Reader's Reviews
***
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.
***
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.
***
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.
***
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.
***
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.
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