is great. Highly recommended.

2 comments about Black & Decker Complete Home Repair (Black & Decker Complete Photo Guide).

1. My husband loves this book..a friend had one and he too just had to have it.



2. I have had this book for over a year now. It has helped me with small projects like changing a light fixture and unclogging the drain to painting and hanging large pictures and an LCD TV, and to remove and plane down my door that always sticks. I have never been particularly "handy" but the pictures and step by step instructions are actually really good. The only real downside is that sometimes they expect me to follow from one step to the next with minimal instruction, and I cannot based on my lack of experience. This is far and away the exception, and most times I could figure it out anyway. It has inspired me to take on bigger and more complicated projects and I refer to it often.

5 comments about Clean House Clean Planet.

1. I must say I truly enjoyed this book :)
   
   "Clean House, Clean Planet" is colorfully written...very down to earth but offers no-nonsense information... I even liked the comedic moments {the anti-roach treatment 'Catch Em and Cook em', and the kids who visited the authors home and she put them to work..and they were eyeing the spray bottles and happy to clean LOL) and family-story-spliced tidbits--{and I am NOT by far the cooing-gushing baby-babbling type at ALL}while Karen advises on cleaning thru her own experiences and life lessons..which I related to as a young family-oriented woman. I enjoyed her easy, simple recipes, cleaning effectiveness ratings, and price comparisons The ingredients are easy to find. ~It really made you think about how dangerous household chemicals are, and how we think aabout cleaning products because of commercial advertising.
   
   I read it over a year ago and I still browse parts. In fact I just put it down,as I plan~for the umpteenth time~ to purchase two essential oils to make 'Earth Scrub and Paste', 'Scented Vinegars,' 'Mama's Earth Mop' and the Borax for the toilet I am now more interested in cleaning :) as I also plan a bathroom makeover. This book offers fun, helpful and interesting techniques and non toxic cleaning recipes to try in my everyday cleaning-which I dislike doing~esp. the toilet-but thanks to Karen sharing her views on cleaning and her cute, light-hearted antidotes, Im quitting my immature cleaning procrastination. I make it a goal to get-it-done!
   
   Although I have only tried the Vinegar-Mop, and Vinegar as a Plastics Odor Remover, and the Olive Oil on cleaning fixtures...I will update this review when I try the other cleaners. I believe they will work fine..like the other ideas I tried, since it is true that most of these commercial cleaning formulas are too strong and contain hazardous chemicals, for cleaning things that can be cleaned with regular dish detergent or soap! Something I learned as a teenager whenever I stained a white uniform shirt...I used Dawn or sum dish detergent as a treatment b/c it lifted the stains the best.



2. I like this book a lot. I have used some of the recipes, but vinegar and plain baking soda alone are my preferred cleaning ingredients. It's very motivating and a great rescource for various 'green' cleaning needs
   However, her website, no longer exists. The 818 telephone number has also been disconnected. I wanted to check out some of her products. Does any one know where I can find her company?



3. I've read just about all of the "natural cleaning" books out nowadays, and I feel this one is still the best. Not only are these recipes safe, but they WORK. From one who hates cleaning and tries to avoid it as much as possible, I actually have found myself enjoying working with peppermint-scented bathroom cleaners, just as an example.
   
   Oh, and finding the various bottles needed isn't all that hard using the internet. :)



4. I love this little book. I have tried several of the recipes for cleaners and find that they work very well. It is unfortunate that the author can't be reached. She made a point of stating in the book that she was available ..had special bottles for the products etc. But , as it has been several years since the book was written, she seems to have dropped out of sight. I have been able to find adequate containers...and have begun to switch to using mostly these products for cleaning. I purchased a few basic essential oils...the price for them was quite reasonable..and Dr Bronners soaps are wonderful. It is pleasure to clean with products that don't make you gasp for breath...and knowing that I am doing something to help save the earth is a really good thing.



5. While the writer has great ideas of cleaning products that are harmful to use in the house and what they have in them, she uses old concepts that my grandmother used 50 years ago. This book is not really all that useful in my opinion when just basic baking soda and white vinegar have been a cleaning substance for many years. This book is not original at all.

5 comments about New Fix-It-Yourself Manual: How to Repair, Clean, and Maintain Anything and Everything In and Around Your Home.

1. I was somewhat disappointed in this book. I was expecting some good how-to pointers on fixing things around the house. I received a book that is very outdated. It gave instructions on fixing cassette decks and turntables. And who fixes broken toasters? I did find a few good pointers, but not like I expected.



2. Good book for the first time home buyer or anyone that is interested in doing some basic fix-it-up or simple repairs. There are good illustrations and explanations. Some of the book is outdated, but there is plenty here to recommend it.



3. I purchased this book as a Christmas gift for my son. I started to leaf through it prior to wraping it and I am glad I did. This book was published in 1977 and although there is a lot of information - much of it is outdated - how many people do you know who own electric typewriters or bonnet style dryers in 2007??? I would have been very embarassed to give this gift. It has been returned and we purchased another book from the local home improvement store which contains all of the newest technology with regards to home repairs, etc. Sorry I was not happy with my Amazon purchase!!



4. I had one once before but was lost.But the new ones cover more and they are real handy when you need info about working onthings and tells you what tools you will need.



5. This was purchased as a gift for my son-in-law. As I told him, it is by far the best do-it-yourself home repair manual I have ever seen or used. It is clearly and logically laid out. Illustrations are in full color and large enough to easily identify the part(s) to be worked on. Diagnostics are systematic without being wordy, and very accurate. It also tells you when you have exhausted all do-it-yourself op;tions and need to call in a professional -- something some repair manuals don't do. It's the first and usually final place I look go to for information on home repairs, major appliances, electrical repairs, and plumbing repairs.
   
   My only complaint is that the binding on my copy eventually broke after several years of heavy use. I guess I'll just have to buy another copy.

5 comments about How Your House Works: A Visual Guide to Understanding & Maintaining Your Home (How Your House Works) (How Your House Works).

1. EVERY homeowner should have a copy of this invaluable resource. Particularly helpful are the "Before calling for help" sections. The book is simple and straightforward enough for anyone to understand and the diagrams are visually uncomplicated and clear. Before picking up the phone to call a professional be sure to check this wonderful resource and you just might save yourself a service call and a lot of money!



2. I have numerous reference books but this is the first one to actually describe to me how the device functions. The "Before calling the...(technician)" feature was a brilliant idea and a potential money saver for most homeowners.
   
   My son-in-law teaches middle school science and will be using this book for its wonderful schematics. My other reference books are stashed away on a bookshelf - this one stays on my desk where it is good and handy!



3. highly recommended. contains clear text and very detailed illustrations of the major systems of a house. i came upon this book while looking for explanations of the causes of excessive dust in a home (e.g., whether it's the contents--furnishings, linens, clothing, etc.--in a room or whether it's old walls, floors, and porous ceilings). this book doesn't answer my question, but it does offer a useful, step-by-step guide to systems like plumbing, wiring, heating/cooling, structure, and large appliances. for new homeowners or, better, folks who don't see themselves as diy'ers, this book will give you the information to do some things yourself. at the very least, you will be able to figure out where/why a system underperforms, and what to do about it. along with amy johnston's book on building and renovating a home, wing's book covers most issues. excellent resource or reference.



4. I'm a book geek, a connoisseur of ideas. And i'm not one of those book geeks who is also very practical or handy about the house or with home repair. This book includes a visual dictionary (label + illustration)along with its plain explanations. I'm glad I bought it.



5. I originally checked this book out of the library; I was quite impressed with the clearly labeled drawings, the How It Works section and the Before You Call For Help sections. I then checked out the ratings by reviewers on [...]. Then I purchased several as gifts; all of them were well received. I think that this book is a great resource and confidence builder for any individual who wants to know more about the plumbing, wiring, heating/cooling, ventilation, appliances, windows/doors &/or foundation of one's dwelling. It is very visual and it is presented in clear, easy-to-understand, brief language for the layman. Yet Mr. Wing also writes for professionals in these fields. A highly recommended resource!

5 comments about The Not So Big House: A Blueprint for the Way We Really Live.

1. I was expecting her projects to downsize to ~1000 square feet. It felt like she was reducing large McMansions to smaller McMansions. Good photographs though!



2. This book was absolutely awesome. Beautifully illustrated, excellent content, and I totally agree with the idea that McMansions are not the way to go. I'd much rather have a smaller home that has been personalized to me and made beautiful than some big, cold half-empty McMansion.



3. The Not So Big House was given me by a craftsman friend who had used it building his new, wonderful home.
   I kept this book through my new addition / remodel project of 7 months, using it as the reference for my decisions.
   The ideas are sound; easy to understand and implement. I recommend The Not So Big House to anyone embarking on a home building project who loves good design and is on a budget.



4. First of all, I bought this book used and it was not in very good condition. A page that I really wanted to read was missing, for one thing. Unfortunately, I can't recall the seller's name now but I left a bad review when I received no response to my concern.
   
   But anyway, the book itself was very good. My husband and I are remodeling a house built in 1949 which used every nook and cranny for some function. It doesn't fit the modern concept of lots of empty space, so we are working on creating a little more empty space while using some of Susanka's ideas for making certain areas more compact. We are expanding our kitchen into a porch, but the ceiling in the porch is lower and this book gave us the idea to just keep it as it is because lowered ceilings add character and are something Frank Lloyd Wright used. I also like her recommendations for wood trim and moulding to warm up rooms and use many windows to bring the outside in. As my title implies, some of the details are pretty outdated such as any picture involving a computer and the kitchen chairs, but that can be overlooked since the overall ideas are still very usable.



5. I ordered this book after reading great reviews since I was in the middle of trying to work out the purchase of a turn of the century home where space was the size of just that, turn of the century. The Amazon review picked all the best photo's in the book and the only pages worth reading in it, so I bought it. I was extremely disappointed to receive a book that had too many 1980 - 1990's dated, uninspiring interiors and not so much in the way of smart architectural choices to think about, as was advertised.