Estimating Home Building Costs Review

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(More customer reviews)No, I have not read the book. Having said that, please note that the other reviews are for the earlier edition, not the 2010 edition. The negative review should be altered by this new edition.

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Accurate estimates are the foundation of a successful construction business. Leave an item out of your original estimate and it can take the profit out of your entire job. This practical guide to estimating home construction costs has been updated with digital Excel estimating forms and worksheets that ensure accurate and complete estimates for your residential projects. Load the enclosed CD-ROM into your computer and create your own estimate as you follow along with the step-by-step techniques in this book. Clear, simple instructions show how to estimate labor and material costs for each stage of construction, from site clearing to figuring your markup and profit. Every chapter includes a sample cost estimate worksheet that lists all the materials to be estimated. You will never miss an item again. On the CD all these worksheets are provided as Excel spreadsheets. The final chapter shows you how to figure your markup and profit to arrive at a sales price You will earn simple and effective ways to estimate site clearing and excavation. footing and foundation material and labor: concrete, masonry, basements and waterproofing; floor systems material and labor: sill plates, girders, ledgers, joists, hangers, headers, bridging, and subfloors; Stairways: including how to calculate rise and run, tread depth, and stringer length; walls and ceilings: studs, headers, sheathing, bracing, and joists; rafter and roof framing: including calculating rafter length, ridges, rafter supports, trusses, roof sheathing; roofing materials: underlayment, flashing, ventilation, shingles, and subcontractor costs; Interior finishes and trim: drywall, painting, molding, floor coverings, kitchens and bathrooms; exterior and interior trim and finish materials: windows, doors, siding, brick materials, and labor; concrete for floors, walkways and patios; Overhead and profit, including setting your sales price.Once you find how easy the automated Excel worksheets make estimating, you ll want to use them for every estimate. Just enter your project information on the worksheets and Excel will automatically total each material and labor cost from each stage of construction to a final cost estimate worksheet. Specialized worksheets guide you through calculations for common rafter lengths, headers, and estimating areas of walls and ceilings. There are also time-saving factor tables for roof pitch, jack and hip rafter lengths, brick courses, concrete volume, mortar, and much more.--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Be Your Own House Contractor: Save 25% Without Lifting a Hammer Review

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(More customer reviews)In 1990 I had my ten acres paid for, and was ready to being building my retirement home. A friend gave me Carl Heldmann's book, Be Your Own House Contractor. I had a set of plans made from my sketching, and got three bids for building. The cheapest was $97,500.00. I decided to try my own general contracting, with little to no experience in construction. With the help of some friends whom I bounced ideas off of, I started out with a spread sheet of sub-contracters, getting three bids from each in their order of appearance. In six months, we finished our home, and without cutting any real expenses, built our home for $67,500. All due to the teachings and following of Carl Heldmann's book. Even if you do decide to use general contractor, this book is still invaluable in the detail and advise given. I have since given this book to three friends who have built homes, and all three were very impressed with the subject matter. A MUST read, in my opinion, for anyone who is going to undertake building or having a new home built. I know of no where else one get such a step by step explanation covering the do's and don't of every phase of the process.

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Smart Guide: Basements: Step-by-Step Projects Review

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(More customer reviews)Bought this book so I could be over the free shipping threshold on an order. I was hoping to get some ideas to finish my basement. The book is written at a very basic level, almost assuming you aren't really going to do much of the work yourself. Although it has a few decent ideas, anything beyond the most basic of work it suggests you contact a professional (great advice, but I do as much as possible myself).
If you're planning and finishing your basement yourself, I would highly recommend Remodeling A Basement Revised Edition (Taunton's Build Like a Pro). I have the first revision and it gives detailed instructions so you should be able to complete the vast majority of the work yourself. He discusses current code requirements and also mentions when projects tend to vary greatly from area to area. Much better reference.

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Smart Guide®: Basements provides readers with the information they need to convert their dark, dreary basements into bright, airy living spaces.Readers learn how to eliminate moisture problems, change rough concrete walls and floors into finished surfaces, hide pipes and wiring, and bring light and ventilation to these rooms.

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Ultimate Guide to Bathrooms: Plan, Remodel, Build Review

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(More customer reviews)Very good book. This has detailed layouts which is what I was looking for. It also includes smaller bathrooms, for those of us who are not able to have a mansion bathroom.

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Ultimate Guide to Bathrooms guides the reader through the process of designing and doing the work involved with remodeling an existing bathroom or adding a new one. Homeowners will find inspirational information on layout and design, but most of the book covers the hand-on parts of the projects, including adding new tubs and showers, vanities and sinks, and installing flooring and other finishes. Over 60 easy-to-follow photo sequences demonstrate the most popular projects, including the basics of plumbing and electrical work. Homeowners can use the book to do the entire project or pick the parts that interest them.

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Remodeling a Bathroom (Build Like A Pro) Review

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(More customer reviews)Remodeling a Bathroom fails at delivering on its title subject...bathroom remodeling. The book's focus is so broad, so wide, as to spend little time talking about things specific to bathrooms, no more than about 10%-15%.
Every other trade skill required to remodel a bathroom gets only a little less coverage. But there are better, much more focused books available specific to framing, plumbing, drywall, electricity, tiling, and trim carpentry. The Taunton Press offers complete and thorough books on these subjects I fully recommend.
Most people will DIY part of the remodel work and subcontract out work they're uncomfortable with or feel unqualified to tackle. Planning the remodel and subcontracting out work get some mention in chapter 1, but far too little.
There's little information on building mud-set showers or shower pans, but considerable information on tiling that shower.
There are chapters devoted to framing, doors and moldings, drywalling, but no mention of removing or refinishing or installing a traditional steel/cast-iron bathtub.
Page 59 illustrates a solderless copper pipe joining system and describes its advantages; It pictures the required electro-hydraulic installation tool, but then goes on to same that this is a system for professional installation only. The same chapter purports to teach copper piping system design and soldering technique on page 56 to 58.
Most of Taunton's "Build Like A Pro" series are really good, but this one misses the mark.

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After kitchen renovations, bathroom makeovers rank second in popularity. This book tells readers everything they need to know to remodel a home bathroom, from planning the renovation and choosing materials and fixtures to putting in the finishing touches. Step-by-step photo essays, pro-level advice, and insider's tips cover every step in the process. The reader is guided through designing a floor plan; framing walls; roughing in the plumbing and electric supply; installing drywall, flooring, cabinets and countertops, tub and shower enclosures, and moldings; and more.

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Energy Efficient Homes For Dummies Review

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(More customer reviews)This was excellent for the basics, and gave some good info on various energy efficient ways to heat your home such as solar power, radiant heat, etc, but otherwise pretty basic.
The last chapter gives 30 ways to be more energy efficient. Of these, the least helpful was to skip the dishwasher drying cycle, and the most helpful was a tie between sealing the HVAC ducts and getting a solar hot water heater and going DIY to save $$.
Good if you need a basic reference, not so good if you're already well on the path of saving energy.

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Hands-on, practical solutions to save money by making smart energy changesOne of the best and most affordable strategies people can employ to combat global warming is to improve the energy and water efficiency of their homes. Energy Efficient Homes For Dummies provides homeowners with advice, tips, and projects to reduce costs, increase energy efficiency, and cut down on waste and pollution. After performing a do-it-yourself home energy audit, readers create an action plan based on their personal goals. Readers are presented with a wide range of potential solutions, from making better use of blinds and awnings to exploring geothermal options in order to reduce household costs and their impact on the planet.Rik DeGunther (Rescue, CA) is the founder of Efficient Homes, an energy consulting firm that focuses on home energy audits and the design of efficient heating and cooling systems.

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Remodeling a Basement (Build Like A Pro) Review

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(More customer reviews)It's common knowledge these days that the old practice of putting wood studs and then fiberglass batts against a foundation wall and then sealing that with a plastic vapor barrier is a recipe for mold and insulation damage from condensation through the foundation wall. (see Fine Homebuilding No. 169 March 2005 p. 78, Fine Homebuilding No. 162, May 2004 p. 52, also the buildingscience dot com publications even the Dept. of Energy and HUD guildelines.) But this author recommends doing just that on pages 99 and 100. His only discussion of foam panels is in the context of using foam panels in between already constructed studs and then he complains that it is difficult to get the panels to fit between the studs. That is a silly way to use foam panels. He doesn't discuss the current recommended practice of installing the foam panels *first*, up against the foundation wall, and then framing or furring strips against the foam. That is much better because then the wood is never in contact with the foundation wall and provides no food (i.e., damp wood) for mold to grow.
The biggest issue with finishing a basement is doing so in a way that prevents unhealthy mold and that "oh-this-smells-like-a-basement" quality of so many basements. Wood framing against a foundation wall, with fiberglass batts keeping a moist environment, and all trapped by a plastic sheet, is a sure fire recipe for just such a brew. It makes me doubt most of the other information. Tauton Press should revise the book to reflect its own current writing on the subject.

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Finishing a basement is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to increase living space in a home. This book helps readers visualize the vast possibilities that exist for this challenging space, and go about the remodeling process in an organized and efficient way. Roger German, a basement remodeling pro, covers every step, from the physically demanding "dirty work" to the rewarding finishing touches. He shows how to deal with a basement's special challenges, such as moisture problems and framing against concrete floors and walls, and gives instructions on pumping water up and out from basement baths and laundry rooms.

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Home Improvement 101 Review

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(More customer reviews)This is helping me a lot as I am just beginning to learn about my home, how to take care of it & how to make minor repairs. I reviewed quite a few books from my library system & this was the best to begin with as far as I'm concerned.

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Everyday care & repair is made easy with this maintenance guide for the DIY novice.Home Improvement 101 is an easy-to-understand but comprehensive guide to common home maintenance and repair tasks, written specifically for less experienced do-it-yourselfers.
From cleaning stains from carpets to unclogging drains, from dealing with insects and pests to fixing a leaky roof, it's all here-everything you forgot to learn from your parents about maintaining a home. Along the way, you'll learn about your home's structures and systems, and how to protect your single largest investment. Home maintenance is not only possible; it can be easy and rewarding, with this one-of-a-kind book.Gives complete, easy-to-follow solutions to more than 100 of the most common home maintenance tasks. Includes tips on selecting and using tools. Appendix includes a month-by-month guide for tracking routine maintenance. Includes real-life tips from actual homeowners. Features tips for working with plumbers, electricians & carpenters.

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Miller's Guide to Home Wiring Review

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(More customer reviews)The copyright on the book says 2005 but the it has the feel of a much older book with its layout, old-looking drawings and pictures, and lack of color. It reminded me of a military training manual - not something that they made to appeal to consumers. For me, any book that doesn't have nice color pictures (especially wiring pictures), just isn't acceptable. Throw in some old black and white pictures of a 1950's power plant and you've got a book that just feels drab. I'm sure alot of the info in the book is useful but I would definitely look at other options instead of this book.

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Introducing the Carpentry & Construction Series from McGraw-Hill
The experts show you how to tackle any wiring, remodeling, or plumbing project
Written by authors of McGraw-Hill's popular Carpentry & Construction, Fourth Edition, this new, dollar-saving series is great for do-it-yourselfers, weekend repairmen and home owners, as well as seasoned pros who want to stay on top of the latest methods, materials, equipment and code requirements. Organized according to the actual stages of construction, these titles detail everything needed to successfully plan, manage, and complete a job. All are heavily illustrated and contain valuable tip-boxes throughout.
* Covers electrical as well as audio and video wiring* Explains all types of wires and connections

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This Old House Kitchens: A Guide to Design and Renovation Sticker: Companion to the. Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been in the plumbing business since 1977. I've sold designer plumbing fixtures at the wholesale level and as a new construction plumber I've installed plumbing in countless kitchens. When the time came to design our room addition and a new kitchen, I discovered I really didn't know much about kitchen design. This would be less of a concern if I wasn't doing everything (design and construction) myself. The work area of our kitchen is too small. I can't get to the sink or refer. without "the cook" nudging me out of the way. I've never made a phone call from the kitchen without "the cook" asking me if I'm done with the phone book sitting on her counter. I'm pretty sure that if the door to the garage didn't block the oven and pantry, when open, I would get locked in the garage less often. The author did a great job in providing design ideas and I'm comfortable I have the solutions. His commentary on choice of finish materials is priceless. I've given everything available consideration, but decided on nothing. The author provided me with what I was looking for to make some smart decisions. We've had this project on the table for over 4 years and a lot of ideas have been "kicked" around. I reached a point where I would have to install wheels on the cabinets and appliances or make some decisions on what to do. This book is a big help. The book isn't a detailed "how to" do the trade work involved but it's a sound guide on the process. I'm not in a position to say any book will make a kitchen expert out of any reader, but I would say the information is solid and practical. I read "Kitchens That Work" by Martin Edic and Richard Edic and think it's a good book as well.

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Home Building Pitfalls Review

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(More customer reviews)Our new house is nearly complete and we used the book to guide us through the entire process. The book is laid out logically and very well mirrored our experience. The most helpful information came from the chapters informing us of the missteps that can be made before construction even begins, especially from a legal standpoint. Even though we used a reputable builder, we still had several occasions where our sales person and the construction supervisor tried to pull "fast ones" on us.
You can tell the author knows his stuff. The real life examples of other people's mistakes clearly reinforce the reasoning behind the advice he offers.
The only thing lacking was illustrations, but they weren't really necessary. I thought the book served its purpose well and kept our builder honest.

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Do It Yourself Home Improvement: Step by Step Guide to Home Improvement Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a very good book. 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 if possible.
I have purchased the following books and found them to be very helpful to me:
Do It Yourself Home Improvement: Step by Step Guide to Home Improvement;
Ultimate Guide to Home Repair & Improvement (Ultimate Guide);
New Complete Guide to Home Repair & Improvement (Better Homes & Gardens);
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.


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Covering everything you need to know for any home task. From quick-fix repair jobs to major construction, this is the ultimate visual guide to every aspect of home improvement. Including hundreds of expert techniques to repair, maintain, or transform your home. Unique, step-by-step, photographic approach shows you each stage of every task. Over 3,500 images clearly explain how things are put together and what goes where. This DIY features comprehensive coverage of all the tools and materials needed for every job. Get the know-how with the DK DIY show-how! Bridges the gap between the beginner and the experienced home improver, covering general, everyday tasks, but also provides comprehensive coverage for the expert. Fresh, modern design beautifully illustrated with full-color photography - more than any comparable title. "Shows you what other DIY books only tell you": exploded artworks illustrate the internal workings of your house and help you understand and work with its different structures and systems. Unique, step-by-step, photographic approach to all aspects of DIY actually shows you each stage of every task, from fixing simple problems to more advanced home improvements. Makes even the hard tasks appear easy. Content specially focused to cover the most common DIY tasks in depth: overall approach tailored to the typical DK reader.

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Remodel Plumbing (For Pros by Pros) Review

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(More customer reviews)We recently remodeled a bathroom, and this book saved us time and frustration. When our first attempts at sweating copper pipes failed, we looked to this book and found very thorough instructions on each step of the process. The information on different types of solder and flux with a wider working temperature range was especially valuable. As a result, our next attempt with the copper connections was successful. The section on installing a pedestal sink was very clear and helpful, as was the information on choosing a toilet. The book also helped us diagnose and solve a problem with water hammer. I am sure that we will use this book as a resource for our next plumbing challenge.

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Remodel Plumbing focuses on the challenges of working in tight spaces like bathrooms and utility rooms, selecting the right fittings, fixtures, and materials and completing expert alterations to a home's existing water supply, drain, and vent systems. With a special section on emergency plumbing repairs, the book enables readers to stop leaks, shut down water lines, and avoid major damage associated with plumbing malfunctions. Remodel Plumbing also covers common plumbing upgrades and alterations in kitchens, bathrooms, utility rooms, basements, and additions.

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Black & Decker The Complete Photo Guide to Home Improvement: More Than 200 Value-adding Remodeling Projects (Black & Decker Complete Photo Guide) Review

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(More customer reviews)Black & Decker brings a great how to and home improvement manual from the experts with plenty of step by step photos with the necessary in depth techniques to guide you through plenty of common projects.
Contents 23/25
Ease of Understanding/Practicality 24/25
Pictures/Illustrations 24/25
Additional Features 21/25
Total 92/100
Black & Decker brings a great home improvement and do it yourself manual with The Complete Photo Guide to Home Improvement. The book starts with techniques and skills for all kinds of home improvements and finishes with complete remodeling jobs that you can tackle.
They give great detailed photos to help you understand things they are doing as well as guide you in text to give you a detailed and in depth explanation of each topic. They continue from the basics to more complex tools and new materials and techniques that may not be common in building but soon will be.
From electrical to plumbing they take you on a safe tour of your home and give not only basic techniques but the continuation into projects helps you out with some common things you may want to do to your home. Projects include bathroom and kitchen remodeling, attic and basement finishing and a host of other common do it yourself projects to give you a good broad range of ideas and help.
The Complete Photo Guide to Home Improvement takes you not only into common practices in these projects but covers enough of a variety in each project that will cover the variety that will happen with your home. They cover enough of a broad range in each project so you can have a good idea of what you want in any given area of your home from remodeling and installing new counters, plumbing, fixtures, electrical and more.
The first chapter includes Anatomy of a House, Building Codes and Permits, Working Safety and more to get you in the mood for home improvement projects. The next chapter is on techniques and you move onto home improvement basics and then to major remodeling for an in depth look at projects you can accomplish.
The book goes from tools and planning with how to get the proper permits you need for work on your home to the actual steps to get the job done. Once you get into the actual work the book has plenty of tips and hints for odd circumstances that can crop up in jobs to help you out as well.
The books use of pictures makes sure you know what you're doing on a reference job so that once you get to your own work on your house you can have plenty of references. Simple examples like cutting a hole in an exterior wall shows how to do this on wood sided and stucco walls which will cover older homes.
Other sections also have these general tips on various types of materials and construction types to help you out in many general circumstances so you can work on your own home. This is a major benefit to the Complete Photo Guide with its step by step process of doing projects and improvements like installing a window.
The book shows on two different wall types how to cut the hole in the wall so you do the same on most any type of wall in your home. They also go into the safety of checking the wall for plumbing and electrical to give you a step by step guide for how to do the same thing on your home.
The Complete Guide does the same thing for all types of projects from simple things like adding an outlet or light fixture to complete jobs like finishing an attic or basement. While many of the projects are pretty specific like the attic finishing you can complete other jobs that are similar using many of the same principles and ideas.
The guide shows you how to do many jobs or projects including cutaway photos and general anatomy of a home so you can use these guides and photos on your own project or home improvement. The book also contains plenty of useful tips and hints like tools for special jobs or handy ways to make jobs go safer and easier.
This is one book that is a helpful and handy reference to keep on your bookshelf for jobs around the home to help you when things go wrong as well. The book contains plumbing and electrical guides so you can troubleshoot problems you may be having as well as the normal way things should be done.
I really like how they show various ways to do things according to different situations and materials that may be in a home or project so you have many different circumstances and jobs covered in one complete guide. I highly recommend this as an all in one guide and photo step by step book to help you with a lot of home improvement projects.
This is one handy reference for those times when some explanation of homes and their various systems may be needed and makes a fantastic home improvement manual. This is a great book to have on hand and use not only for home improvement projects but just to have for reference for electrical, heating and plumbing problems that may occur in the common home.

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This comprehensive bible of remodeling information and projects focuses on the significant projects that help homeowners add real value to their homes while bettering their lifestyles. Unlike other books, The Complete Photo Guide to Home Improvement isn't diluted with basic home repairs, but gives readers foolproof instructions on more than 200 blockbuster home remodeling projects.

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Black & Decker The Complete Guide to Kitchens: *Do-it-yourself and Save *Third Edition *Design & Planning *Quick Updates *Custom Cabinetry ... on a Budget (Black & Decker Complete Guide) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Black & Decker Complete Guide to Kitchens walks the reader through a wealth of kitchen-related home improvement projects. From saving money by hooking up your own appliances, to installing kitchen flooring, custom cabinetry, lighting, child-proofing, painting, countertops and cabinet upgrades, and much more, The Black & Decker Complete Guide to Kitchens is packed with step-by-step instructions, each illustrated by a separate color photograph. An excellent how-to resource for anyone interested in better living through home improvement, enhanced with the inclusion of a DVD.

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A new edition to the bestselling The Complete Guide to Kitchens, this updated book looks beyond the world of 500-square-foot kitchens with professional stainless steel appliances and presents a host of creative remodeling and updating projects that make sense for anyone. From converting a closet into a pantry to replacing old countertops and cabinets, this book is packed with clear photos and step-by-step instructions for the home DIYer. A companion DVD shows you how to install the most popular types of kitchen cabinets and countertops.

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Black & Decker The Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair: with 350 Projects and 2000 Photos (Black & Decker Complete Photo Guide) Review

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(More customer reviews)There are certain skills that are "wasted" on no one. Home repair is one such skill. I believe that 5 weeks after purchasing this book - the book has already paid for itself. My parents moved back into my grandmother's 1960-era house after she passed away last year. The house was in need of a few repairs, but money was a limiting factor. I had to find a way to teach myself (and my dad) how to weatherproof the basement, replacing an ancient water heater & dishwasher, replace several outlets with new GFCI (p. 397!) outlets, and finally, how to update the upstair's faucets and fixtures. I logged onto Amazon.com and typed-in HOME REPAIR. To be honest, I chose this book because it had 500+ pages and two 5-star reviews. When this book arrived, I instantly felt the weight and quality of the binding.(think college textbook material) I quickly found DETAILED descriptions of the tasks I would soon have to perform. I called my father and said "Get ready we're going to Home Depot!" On the phone, my father expressed concern over our lack of experience. When my father got in my truck, I handed him the the Black&Decker text. I had put PostIt's on the pages with our projects. He slipped on his glasses and peered through his bi-focals and didn't say a word on the way to purchase tools & supplies. Once in the parking lot, I could hardly turn-off the engine before he was pointing to pictures saying "Ours looks just like this! I want some gloves like that!" And he was making a bee-line for the door!(the old man can move!) He was excited and so was I. Now, it has beeen 5 weeks since that first trip to Home Depot. Both my father and I have the cuts and scrapes and the ever present sore backs to prove that we have done our own home repairs. My father now keeps the Black&Decker text at his house "for safe keeping." He cleans the text with a moist cloth after each project. The projects don't seem to have an end in sight, which I believe is a direct result of my dad reading the text for "suggestions." My suggestion....don't let anyone "borrow" this text, unless of course - you love him!

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