Building Your Dream House

Don't build--or remodel--a home without it! William Spence--whose guides on carpentry, construction methods, and home maintenance are critically acclaimed and have won raves from such publications as "Library Journal, "Woodshop News, and "Publishers Weekly--now presents all the ins and outs of house building from start to finish, foundation to roof. Remarkably comprehensive, and illustrated with more than 650 color photos and more than 250 color drawings, this compendium is arranged in three information-packed sections. First, there's a gallery of more than 30 homes, ranging from classic Colonials to log cabins; (the images are so beautiful that this could stand as a coffee-table book, but even more important, they will stimulate ideas and suggest design solutions). Next, follow the planning process for every room, and outdoor spaces, too, and learn what's needed. See how to develop the floor plan, a site plan, and elevations. The final chapters cover building of the home from site selection and purchase to several methods of construction. There's advice on avo

---

“Provides the essentials for home building and remodeling from start to finish.”—Publishers Weekly. “Walks readers through the entire construction process...with photos and drawings; a gallery of 25 dream homes highlights a number of design possibilities and floor plans....[It provides] the information needed to make intelligent decisions and get the most out of a budget. Recommended.”—Library Journal.

The author of several well-written home repair titles, Spence (Constructing Kitchens) believes that Americans place more demand than ever on their homes because of families in which both parents work outside the home, new technologies, and fast-paced modern living, among other factors. He walks readers through the entire construction process, showing how to create a home that will meet all their real or perceived needs with photos and drawings; a gallery of 25 dream homes highlights a number of design possibilities and floor plans. The section on design shows a number of options for each part of the house (nothing can be left to chance in a dream house), and the one on building explains each step of home construction. The portions on kitchens and bathrooms contain information about wheelchair access and detailed energy-efficient designs. This title does not show readers how to build a home themselves, but it does provide the information needed to make intelligent decisions and get the most out of a budget. Recommended for larger public libraries. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.