2 comments about This Old House: Ask Norm.

1. This is an excellent book..answers questions to many (very many) questions on home improvement. A great book for novice and expert alike (trust me, you're never to old to learn). basement, doors, ventilation, Oh, my...I liked it.

   One note, this book, ISBN 1929049358 is a Paperback book, not Hardcover. Just as good, no...better.




2. Since purchasing and renovating a turn of the century farmhouse I have read everything I could get my hands on, including almost every back issue of TOH magazine. I could not put this book down until I finished it. I didn't even know what a joist was when I fell in love and decided to buy a house in the country. I learned so much by reading this book. Thanks Norm!

5 comments about Remodel This! A Woman's Guide to Planning and Surviving the Madness of a Home Renovation.

1. What a surprise this woman's guide turns out to be! It is not only entertaining, but is also chock full of hard-core legal, financial, relationship and practical advice and gets down to the nitty-gritty for anyone contemplating a remodeling of a house or apartment. There are neat reminders-and tips-for just about everything, from how to size up a contractor, to keeping your 'cool', as well as a helpful glossary and compilation of sources.This woman's guide is not only a solid reference book, but at the same time a humorous read by two thorough, common-sense women.



2. As a contractor with 23 years of experience, I think this guide hits the proverbial nail on the head. I am always interested in understanding what my clients are most concerned about so I can address their needs. It is also helpful to have a client with reasonable expectations. This book provides a fair and unbiased assessment of many common misconceptions and provides guidelines for a good relationship between client and contractor. This is an essential first step for anyone contemplating even a small remodeling project.



3. As an entertainment industry business manager who oversees many remodelling projects every year, I appreciated the way this book conveyed so much incredibly useful information in such an easily understood, humorous way. I am planning to make this book required reading for my entire staff and for every client, female or male, who is planning to remodel their home.
   
   Harley J. Neuman, CPA



4. Anyone who has remodeled knows how it turns your life upside-down, and this book is the knight in shining armor that will save your life. This book had everything I needed in a totally readable - and totally hilarious - format. I'm buying copies for all my friends. Don't risk a remodeling project without it!



5. What a lifesaver! I have been living through going through a major renovation over the past few months and have been consulting Remodel This! literally on a daily basis. Contains detailed information which I've found helpful with each and every decision involved in the renovation process. A must-have if you are even considering a remodelling project.

No comments about Easy Fresco.

2 comments about The Smart Approach to Home Renovation (Smart Approach).

1. I like the opening sentence of this book, 'Before you take a single step toward fulfilling your remodeling dreams, do a thorough reality check.' Having been through a serious remodel (after a fire) I can assure you that the advice she gives is well founded. Her ideas on working with contractors are very good, but I'd add one more thing to check - contractors are bonded. Find out how big the bond is. If it's say $20,000 and he defaults on four projects, you're only covered to $5,000, max.
   
   Kitchens, this book, and most other books on remodeling show kitchens that have commercial grade gas stovetops. They're really neat, but wait until you see the price of new ones. However, restaurants go out of business and the stoves last forever, you might get a really good price on a used unit. Or in my kitchen I got one that had been used by the restaurant supply company at a trade show. It wasn't new, but the price was less than half.
   
   Tile floor in the kitchen? It looks great. Don't drop anything. A jar of mayo that falls on a carpet is usually OK. On tile, it's a mess.
   
   All in all, lots of good words here that if heeded can save you a bundle of money, of aggravation.



2. This book is wonderful. The pictures are beautiful and the content is very usefull. I loved the tips for renovations, what to look out for and the step by step process to follow in a renovation.

No comments about Repair & Remodeling Cost Data 2009 (Means Repair and Remodeling Cost Data).

1 comments about Recycled Spaces: Converting Buildings into Homes.

1. Proving to be one of my favorite authors, time and again, Recycled Spaces is a wonderful reference for those looking to convert a commercial building. The book is divided by type (ie train stations, churches) and examples are given of each. Each home comes with a floorplan and brief history of what it was and its evolution. This is also an excellent design source. A great buy!

3 comments about Renovating with a Contractor.

1. I knew nothing about working with contractors before buying this book and found it a great help. I recommend it heartily.



2. I personally know one of this authors of this book. This book was very helpful during the process of building my house.



3. ... arguments with the contractor, change orders, hassles, gray hair, and shoddy construction! The book contains the expected hints & tips of any guide - but it also has draft documents, contracts, check lists, planning suggestions, questions to ask BEFORE you sign anything, "contractor speak" glossary, drawings and how to read them, and critical planning details so often overlooked in the "daydreaming" stage.
   
   Don't know how much money it saved us on our renovation, but it was MUCH more than the price of the book! AND we still speak to the contractor and the subs he lined up - in advance to keep everything on schedule. The house came in on schedule and under budget! (Pity some neighbors didn't read the book; they might have saved several $100,000 and a couple of lawsuits! Really!)

5 comments about Wiring: Complete Projects for the Home.

1. This book was a real easy to read and well diagram book. I was very please. It also had the 3-way switch wiring that I needed. I would recomend this book to anyone. You want be disappointed.



2. I haven't really required this book for any real-world projects yet, however I am very impressed with the coverage. The great detailed colored illustrations, as well as the large 8 1/2" X 11" pages ensure that it will be a very useful reference for the future. I was an electrical engineer by trade (now retired), but this book is extremely well-written for the layman, as well.



3. Though I feel this book was written for the newbie and the weekend warrior do-it-yourselfer, it has some pretty advanced stuff in it too. But if you think about it, most electrical projects are the same, just with different uses and boxes.
   
   Along with installations, the book covers tests, troubleshooting and upgrades of outlets, fishing cables and wires, drywall cutting, plugs and wires (and much more.) There is way too much stuff in this book to list here, so the highlights are:
   
   GFCI outlets (where to install and why)
   Tools, wires, fittings (when, how and where to use them)
   Standby generators
   Outdoor installations
   Telephone wiring and hook-up
   
   Something it doesn't cover: solar power. It would be nice to cover this growing issue.
   
   You should have no trouble finding your particular problem / project in this book. The step-by-step instructions (with many many pictures and diagrams) make it so easy. I highly recommend this book.
   
   I also highly recommend purchasing a Fluke T5 Electrical Tester along with this book. It is absolutely imperative that you have a *dependable* tester when you are working with electricity. The T5 is one of the easiest to use, just turn it on and the voltage, amps and ohms are given automatically.



4. I completed remodeling my basement to add a bath, office, large family room and even re-located the 20A laundry circuit. This book helped me so much, I can't understate it. Passed my city inspection 1st try. Added 6 or 7 new circuits overall for the house.
   
   Anyone with a screwdriver can change outlets or replace switches, but for more complex tasks, I wanted a reference book.
   
   *Plain, easy to read wiring diagrams for 3-way switches and lights. - which can be tricky to get right.
   *Tips on keeping up to code (such as Arc-Fault breakers in sleeping rooms!)
   *Clearly explained how to install a 240V line for my bathroom heater.
   *How to wire my fire alarms all together for all three levels.
   
   I'm so happy with my addition, and this book was the go-to source. I couldn't believe I was changing Breakers myself! (along with the Creative Homeowner plumbing book-also highly recommend)



5. I am in the process of finishing my basement and decided I would tackle the electrical work myself. I pulled a permit, and I needed to gather information on how to complete the project correctly. This book was very helpful. I completed the wiring and passed inspection. While it was not the only source of information I used, it was probably the most useful: The information was complete, the book was easy to read and understand, and it contained essential information. The diagrams were particularly helpful. I had very little electrical experience. By reading this book I was able to pick up enough information and terminology to have useful conversations with the building inspectors, and also learn how to wire basic residential circuits correctly (outlets, lighting, 3 way and 4 way switches, etc...). This book was much better than the book I bought from Home Depot, and as good as the "by pros, for pros" book a friend let me borrow.

5 comments about Art Deco House Style: An Architectural and Interior Design Source Book.

1. I really like this book a lot of pictures, it is helping my to decorate my thirties house. I surely recomend it.



2. Many of the Art Deco reference books are very high quality "coffee table" productions that highlite museum quality Art Deco creations. They are fantastic books but as the owner of middle class Art Deco home, I know that objects presented in these books are way beyond my economic means. I can admire them but never afford these iconic art pieces. The beauty of Ingrid Cranfield's "Art Deco House Style" is that it concentrates on more modest homes and interiors. Nearly every page is filled with period photographs of house exteriors, furniture and other household objects. At $16 new or $10 used, this is a very reasonably priced reference book more suitable for the book shelf than the coffee table. A good value and highly recommended for the regular person with a 1930's home.



3. This book is exactly what I was looking for! The reviews I read on amazon.com convinced me to buy it because they said it was great for someone who owned an art deco style house and they were right. I would recommend it.



4. I ordered this book for a friend who has an Art Deco house and is planning an extension with a new kitchen. It sounded ideal but proved less than useful. It is really a historical reference for Art Deco elements which may be interesting to some but is not so useful if you want to use your house in a more modern way. The average 1930's kitchen just does not cut it these days. This book showed original Art Deco kitchens but no new kitchens in Art Deco style. I would recommend this book to design students and ardent enthusiasts of the style but not to someone who is not so fanatical. There are better books for integrating old and new such as "Old House, New Home: Stylish Modern Living In A Period Setting".



5. This is a lovely book, but I bought it for the interior part and it really is mostly external architecture.

1 comments about The Accessible Home: Updating Your Home for Changing Physical Needs.

1. This book is packed with practical information for homeowners who want to do their own work in adapting their existing homes for the comfort, convenience, and safety of those with various kinds and degrees of physical disability. The how-to instructions are clearly written and well illustrated. It's less useful, however, for those of us who are looking for design inspiration and turning the actual labor over to professionals. Still, at the ridiculously low prices at which this book can be obtained, it's a handy reference work for those who want an off-line source of -- for example -- where and how high (and how many) grab bars should be installed to provide an ADA-appropriate bath or shower. Architects and contractors will turn to other sources, but DIYers will find value here.