I whole heartedly agree with other posters that if you buy only one do-it-yourself style book for your home, this is the one. Even if you plan on hiring a contractor to do the work, this book will help you clearly understand the tasks at hand. If you ever wondered what lies behind the walls of your home, here's your own inexpensive x-ray machine! The figures & photos are excellent and are a great compliment to the writing.I showed my copy of this book to someone at work and they went to the book store the next day to buy their own copy. Yes, it's that impressive. Maybe a professional contractor would argue against my point, but for the average person, it's fantastic.Once you read it, you'll go back to it again and again. In my opinion, it's well worth the cost. Renovation: Completely Revised and Updated
I rehab 100 year old houses for a living. I do it all from elctrical to plumbing, heating systems, etc. Since I am a jack of all trades, I am a master of none, and when I need to do something for the first time, I reach for this book. Jacking up a foundation? Custom stair stringers? Learned it here.
I also keep it on the job site as a reference. How high should the showerhead be? Where should the kitchen supply lines and drain be? It is all here. Would by another copy immediately when this one gets lost or damaged (which it will).
I am a first-time female homeowner of a pre-war apartment. It is amazing what you can do after reading this book. Most people I know find doing-it-yourself an intimidating process and wouldn't conceive of undertaking the simplest of jobs themselves. They just wouldn't know where to begin. "Renovation" has taken me from life-long yuppie renter to where my power drill is now my best friend.Litchfield does a great job of guiding you through each aspect of home renovation. The explanations are well-written and clear, the illustrations are extremely helpful, so while it does not seem dumbed-down in any way, the first-time DIYer will find it very useful. Now when I go to Home Depot, I can ask intelligent questions about what I need to buy. It's going to become a regular housewarming gift for my friends.
This is, hands down, the very BEST home renovation book I've ever read. And as former editor of This Old House Magazine (2001 to 2004) I've seen `em all.
Author Mike Litchfield (founding editor of Fine Homebuilding magazine) has written about 7 books on home renovation and this third edition of "Renovation" (completely updated from earlier versions) has got to be his masterwork. Whether you're a homeowner who can't bang a nail or a professional tradesman, you'll learn a lot from this book.
"Renovation" covers the entire home renovation process, from inspecting an old house before you buy it to the hundreds of steps and decisions you'll encounter in the renovation process.
Litchfield clearly knows what he's talking about. He writes in a down-to-earth conversational style that's comprehensive, practical and easy to understand. He also has a sharp wit and a dry sense of humor that makes this book, not only useful, but great fun to read. Excellent drawings and photos show you just the information you need, and the book is liberally sprinkled with pro-tips and insights that will save you time, money and heartache-guaranteed. Case histories of real renovation jobs with first-hand accounts of what worked and what didn't give you the benefit of other people's experience.
Renovating an old house is a big, messy, expensive, emotional process, but one of the most satisfying projects you can tackle in life. If you're even thinking about taking the plunge, there's no better roadmap to follow than Mike Litchfield's book.
David Sloan
An instant classic! Retooling your hut under the benign guidance of RENOVATION is like having the world's most savvy contractor for an older brother... sharing his thermos of coffee while teaching you House Zen... wagging a cautionary finger when you're about to fall off the roof or electrocute yourself. Readable as all-get-out, Litchfield's RENOVATION manages to be authoritative and encyclopedic as well; I haven't stumped it yet. The paperbound format makes this book as handy on the job as a crowbar and putty knife; my copy wears its grout-stains with pride, and has saved my neck more times than I care to admit.
From a bookshelf cluttered with books about how to fix and maintain a house, this is always the first book I take down. It's usually the only book I need to open: it's complete, comprehensive, concise, clearly illustrated, and accessible. This is the book that my friends borrow, and which I then have to either tear out of their hands or make a gift of and buy another copy -- this will make my third!This book is well worth the price for even the journeyman do-it-yourselfer. In my opinion, if you buy only one book, this is the one; if you buy lots, this is one of them.
After looking an many, many how-to books on home repair/improvement, I have found two worth recommending beyond all others: "Do-it-yourself Housebuilding: A complete handbook" by Nash and Dahlquist and this book by Litchfield. Each of these large books contains a wealth of information saving me more money (by orders of magnatude) than the cost of the book (not counting new projects inspired by reading them).
Updated to 4 Stars **** My first review was too harsh. The book is an excellent resource but not always a breath of inspiration. It is not about old house renovation and thus my comparison to the Nash book was unfair. ****** This book is to the George Nash book as a primary reader is to intermediate reading. Useful basic information about tools and materials but lets read Time-Life Books How-To Series for that. When it comes to the nitty gritty of dealing with the tough stuff (foundations, basemants, blueboard, plaster, etc.) it just stops short of the mark. If this book is really new information to you then call a contractor to do the work because you are in way over your head. Might be useful as a vocabulary builder when working with a contractor or subcontractor but as a DIY guide just not quite brown on both sides. - Renovation - Building Codes - Plaster - Do It Yourself'
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