5 comments about American Bungalow Style.

1. This book provides preservationists and homeowners alike with valuable information on the architecture and associated style of bungalow homes from the turn of the century through WWII. This is not strictly a history text nor is it strictly a coffee table book. A reader can take pleasure simply from the sheer beauty of the photography -- yet each photograph illustrates important design elements that may be found in bungalow architecture, allowing for careful study. The text, concisely written, provides excellent information on bungalow architecture and furnishings, both from an artistic and social perspective. The book begins with a simple overview of bungalow architecture. It then features photography and detailed text on a number of outstanding bungalow homes in the United States, focusing primarily on those found in California, Chicago, and rarer cases the East Coast. It concludes with a very brief section on currently available Craftsman styled furnishings. As a reference book and style guide, this is an excellent resource that I highly recommended. If you are seeking detailed historic information on Gustave Stickley, the Arts and Crafts Movement, etc., the text is not exhaustive. It is very specific in its scope and presents its subjects quite well -- the American bungalow. If anything, this book is best used to inspire current bungalow owners of the possibilities contained in these remarkable homes



2. This has to be one of the best books on art and architecture ever produced. Through hundreds of gorgeous photographs and detailed description, the history and development of the American Arts and Crafts movement comes alive. The author remains sensitive to the fact that most bungalow owners of the early 20th century were not following any set "style," but maintained and decorated their homes according to their personal tastes and means. The result is a presentation which would inspire any current bungalow owners to cherish and preserve their homes as they would works of fine art. In addition, this book contains a handy catalogue appendix listing businesses that deal in reproduction Craftsman style furniture, wallpaper, tiles, fixtures, etc.



3. This book defines the Bungalow style, explains how it started and flourished, and tells about the men who built and sold them. Then it takes you into still-existing Bungalows across the USA, where the current owners have preserved the period style. Hundreds of beautiful, full-color photographs showcase these homes and give the reader a good feel for the American Bungalow style. At the end of the book there is a list of suppliers, sources of information, and further reading that I found useful also.



4. Wonderful photographs; light, informative reading. What's missing is a better representation of the different regional examples of the bungalow. And they're everywhere.

   Residing in the Chicago area, for example, we have a tremendous variety and number of bungalows. Even in Atlanta, a region more famous for its colonial architecture, I noticed that the Virginia Highlands area also had some marvelous examples of the bungalow style.

   A more appropriate title would be "The California Bungalow" given that nearly all of the examples are located there (and within that state, in Pasadena).

   In other words, worth getting but not the definitive book.




5. If your curious like me to what exactly is a Bungalow, what their history is, and would like to see lots of full colour examples, then I think you will find this book quite satisfying. Being that there where so many Bungalows built over such a wide geographic area, I doubt if anyone has covered every example of them in one book. So you may end up wanting to buy a few other books (which there are lots of good ones) to satisfy your curiosity. Non the less, this book does give you a good example of American and some Canadian Bungalow history, also it explores each room of the Bungalow and the rooms furnishings, all with quite a few excellent photo's.

1 comments about The Log Home Maintenance Guide: A Field Guide for Identifying, Preventing, and Solving Problems.

1. Gary Schroeder has written a book that will be a goldmine of information for anyone who owns a log home that is more than a few years old. Plenty of practical advice for caring for, restoring, and fixing old log homes. He covers a large variety of topics: log home finishes and finish problems and repair, sanding versus waterblasting versus sandblasting, chinking repair and replacement, insect damage, decay . . the list goes on. Amply illustrated, plenty of color, vivid diagrams. And Gary knows his stuff--he also owns Schroeder Log Home Supply, one of the US's top log home supply stores. If you want practical help with how to diagnose log home problems, and fix them, this is the place to start. You will not learn to be a professional chinking applicator by reading the section on chinking, this book is more of a "log home owner's manual," not an encylopedia of log restoration techniques and tools. (Just as a car's owner's manual does not tell you step by step how to rebuild the transmission.)
   
   Disclosure-- Gary's business sells my book, the Log Construction Manual , so he is a customer of mine. I am also a customer of his -- I buy some tools and supplies at Schroeder's. I would guess that for years he's been getting questions from log home owners about how to get rid of carpenter bees, repair decay, seal gaps, and so on, and he's collected his advice and experience in this volume. And that makes it worth owning.

5 comments about Dare To Repair Your Car: A Do-It-Herself Guide to Maintenance, Safety, Minor Fix-Its, and Talking Shop.

1. This is a really good guide, not only is it for girls who dont know what a dipstick is, but its also for men and women alike, who have a basic understanding of the inner workings of their cars and would like a guide book to help them with repairs. Every chapter in the book has a do-it-yourself section where you can learn to replace your fueses or clean your fuel injectors. There is also some preventitive maint tips to keep your car from NEEDING un-needed repairs. The diagrams are pretty dumbed down, which can get a little annoying at times, but its good so even the novice can understand, and its fairly obvious the book was written for women (aside from the Betsy on the cover) because the text has a bit of a girly feel to it. There are a few blurbs here and there with some cute humorous parts to it, which makes this also a fun, enjoyable read.
   
   This is a great book to have around the house for when you need it. My husband is currently in Iraq, and with him being gone Im in charge of repairs of the house, and our two vehicles, and this book has already saved me!



2. I was just given this book for Christmas, and the first page I randomly flipped to was How to Use a Seatbelt. The second page I flipped to was How to Remove a Bumper Sticker. Not exactly the repair advice I was looking for.



3. This book supports the cultural assumption that all men know everything about cars. I'll give one example of how shallow it is. I looked up the section about if you're not getting any heat in your car. It states that you may have a problem with heater core, a valve, or the motor itself. It then shows a diagram with no illustration of the valve they're talking about. Left hangin.



4. I'm finding this book useful, practical, and empowering. Not only do the authors explain how your car works, they describe how to do the work yourself or seek a mechanic's services confidently. The book is easy to read, yet doesn't talk down to the reader.



5. I bought this book as a gift to my friend who literally knew nothing about owning a car. She couldn't even check the oil, had no clue about even making sure it was maintained. I looked through it, and it's really a great book. It covers all your basics and some advanced stuff. I was raised to know how to maintain a car by a proactive Father, but I even learned some helpful stuff just through glancing through it. I just got my own car and plan to order a copy of this book! I think it'll be extremely handy!

2 comments about Budget Makeovers: Give Your Home a New Look.

1. Since the TV crews haven't made it to my house yet, I keep reading these books for tips to transform my home. This one is particularly appealing, since it spells out the costs and time investment for the projects.
   The sample rooms are in real houses and include living rooms, dirning rooms, kitchens, baths and bedrooms. Good color photos accompany the text.



2. I read the book in a day - easy and fun to read. The book is composed of various real-life makeovers for various rooms. Each contains before and after shots as well as information on how the look was achieved, how problems were solved and the final budget tally. I will refer back to this book for ideas from time to time. It's biggest strength is that the ideas are realistic and affordable (but not cheap).

5 comments about Joanne Liebeler's Do It Herself.

1. I bought this for a friend after using the book myself during the planning for our new kitchen. Its a good basic home repair project book.



2. Joanne Liebeler's DO IT HERSELF: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO FIX, MAINTAIN, AND IMPROVE YOUR HOME is written by women for women and offers step-by-step directions for a range of easy fixes, from tightening loose hinges and stopping a running toilet to unclogging sink drains and installing a GFCI receptacle. Each tip comes with good-sized color step-by-step photos and accompanying directions for installations and repairs, including a 'time and talent' sidebar defining job complexity. Perfect for women who want to develop basic home repair skills.



3. I love this book! My husband is in Iraq, leaving me to handle the kids and home maintenance. This book is a great resource and designed for women in mind, leaving out all the "contractor talk." It's also very funny and entertaining.



4. This is a great book for the new female home owner who doesn't want to spend all her time and money at the big-box how-to stores or be at the mercy of professional tradespeople. Written with the special needs of women in mind, especially in regard to safety and environmental concerns, this is a light-hearted, yet serious book that will come to the rescue when you need quick, good answers. Joanne knows what she is talking about and helps you feel good about taking the best care of your biggest investment. Buy it for yourself or give to a friend. Fine Book.



5. Borrowed this book from the library and liked it enough to buy my own. Covers lots of ground with a can do attitude.

2 comments about Home Renovation Checklist: Everything You Need to Know to Save Money, Time, and Your Sanity.

1. This book is very useful in answering questions homeowners may have about renovating their homes. The format features questions, the answers "yes" or "no" with checkboxes next to them with room underneath for note taking, and a detailed explanation with tips and hints. For the most part this format works well, although I wish that author Robert Irwin had varied the answers a bit since not every question can be answered "yes" or "no", for example "when will you do the job?"
   
   The first four chapters in the book focus on general questions about home renovations such as hiring a contractor and financing the job. The rest of the book focuses on certain areas to be renovated, for example there's one chapter on renovating the bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen; another on installing cabinets; and another on installing floors. This is really helpful since the homeowner can read just the chapter that focuses on the repair work they want to do. The questions that Irwin asks are very helpful and he doesn't hesitate to say whether or not you should tackle the job yourself or hire someone to do it.
   
   Very useful.



2. Home Renovation Checklist: Everything You Need to Know to Save Money, Time, and Your Sanity
   
   This book has some common sense Q&A in it, but it is not specifically a "checklist" that I was hoping for. So, if you have never done any renovation before, it's a good way to prep yourself for unanticipated issues. However, if you have any idea at all what you are doing, then it doesn't really give you a summarized list of anything.

5 comments about New Complete Guide to Home Repair & Improvement (Better Homes & Gardens).

1. 600 pages and covers just about any home repair or improvement from hanging a door to retiling a kitchen. The drawings are comprehensive and well executed. There's a fine index and the instructions are step by step.

   A feature that I really like is the "You'll need" which gives the Skill level, time and tools needed to complete each task.

   This is the best of the home repair books I reviewed before purchasing.




2. In my opinion this is the best Do-It-Yourself book I've yet come across. It is superior to its competition for the following reasons: 1. Its comprehensiveness- in almost 600 pages, it covers pretty much every area of interest to the Home DIYer. Of course there are probably a few problems that were left out, as the Spotlight Reviewer whined, but no book can possibly cover everything. This one seems to hit more than any other though. 2. The clarity of its illustrations. This was the biggest seller for me. The illustrations in most other DIY books look like they were sketched by plumbers, electricians, etc. (i.e. badly) or conversely they show awful black and white photos which are obscured by shadows and hands. The wonderful illustrations in this book actually serve to illuminate the processes they describe. This is an extremely helpful book which I highly recommend.



3. I have given this book out many times as closing presents to first time homeowners and have heard back that it saves money on simple home repairs.



4. 
   
   This is a good book, but covers an awful lot of topics, some in not very much detail. However, no one book can cover all the intricacies of home improvement and construction. So it's best to try to look at the book you're thinking of buying before you purchase it. Try a bookstore or library or home inmprovement store, if possible. I have purchased the following books and found them to be very helpful to me:
   
   New Complete Guide to Home Repair & Improvement (Better Homes & Gardens);
   
   Do It Yourself Home Improvement: Step by Step Guide to Home Improvement;
   
   Ultimate Guide to Home Repair & Improvement (Ultimate Guide);
   
   Encyclopedia of Home Maintenance & Repair - This is a black & white book, but has very good explanations, especially of electrical.
   
   Popular Mechanics When Duct Tape Just Isn't Enough: Quick Fixes for Everyday Disasters (Popular Mechanics) - This is kind of a "Hints from Heloise" for the home fix'r up'r.



5. Excellent reference. Even for beginners. Illustrations are very detailed and easy to follow instructions. Nice rating system for each job on its level of difficulty. My father-in-law has an older edition. A lot of the same info and pictures. Just better colors and some new tips. It has saved us a lot of money since we can fix things on our own. Even with no home improvement experience. I mean none.

1 comments about If I Had a Hammer: More Than 100 Easy Fixes and Weekend Projects.

1. This is a must have for any homeowner that is all thumbs when it comes to home repair and home improvement. Designed for the novice, the book tells you exactly what tools and materials plus step by step instructions for the projects that anyone can understand. There are great tips, tricks and home maintenance information any homeowner can use. This book would make a great housewarming gift, especially to the first time homeowner.

No comments about Black & Decker Complete Guide to Carpentry for Homeowners: Basic Carpentry Skills & Everyday Home Repairs (Black & Decker Complete Guide).

2 comments about Home Improvement for Dummies.

1. Having just entered into home-owning (versus apartment-dwelling) I've embarked on a crash course in home improvement. So far, this book has been a good resource, especially in terms of =illustrating= what I'm supposed to do. I need the visual cues to understand how part A is supposed to fit into part B and so on. This is one book I think I will be referring to often.



2. My recommendation would be to not buy this book. Unless you mostly want to read about how to hire a contractor. There are a few books out there much better for the weekend do it yourselfer then this.