No comments about Black & Decker Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair: with 350 Projects and 2000 Photos (Black & Decker Complete Photo Guide).

5 comments about The Home Owner's Journal, Fifth Edition.

1. The hardest part to using this reminder (fill-in the pages book) is taking the time to write down what you did to your house. Be it painting-- the kitchen or replacing the waterheater. The book is user-friendly and the spiral binding allows to to lay flatt to easily write in. Virually all rooms, appliances, etc. are listed on separate pages. Referring back to finding an event is just thumbing thru the pages to the room,etc.
   Wall coverings; bedroom 1,2,3; measurements, cleaned by, brand, date purchased, costs,etc. are all things asked of you.



2. This is more of a decorating book if you ask me. It gives you spaces to put what dimension e/thing in your house is. It is not a bad book, but it is not what I thought it was. I was looking for a book to store info on when the last time I cleaned the air ducts in the house, etc...stuff like that. Maybe I am looking more for a maitenence book. This book would be useful in many situations, but as a home journal it's not what i thought it was.



3. I bought this when I purchased my first home. It's easy to use and has lots of sections where you can keep notes. It is divided up into a variety of sections like Living Room, Bedroom (1,2,3,4,5), Bathroom, Hallway, Roof, etc. I keep things in it like dates of yearly service calls, paint swatches, companies I've used, etc. It's a terrific tool and also makes a great gift.



4. I buy these and give them to all my home buyer's at closings. It is a great book and you can record virtually everything about your home in it. My home rehabbers love it because they then have something to hand to the new homeowners showing everything they have done to the property and where to find replacements and warranties.



5. This book makes it easy to keep all your home information in one spot. Measure your windows once, write it down in the book, and you are ready to buy new window treatments any time. Keep track of your purchases and know how much money you have spent on home improvements. Write down paint colors, etc., and you won't have to wonder when you need another quart for a touch up. Put your furnace or AC info in the book and you won't have to climb around trying to read the little numbers on the appliance if you need a repair. We had a previous edition of this book for the home we recently sold, and I made a special point to get this book for the house we just bought. It makes my recordkeeping so much easier and I can find all my information in one place.

5 comments about Code Check Building: A Field Guide to the Building Codes.

1. This is great "refresher" material on the job-site. It is VERY short on length. Sixteen sheets of plastically laminated paper (spill-proof) that increase in size...basically they are self-tabbed by the major topic areas. So the first page is about half the physical length of the last page (which is about legal pad size). I found the material reasonable for being condensed in such a small amount of space, but nearly impossible to "understand" a code just from the pamphlet alone. It doesn't make for easy reading unless you know already what you're looking for and its so short that even if you did, you might just miss it.



2. This book is NOT useful for anyone taking there Class "A" Contractor Test with PSI. It is more useful for commercial applications.



3. Anyone building or taking a builders test should have a copy.



4. Although the graphics seem simplistic at first glance, they make the information easy to grasp. I had several "ah-ha, I get it" moments when browsing for information. I actually enjoyed looking at this code reference. That's a first!



5. Excellent knowledge base for the DIY and pro. This series of books will show you everything you need to know to do it right the first time and pass those crucial inspections.

4 comments about How to Repair Briggs and Stratton Engines, 4th Ed..

1. I believe that this book will be a great book. I am having trouble with my engine and i would like to read this and figure out my problems. I can't wait to get it.



2. Dempsey basically says, theres two kinds, lots of varation, and if you have a problem, take it to a shop.
   
   Lacking in clear illustrations.

   Why did I need to spend $...to read this ?

   I gave it one star because 0 was not an option.




3. The book should be called overview of briggs and stratton engines. I found that the book lacked any usefull information for the home do it yourselfer. The book has little information on the primer bulb type carberator and little to no information on trouble shooting and solving problems of this type. His vage explanation as well as confusing illistrations has me regreting that I purchased this book.



4. Tinkering with old Briggs engines is fun and I've saved dozens from the dump over the years. This book is better than some I have read, but it's no substitute for the factory manuals for a specific engine or engine series. It does have some information the factory books don't, such as ways to get around needing some of the tools-although Briggs tools are not terribly expensive and are readily available.
   
   This book is best used in addition rather than as a substitute for the factory data. Judging from other TAB titles, it could definitely been worse.

5 comments about The Natural House: A Complete Guide to Healthy, Energy-Efficient, Environmental Homes.

1. Dan Chiras has done a number of things I really like in this book.

   The first part of his book provides a chapter on each of several natural building technologies with enough information to help novice readers understand what is involved. Moreover, he adds a pro and con table at the end of each to help readers compare and contrast them - and to make a decision about which is best for their particular situation.

   Chiras also provides an ample helping of "food for thought" material to help potential natural builders understand the "why" of their prospective natural building projects, an essential process for anyone who is contemplating an out of the ordinary building project.

   Chiras serves his readers well by acting as a "fair broker" of natural building as a concept as well as each of the technologies he presents. This allowing his readers to make their own informed judgements about which natural building method, if any, they will use. Chiras additionally provides numerous references so that readers can find more detailed material for further research and project planning.

   I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who is in the process of considering or planning construction of a natural home, especially to those who are not already familiar with conventional construction materials and methods and at least reasonably familiar with natural construction alternatives.

   It's easily worth the price.




2. If you're interested in building a natural home (cob, rammed earth, straw-bale, earthship, whatever), this is your primer. The author has done his homework and presents the description, pros/cons and pitfalls of each type of construction. He is very honest about just how "do-it-yourself" each type can be, and how much it will cost you. He also covers passive and active solar design, natural water capture and other alternative technologies to go with your natural home. This is an excellent overview on all these subjects.

   The best thing about this book is that he refers you to other sources for more detail - books, videos, newsletters and organizations that will support you, give you a workshop or just give you more detailed information than belonged in this primer book.

   I highly recommend this as the first book you read on the subject. Once you know which type of house you are interested in, you can pick up some of the other books he suggests on that building type.




3. Being an architect already, I found that the book was an excellent introduction, even for me, to the various alternative building techniques emerging. It gave the author's honest opinion about many of the techniques, which was very appreciated. Don't expect it to be a precise how-to guide for any of the methods. It is an excellent overview, though, that can help you evaluate which building techniques you would like to explore further. The references at the end are vast and helpful.

   However, I found that for a book about the "Natural House", it often suggested many un-green building materials (OSB, polypropylene bags). Sometimes their "ungreeness" was mentioned, sometimes not.




4. I've recently become interested in green building. My local library system provided a lot of interesting books, most of which weren't really worth buying.
   
   Daniel Chiras' book is different: comprehensive, well-organized, and sincere. I purchased a copy as this is a definite keeper.



5. My husband and I are building a new house and we were looking for a good resource for information about eco-friendly options for our home. This turned out to be an excellent resource, but a little outdated. There have been so many advances in various eco-friendly technology since this book was written and it would be great it Daniel Chiras would update this book to show that. However, this book did provide us with the basic information we needed to make most of the decisions for our house. I would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to build green or do a green remodel to their house. In addition to this, I would recommend getting a subscription to Smart Homeowner Magazine and/or Mother Earth, both of which will provide you with the latest in green products and technology, along with a lot of other valuable information. They make a great update to The Natural House.

5 comments about Roof Framer's Bible: The Complete Pocket Reference to Roof Framing 2nd Edition.

1. This is a mistake review. This site will not allow me to change the 1 star rating that was accidently entered. Please disregard this review.



2. Had hoped for information as to how roof framing elements join together in various configurations, but found very little on this on this.



3. We ordered a few of these reference for the owner and employees. They are finding the book easy to follow and extremely informative.



4. I am a residential framer and I use my Roof Framer's Bible almost every day especially when I am framing complicated houses. Circular stairs, conventional rafters, round bays, all the calculations and tips are there for you. I have been framing for about 20 years and it is one of the essential tools I use on the site. I am on my 4th copy as the others have been gradually destroyed by weather (and one was stolen). This is the best useful framing book I've seen. I also liked The Roof Cutter's Secrets to Framing the Custom Home.



5. Professional framers will keep this book tucked in their pocket to reference while out on a job.

3 comments about Code Check Electrical: An Illustrated Guide to Wiring a Safe House, 4th Edition.

1. All these code check books are excellent resources for contractors and field inspectors.
   However, I am very disappointed about the fact that Code Check never puts down what version of code book referenced. Instead, they simply put "updated to the latest version of xxx code"
   As we all know, every State adopts a new code every few years (typically 3 years).
   HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO KNOW IF THE CODE CHECK IS CURRENT IF THEY DON'T TELL US WHICH CODE IS IT BASED ON ?
   This product is getting 3 stars from me because without knowing which code it's referenced, it's no different than any "build a safe house" for DIYers, which we already have tons of these laying around in any hardware store.
   If Code Check takes the time, compare and update their content concurrent with the code updates, then it's worth 6 stars.



2. Excellent information. I also liked the hard cover pages to keep from getting damaged. Very easy to understand also.



3. I am not an electrician but as a licensed builder and home inspector I find the various Code Check's (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, etc) to be outstanding references, and the illustrations are a great help. Contrary to another rating comment, all the Code Checks I have do identify the particular code and year, either on the front cover or in the introduction. Anyone who pounds a nail or shops the electrical section at the local "big box" store should have copies of Code Check. Homeowners are notorious for saying (especially with electrical repairs) "Well that's the way my father taught me." Times and codes have changed and Code Check will keep you up to date and SAFE.

5 comments about Drywall: Professional Techniques for Great Results.

1. I noticed that the 3rd Edition of this book has a copyright date of 2008 and the cover of the book notes that it is completely revised and updated. Any review written before 2008 is almost certainly for the second edition. The 3rd edition is a reasonably hefty 210 pages of content; it is printed on nice paper, is nicely organised, and has an index.
   
   I am an experienced do-it-yourselfer and bought this book to get an update on the latest corner beads made of vinyl and some made of metal and paper. I also wanted a little more knowledge on available types of drywall and joint compounds.
   
   This book is very comprehensive and covers drywall techniques, tools, and materials. Consistent with the reviews of the earlier edition(s), this book focuses almost exclusively on drywall (which is also consistent with its title). There is a section on soundproofing which I believe is very useful.
   
   I would rate this book as a must read for anyone who wishes to learn about drywall techniques. The text is clear and there are many photographs to illustrate the points that the author is making.
   
   I would have liked it if the author covered skip troweling but this is a little tricky to learn from a book (so this omission did not bother me much).
   
   I already had a good amount of knowledge about drywall and this book has given me another step up in knowledge. I am completely satisfied with this book.



2. We bought this book to help us "finish" our garage with insulation and drywall. This book was great. We were first timers to this type of project. The book was very informative from choosing our supplies, tools we would need, all the way to taping and finishing off the joints. We were able to complete our project from start to finish with just the help of this book.
   
   I would definitely recommend it to anyone taking on a drywall project for the first time.



3. My husand borrowed this book from the library and loved it so much he wanted me to buy it for him for Father's Day. He is in the process of finishing our basement and found it very helpful.



4. I started out doing drywall back in 1980 and I've been doing it professionally ever since. I thought I knew everything, but Myron has shown me some methods that have improved my work. The guy who gave the 2 star review is right, it doesn't teach the pro mud applications and if you need to tape and mud 5 houses a week, you won't need this book. For the rest of us though, it really helps and I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn drywall and drywall finishing very highly.



5. This book is all you need to drywall. I found it to be very comprehensive, I learned more about the different thicknesses of drywall and the different types than I ever cared to know. It did its job though and provided enough info to drywall from start to finish.

5 comments about The Complete Book of Home Inspection.

1. If you are looking for a book that will teach you a lot about real estate and home inspections then this is not the book for you. The chapter information and text content of this book was very basic and did not teach me anything I didn't already learn from other books that were much better. Inspecting homes is something I have done for many years and I would not recommend this book to any customers or contractors. If you know absolutely nothing about real estate then you might learn a few things but not too much.



2. this book covers all the topics on home inspection, and its material is ok. except that there is no color pictures, all the photographs are black and white, some of them could be barely seen. that put me off a bit.



3. This home inspection book is an excellent collection of knowledge from a very accomplished licensed professional engineer who is also a home inspector. The book covers a wide variety of topics in a very thorough manner and allows the reader to not feel overwhelmed if they have to inspect a home. A good approach for using this book is to go through the home to see if you like the home. As you go through, note what type of systems are in place (oil furnace, gas hot water heater, etc.). Then read the book to provide some background to better prepare yourself to understand what you see when you inspect the home.
   The guy did an excellent job of communicating his years of knowledge into a useful book. If you're going to do your own home inspection, this book should be read. I'm also an engineer and home inspector. It took me years to learn what is compiled in this book.



4. This book was actually written by the man who founded the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI). Great information.



5. A good place to start, but you probably want to look for a newer edition.

3 comments about Graphic Guide to Site Construction: Over 325 Details for Builders and Designers.

1. i am so thankful to the authors of this book! they explained everything with such clarity and attention to detail. i am recommending this book to a lot of fellow landscape designers. this book has clear and well drawn details on a lot of landcape structures. it is far far better than a lot of text books on the same subject, and it's worth ten times more than its price.



2. What an excellent little book! As a landscape designer (who provides the aethetic overview for the contractor to install), this book has proven extremely helpful in answering my never-ending questions, "how will ____ be built?" As such, it is invaluable in the design process as well.
   
   Aimed at residential design, every hardscape element I need is explained and illustrated in a professional, thorough, easy-to-understand way. Examples of what's covered: retaining walls, steps, drainage, railings, irrigation, lighting, septic systems, paving systems, deck structures, built-in fireplaces, built-in kitchens, water, pools, spas....etc, etc, etc.
   Of the more complicated things (built-in kitchens, swimming pools), the authors kept the details simple, describing the overall concepts, so that a designer can show them, but a skilled contractor would need to fill in. Of the things a do-it-yourselfer can do (e.g. fences, simple paving), there is a more thorough covering.
   
   This book is NOT among the comprehensive construction standards references that must (by necessity of their content) be priced in the $100 to $200 range. This one is focused and kept to-the-point as a quick but thorough reference for all manner of outdoor construction used in residential landscapes.
   
   For landscapers, landscape designers, homeowners, artists--anyone needing professional construction information edited down to the essentials-- I highly recommend this book!



3. This is a great book for detailed inforamtion. Easy to understand, answers questions and gives suggestions.