Reviews (3)

Super Cool Book!
I was at one time a hesitant host.I figured you had to be the perfect housekeeper/decorator/cook in order to host a decent party.Since I'm none of these things (not even in my wildest fantasies), I was always very intimidated by the thought of having people over.
Yes, You and have fun entertaining.
I purchased this book on the way to a diplomatic assignment. It offers a wide variety of useful and entertaining information.I often give to new brides and recommend it to experienced friends who want to entertain more.It covers a range from parties in the home to welcoming house guests.The friendly easy way it is writen inspires confidence in the new hostess and encourages experimentation for the more experienced party giver.It is a smart addition to any library and a great gift.

a life saver!
I first checked this out of my local library, and then didn't want to return it!Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking / Wine    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Dinners    4. Dinners and dining    5. Entertaining    6. Entertaining - General    7. General    8. Hobbies/Crafts    9. Repair    10. Tablesetting    11. Handicrafts    12. Hobbies, Quizzes & Games    13. House & Home / Repair   

Subjects:  1. Amateurs' manuals    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. Do-It-Yourself - General    4. Do-it-yourself work    5. Dwellings    6. Equipment, Appliances & Supplies    7. Home Improvement / Construction    8. Home Maintenance And Repair    9. Home Management    10. House & Home    11. Maintenance and repair    12. Repair    13. DIY    14. House & Home / Do-It-Yourself   

Reviews (1)

A sound, well-written companion for home inspectors/buyers
This book hits upon the major components of homeinspection. The checklists throughout the book are a bit redundant (I found many duplicate checklist items). The book also goes in to some considerations for startingyour own business in home inspection, which is helpful. I view this book asa good SUPPLEMENT rather than the "bible" of home inspectionbecause I feel it is not exhaustive and technical enough in content.However, for the non-technically inclined homebuyer, the book will be agood tool to have under his/her belt. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Building Inspection    2. Construction - General    3. Design & Construction    4. Dwellings    5. Handbooks, manuals, etc    6. Hobbies/Crafts    7. Inspection    8. Repair    9. Technology    10. Technology & Industrial Arts   

Reviews (4)

More interior decorating, than "repair"
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.

You can do it Girls!
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.
dare to repair: a do-it-yourself guide to maintenance, etac
Great book!We bought it for our daughter who lives 250 miles away.Now she has the ability to figure out what is happening under the hood, if it can be fixed, how it can be fixed and how involved the repair will be.I don't see her putting her head under the hood and doing the reapairs herself anytime soon, but it surely makes her a more informed consumer when she heads for the repair shop. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Amateurs' manuals    2. Automobiles    3. Automotive    4. Automotive - Repair & Maintenance    5. Automotive Maintenance And Repair    6. Do-It-Yourself    7. Do-it-yourself work    8. House & Home    9. Maintenance and repair    10. Repair    11. House & Home / Repair   

Reviews (2)

I've purchased several copies...
This is a great book if you are planning to move, build a new home or purchase new furniture. It gives hints on everything to the type of flooring that is easiest to keep clean to which furniture would be best tostay looking nice with little upkeep. Also good for ideas on how toorganize and keep clutter to a minimum as to spend less time doinghousework. I read it cover to cover and used a highlighter on points torefer back to. I loved this book so much that as a real estate agent, Igive this to clients before they move and they have all loved it too!

Great for Real-World People!
This is a wonderful book for anyone who hates housework and/or justdoesn't have the time.I'm only half way through the book, but so far I'veenjoyed everything!I especially love the portion where she states (andquotes others) that the immaculate homes that we see in the 'HouseBeautiful'-type magazines are not a reflection of normal people who havebusy lives! Also enjoyed the chapter on getting the big ones and littleones in the household to do housework as a team.I am currently reading alibrary copy, but want / will get one of my own! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cleaning & Caretaking - Household Hints    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. Home economics    5. House & Home    6. House cleaning    7. Repair    8. House & Home / Cleaning & Caretaking    9. House & Home-Repair    10. Household hints   

Reviews (7)

Good but dated
This book provided a comprehensive primer on how to deal with all the issues surrounding an addition or renovation.While it offered lots of cost estimating advice and other tips, many of them were dated and not in line with the current economy.Not that I expected anything different!One thing the book didn't really cover well was the current trend toward builder/architect firms that marry both these specialities into one vendor.But all in all, a worthwhile investment for anyone considering building an addition or starting a renovation project (or both).

Perceptive writing on renovation
This is a very good book, but the subtitle needs a small addition so that it reads: "A Home Renovation Survival Guide For The Affluent". The author, a contractor in Manhattan, is expert at dealing with problemsmost of us never have to deal with, such as themob-influenced/socialist-inspired New York City building code and cutthroatclients poised to fleece him with the stroke of a pen. If you've got plentyof money and you want to spend it prudently on a renovation of your home,this is the book for you. If, on the other hand, you are strapped for cashand struggling to add space for a growing family, or you are interested indoing it yourself to learn things and save money, look elsewhere. This is abook for the elite. To John Rusk, there is a right way and a wrong way todo every project. If the right way is too expensive for you, then youshould forget about it until you have enough money. Now, if most of us wereto follow such advice, nothing would ever get done, except in the poshneighborhoods. Still, it's interesting to read, if only to find out how theother half (other tenth) renovates. The structure is composed of threeparts: Rusk lays out his theory and methods in one; the other two arefictional narratives of a pair of young marrieds--one bright and the otherfoolish. The foolish ones get into squabbles with everyone from thearchitect to the carpenter; they are unfailingly pennywise. The brightones, after a few missteps, submit to the Rusk method, and are rewardedwith an excellent renovation. These fictitious episodes are naturally lessdry than the how-to sections, and make for highly enjoyable reading attimes. That technical contractual stuff may go over well at the Harvard B.School, but let's face it, it's not the kind of thing you want to read whenyou're gearing up for a big construction project. Most people I know wouldrather take the contract out of contractor. "Let's get on withit!" is their rallying cry. In just a few words, Rusk masterfullysketches the character of the "good" contractor: GiovanniDeTomaso, who sits, Brutus-like, sharpening his chisels and waiting for thephone to ring. As a sometime contractor myself, I relished the scene of theirate male of the bright couple being brought to heel.Mr. DeTomasothreatens to sever a support beam that was discovered inside a wall unlessMr. Finley shows more respect. All too often, we contractors allow clientsto bully us just because it's their house. And the downward spiral of thefoolish couple was also gripping in a morbid sort of way, reminiscent of the reversal-of-fortune plots of Dickens or Thackeray. As I read, I thoughtof how the foolish element could give an edge to "This Old House"when it gets dull. Imagine a Farrah Fawcett or Mary Tyler Moore characterfighting with Norm Abrams over the placement of a sink. In fact, this couldeasily be expanded to a full-length feature where a couple of plutocratsfrom Manhattan or Cambridge receives its comeuppance from an unwashed pushypair from Queens or Medford.

clear, fun to read, full of useful information
John Rusk's book is easy, even entertaining to read, and full of insights into the motivation of home owners, architects and contracts.Don't start your project without reading it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Do-It-Yourself    2. Dwellings    3. Home Improvement / Construction    4. House & Home    5. Houses    6. Planning    7. Remodeling    8. Remodeling & Renovation - General    9. Repair    10. House & Home / Repair   

Reviews (4)

Simply the best!!!
I have been involved in the Slate Roofing industry for 14 years.Before this publication was available, each slate company had their own installation manuals, but none were written from the perspective of the applicator or the specifier.This left a tremendous void in the industry. Written by bone heads
I have worked with the author of this book on a slate roof. His work is poor and I think he has no buisness trying to come off as some kind of expert. Belive me he's not. John Cook Oak Sheet Metal, Inc.

slate roof repairing
what is the best way to repair slate caps. help now ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Construction - Roofing    2. Design & Construction    3. Do-It-Yourself    4. House & Home    5. Maintenance and repair    6. Repair    7. Roofs    8. Slate roofing   

Reviews (1)

Helps you learn how deep to dig.
Very good book with actual price estimates from the people who know best, RS Means (we use their database at work (Facilities area) for estimating. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Building Construction Costs    2. Construction - General    3. Costs    4. Dwellings    5. Garden structures    6. General    7. Home Maintenance And Repair    8. Outbuildings    9. Reference    10. Remodeling    11. Repair    12. Science/Mathematics    13. Technology   

Reviews (2)

Excellent Beginner Book
This book was given out at a clock repair course I took and I found it to be very helpful and informative to me since I was an absolute beginner in clock repair.

Great book for those just starting out!
I found this book to be invaluable tool in my endeavor to learn about clock repair. Steven Conover's book covers the basic areas the every person needs to know to repai clocks with good descriptions and many photos anddrawings. A must have for anyone entering into the field of clock repair. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Clocks & Watches    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. General    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Repair    6. Technical & Manufacturing Trades    7. Technology & Industrial Arts   

Editorial Review

Providing answers to more than 1,000 frequently asked questions about home repair and improvement is no small task. Read more

Reviews (2)

One Person's Opinion
I found this book most useful. It contained just about every subject I needed to look up.

A Great Book
I thought the book was wonderful.The highly detailed pictures and clear instructions make this book a must have in every home.The book has assisted me from fixing our leaky outdoor faucet; too remodeling ourkitchen.It has info on both inside and outside projects.It makes themost complex jobs seem easy, and the book pays for itself with the moneyyou save from not getting a repair man. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Do-It-Yourself    2. Do-It-Yourself - General    3. Dwellings    4. Home Improvement / Construction    5. House & Home    6. Houses    7. Maintenance and repair    8. Miscellanea    9. Repair    10. House & Home / Do-It-Yourself   

Reviews (6)

Perfect Book For The Single Woman
I thought this book was fantastic!I like to consider myself "handyman challenged", but with this book, I actually took apart a sink drain and put it back together!Correctly and working I might add.
A book for my inferior woman's brain! Oh, at last!
I got this book from a relative for Christmas and since then I've actually known what a hammer was for! Up until then I was using it to tenderize meat for my big guy (he beat me up when he found out I used his hammer this way - dummy me). Anyway, now my small woman - sized brain can almost - almost - understand the things that men do. I feel so much closer to being human now, though I would never let on to my mas..., er, husband. I'm sure that's what the author had in mind. After all, she must know what it feels like to be a woman, too.

For someone who really doesn't have a clue...
This book isn't as comprehensive as I would have wanted. The information is basic and geared towards someone who has never held a screwdriver in her life. Although the repairs she reviews are thorough, I was hoping for something that focuses on more complex issues. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Amateurs' manuals    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. Do-It-Yourself - General    4. Dwellings    5. Home Improvement / Construction    6. Home Maintenance And Repair    7. House & Home    8. Maintenance and repair    9. Remodeling & Renovation - General    10. Repair    11. House & Home / Repair    12. House maintenance   

Reviews (1)

Not bad for america
Good source for help in working with older properties, although a bit tooflip. Generally European sources are more informed than USA but this givesgood references and sources which is what most private individuals need. Itis less usefull for professionals such as architects & designers.Evenhere because architectural and design education in the states is moregeared towards large scale developement and not so much to restoration /renovation this reference is usefull. Good for usa names and sources, butsuggest that european references etc. are better in terms of specificdetails and construction. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architectural Preservation And Restoration    2. Directories    3. Do-It-Yourself    4. Handbooks, manuals, etc    5. Historic preservation    6. Home Improvement / Construction    7. House & Home    8. Remodeling & Renovation - General    9. Repair    10. Societies, etc    11. Societies, etc.    12. United States    13. Conservation of buildings & building materials    14. Conservation of the environment    15. House & Home / Remodeling & Renovation    16. Management of land & natural resources    17. USA    18. Yearbooks, annuals, almanacs    19. c 1990 to c 2000   

Reviews (1)

Easy Washer Repair
Our washer had started pouring half the water on the floor instead of into the tub.We had the Whirlpool exploded parts picture, but it didn't help understand the problem.After spending two weeks trying to figure it out on our own and unhelpful trips to the parts store, this book lead us to the answer.The repair took a few minutes and no new parts.This is a wonderful book and a wonderful series. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Do-It-Yourself    2. Home Improvement / Construction    3. Repair   

Subjects:  1. Do-It-Yourself    2. House & Home    3. Repair   

Reviews (3)

Worth Every Penny!
What can I say, the chapter on setting up your jointer is worth the price of the book by itself. The pictures and the diagrams are great, easy to understand, and the text is informative and easy to read. This book makes you a better woodworker, because your tools will be correctly set up, which also makes them more fun to use and much safer.
Excellent resource
This is an outstanding book.It is well written, well organized, has excellent graphics and pictures, and serves a much needed role in most woodshops.White would have been a great engineer.His jigs and measurement techniques are clever, well documented, and easy to make and use.I found myself smiling several times at the ingenuity of his low-cost (and effective!) solutionsto high-cost measurement tools.I have a middle-of-the-road chinese knock off table saw that wasn't cutting well (burns and lots of resistance).I made the jigs and went through the tune up procedure in an evening, and the saw performs much better afterwards. Great book for tool tune-ups and alignment
I've been having some problems getting my jointer tables aligned properly, and happened upon this book by accident. What luck! This book is full of great info on tune-ups and alignment. John White goes in depth into the set up and alignment of primary power tools (jointer, planer, table saw, bandsaw, router table, drill press and miter saw). His writing is clear, easy to understand and follow, with plenty of very descriptive pictures. The book is very complete on each of the tools covered. I truly appreciated that he used many shop-built jigs and common tools to get things done. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Home Improvement / Construction    5. Machine-shop practice    6. Maintenance and repair    7. Power Tools    8. Repair    9. Tools    10. Woodwork - General    11. Crafts & Hobbies / Woodwork    12. Woodworking   

Reviews (4)

don't wasteyour money
Nothing new here and the pictures are not really that good.
Curb Appeal
I was so excited when I flipped through this book that I bought 4 for gifts.Generally I only browse through magazines, where I can clip great ideas and toss the rest.Most books on this topic have a few good ideas and the rest is noninspirational.
Loved Curb Appeal!
Great ideas for all styles of homes. Gets your immagination working to view your own home with a new sense of creativity, whether inspired to use the complete redo or a partial version thereof.Depicts realistic "before" photos, as well as the "after" photos. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. Do-It-Yourself - General    4. Home Improvement / Construction    5. House & Home    6. Landscape    7. Remodeling & Renovation - General    8. Repair   

Reviews (8)

Honest advice for common appliance issues
I consulted this book because I had a white film on my dishes after the wash cycle was complete. I appreciated the diagnosis techniques and solutions the author provided. After taking the author's advice, I'm glad to say I don't have to wipe off my dishes after the dishwasher cycle is complete! This was a readable quick-reference guide that made me more knowledgeable about my appliances and saved me money by not having to make a service call.
I'm saving money!
I was experiencing soap in my washer at the end of each load.I tried several things to eliminate this problem, including switching detergent and running vinegar through the machine a couple of times.It helped for a couple of loads and then it was back to soap still there after the final rinse.I was using quite a bit of water to keep rinsing loads until the soap was finally gone.I almost called a service tech.I received a copy of this book as a gift and tried the "clean towel test."The author was right!I was using way too much soap even though it was exactly what the soap box said to use and I hadn't changed the amount I used over the past 25 years.However, I do have a new washing machine.I'm now using just enough soap to cover the bottom of the lid of the liquid soap and my clothes are clean and softer.Plus, I'm buying much less soap and my water bill has gone down!This book definitely saved me money.Thank you, Vernon!

Front Load Washer
I purchased a front load washer because we are a family of five with a ton of laundry, and the front loaders can accomodate larger loads.It worked great for the first few months but after a while I noticed small amounts of water on the floor just in front of the machine and that the clothes hadn't been through a proper spin cycle.After reading the section on Front loaders in this book, I realized I wasn't putting enough clothes in the machine to allow for a balanced spin.I haven't had any problems since.There are many other great tips in this book; things you would never think of.It's well worth the purchase! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Do-It-Yourself    2. Home Improvement / Construction    3. House & Home    4. Repair    5. House maintenance   

Reviews (2)

Don?t buy it!
Call professional - author's suggestion.Bellow zero - simple raving without any experience!

Old House Owner's Manual
If you own or work on old houses this book is a great reference.It explains how to research and repair the plaster and wood surfaces in your home. As a DIY old house renovator it was full of useful information, andgave me a lot of insight into the construction of my house.However, it isnot always written in really easy to understand terminology, so it can behard to follow. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architectural Preservation And Restoration    2. Building Details Finishing    3. Construction - General    4. Do-It-Yourself    5. Do-It-Yourself - General    6. General    7. Historic buildings    8. Home Improvement / Construction    9. House & Home    10. Interior walls    11. Maintenance and repair    12. Moldings    13. Repair    14. Woodworking    15. Architectural structure & design    16. Building skills    17. Conservation of buildings & building materials    18. Technology / Construction & Construction Trades   

Subjects:  1. Cleaning & Caretaking - General    2. Do-It-Yourself    3. General    4. Home Improvement / Construction    5. House & Home    6. Reference    7. Repair    8. House & Home / General   

Reviews (4)

The book I buy as a housewarming gift
This is the book to buy before you read the how-to books. A nice book.
This books explains how a US single family house evolved to its current standard, including structure, plumbing, electrics, etc.The author is both knowledgeable on how things in our houses work and very good at communicating his knowledge to a lay person.Although there are a few "fix it yourself" or "complete guide" books that are good at providing quick solutions, this book will help you understand how some of the solutions work.The book is less than 200 pages and takes only a few nights to read.You will benefit from it for your whole life.

This book isa must-read for any home buyer or owner.
This book is a rare blend of the fundamentals of residential construction, expressed in the most friendly language.Duane has an unusual two-fold gift to understand all the technical aspects of our homes and the ability to communicate that expertise in the most approachable manner. It'slike having the 60-year wisdom of a construction foreman and a dutch unclein your back pocket. I have given copies of this fine book to all mynephews and several friends. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Amateurs' manuals    2. Buildings    3. Do-It-Yourself - Plumbing    4. Dwellings    5. Handbooks, manuals, etc    6. Home Improvement / Construction    7. Home Maintenance And Repair    8. Houses    9. Mechanical equipment    10. Repair    11. Self-Help    12. House & Home / Reference