Complete Idiot's Guide to Remodeling Your Home

by Meany, Terry

• ISBN13: 9780028629469
• ISBN10: 0028629469
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-07-01
• Publisher: DK Publishing, Inc.

Summary

You're no idiot, of course. You can repaint a room, hang shelves, and even fix a leaky faucet. But when it comes to knowing where to start remodeling your home, you feel like it might be easier to tear down and start over again. Don't hire a bulldozer yet! The Complete Idiot's Guide to Remodeling Your Home is the simplest way to revitalize your home without hours of wasted time ane thousands of dollars of misspent savings. In this Complete Idiot's Guide, you get:

Author Biography

Terry Meany has been a professional home restorer for two decades. He has designed, built, or supervised the construction of bathrooms, decks, and room expansions, as well as completed plumbing and electrical upgrades on both family homes and rental properties. Mr. Meany is author of Care for Your Home the Lazy Way and Working Windows: A Guide to the Repair and Restoration of Wood Windows. He lives in the Seattle area.

Table of Contents

Does Your Home Need a Makeover--or Reconstructive Surgery?	p. 1
Your Home Is Your Castle--Keep It That Way!	p. 3
Keeping Your Rambler from Rambling	p. 4
Big Repairs: In the Beginning	p. 6
The Mundaneness of Maintenance	p. 6
What's Your Dream Theme?	p. 8
Dreams Guide; Budgets Decide	p. 9
The Anatomy of Your Home	p. 17
Get Your Hiking Boots: A Walk Through Your House	p. 18
Your Targets: Leaks, Squeaks, and More	p. 19
Nothing a Gallon of Paint Won't Fix	p. 21
Feeling Cramped?	p. 22
Behind the Scenes: Furnaces, Plumbing, Wiring	p. 22
A Room-by-Room Tour	p. 26
The Cool-Down After the Walk-Through	p. 28
Judging a House by Its Cover	p. 31
A Walk Around the Homestead	p. 32
Inside Problems That Start Outside	p. 34
A Pretty Picture or Not?	p. 36
Give It a Rest	p. 40
Paintbrush or Work Crews? Fixing the Immediate Stuff	p. 43
You're More Talented Than You Think	p. 44
Making Dirt and Dust Your Friends	p. 45
Jack and Jill of All Trades	p. 46
Keep the Home Light Bulbs Burning	p. 49
Your Plumbing: Pipe Dreams or Nightmares?	p. 50
Cold Prevention: A Working Furnace	p. 51
Keeping the Rain Outside: Roof Repairs	p. 52
Underwater: Basement and Foundation Leaks	p. 52
Where Do You Start?	p. 53
You Say Condo; I Say Home	p. 55
The Ups and Downs of Group Living	p. 56
Living in the 'Hood: Covenants and Restrictions	p. 59
Historic Districts	p. 60
Landlords: The Best Remodeling Is No Remodeling	p. 63
Fixing Your House Without Breaking the Bank	p. 67
The B Word: Budget	p. 68
Where Those Dollars Will Go	p. 72
Is It Worth It?	p. 76
Decisions, Decisions	p. 76
Making Big Plans	p. 79
Prepare First; Remodel Later	p. 81
Lots of Ideas, but not a Clue	p. 82
What Do You Want to Remodel Today?	p. 84
Ideas Guide; Plans Decide	p. 86
Schedules Rule	p. 89
Another Saturday at the Lumberyard	p. 91
Everything You Didn't Think About	p. 93
If It's Not One Thing	p. 94
Everything Starts Out Small	p. 98
Those Darn Kids (and Spouses, Too)	p. 100
Quit Planning and Get to Work	p. 105
Painting: Your House Is Your Canvas	p. 107
So Many Paints, So Little Time	p. 108
Making It Stick	p. 109
Get Hep with Prep	p. 110
A Primer on Primer	p. 111
The Right Tools	p. 111
Time for an Inside Job!	p. 113
It's an Outside Job	p. 115
Paint Time	p. 117
Cleanup Time	p. 120
Floundering Foundations	p. 121
Concrete Jungle	p. 121
House Support	p. 123
What's with This Settling?	p. 124
Bigger Problems	p. 127
When You're Really Bugged	p. 128
Laying a New Foundation: Additions	p. 130
The Messiest Job: Replacing Your Roof	p. 133
Good Roof, Bad Roof	p. 134
Strip Down or Add Another Layer of Shingles?	p. 137
My Shingles Are Better Than Your Shingles	p. 138
While You're at It: Skylights and Other Changes	p. 139
Gutters Anyone?	p. 141
Roof and Gutter Fixes	p. 142
Refusing Fuses	p. 147
Wiring That Your Grandparents Installed	p. 148
Bright Ideas	p. 149
Lighting Up the Outdoors	p. 152
A Primer on Power	p. 153
It All Adds Up	p. 154
Another World of Wiring	p. 157
Plumbing the Depths of Your Plumbing	p. 159
An End to Scalding Showers	p. 160
Cleaning Your Water: Filters	p. 162
Call a Plumber or Two	p. 163
Pipe Wars	p. 163
Making the Water Go Away	p. 165
While You're at It	p. 166
How's Your Hot Water Heater?	p. 167
Busted: Frozen Pipes	p. 168
Clear the Air: Heat and Air Conditioning	p. 171
Way Beyond the Fireplace: Modern Heating Systems	p. 172
Upgrading and Installing Furnaces	p. 176
Don't Forget the Thermostat	p. 178
The Other End: Air Conditioning	p. 178
Air Filters	p. 179
Up in Smoke: Your Chimney	p. 180
Prioritize and Weatherize	p. 180
Get a Fresh Start: Interior Changes	p. 183
Cooking Up a Storm: Reworking Your Kitchen	p. 185
The Design's the Thing	p. 186
How's the Traffic?	p. 187
Hot and Cold: New Appliances	p. 189
Lighting Up	p. 190
One Sink or Two?	p. 191
The Cabinetmaker's Art	p. 192
Count Up Your Countertops	p. 194
Floor Guidance	p. 195
What Do You Need in a Kitchen?	p. 196
Bathrooms with Bragging Rights	p. 199
Behind the Scenes and Inside the Walls	p. 200
Keeping Your Bathroom in Order	p. 202
Tub and Shower Combinations	p. 202
Beyond the Tub: Sinks, Toilets, and Vanities	p. 205
Don't Forget Ventilation	p. 207
Floor Choices	p. 207
Painting Issues	p. 208
Living Rooms and Dining Rooms: Throwbacks?	p. 211
Bringing Out Their Best	p. 212
Walls, Floors, and More	p. 215
How About a Fireplace or Two?	p. 216
Some Finishing Touches	p. 218
The Home Worker: Dens and Offices	p. 223
Are You Cut Out for This?	p. 224
Planning Your Space	p. 225
Key Considerations	p. 228
If You Like a Traditional Men's Club Look	p. 231
Do You Need a Restroom?	p. 232
Street Appeal: Exterior Upgrades	p. 233
Taking Sides: Your Exterior Walls	p. 235
Wood, an Old Standby	p. 236
The Non-Wood World	p. 238
The Hard Stuff: Brick, Stone, and Stucco	p. 240
If You Must Re-side	p. 242
Comparing Them Side-by-Side	p. 244
Porches and Decks: Your Outdoor Rooms	p. 247
Porch First Aid	p. 248
Porch Floors: Bring Out the Big Sanders	p. 251
Look Up: Porch Ceilings	p. 252
Adding to Your Porch	p. 253
Clear the Decks!	p. 254
Garages: More Potential Than You Think	p. 257
Look at It as a Small House	p. 258
Heating Strategies	p. 260
Storage That Matters	p. 262
Living in Your Garage	p. 265
A New Garage	p. 265
Lights, Walkways, Action: Remodeling Your Yard	p. 267
Ideas by the Yard	p. 268
Beyond Plants: Walls and Fences	p. 270
Wiring the Great Outdoors	p. 273
No More Mud: Real Sidewalks	p. 274
Little Houses for Little People	p. 276
And Baby Makes Three: Additions to Your Home	p. 277
The Big Leagues: Adding a Room	p. 279
Seeking Approval	p. 280
Floor Thoughts	p. 280
One Frame Coming Up	p. 283
Start Closing It Up	p. 286
An Inside Job	p. 287
Trim Time	p. 289
Finishing Touches	p. 290
Is That It?	p. 290
Going Up: Second-Story Additions	p. 291
Design Considerations	p. 292
Getting Started	p. 294
Wiring, Plumbing, and HVAC	p. 298
Now That You're Finished	p. 301
Special Touches for Special Rooms	p. 303
Baby Boom Means a Baby Room	p. 304
Master Bedrooms and Master Bathrooms	p. 306
Kids' Rooms	p. 309
A Good Greenhouse Effect	p. 309
Bargain Basements: A Million Uses	p. 313
It All Starts with Headroom	p. 314
Moisture, the Main Stumbling Block	p. 315
Plans from the Underground	p. 316
Floor Thoughts	p. 320
Starting from Scratch	p. 322
Turn Your Attic into a Penthouse	p. 323
A Plan with a Higher Purpose	p. 324
New Openings	p. 326
Keep Your Cool: Temperature Control	p. 329
Putting It Together	p. 330
A Few Details	p. 330
Deck Your House with Decks	p. 333
Deck Fundamentals	p. 334
Decking Decisions	p. 336
Building and Maintenance Tips	p. 338
Deck Alternatives: Patios	p. 340
Fantasy Time: Your Dream Projects	p. 343
The Finer Side of Remodeling	p. 345
There's Always Room for Another Closet	p. 346
Instant Bedroom	p. 348
Enter Here: Vestibules and Tile Entryways	p. 348
Trim Time	p. 350
Windows	p. 352
A Welcoming Front Door	p. 352
Wood Floors	p. 354
Really Fun Additions	p. 355
For Oenophiles Only: Wine Cellars	p. 356
Your Own Movie Theater	p. 359
Your Own Casino	p. 360
More Noise Makers	p. 361
Hot Stuff	p. 361
Lighting Up in Style	p. 363
Seamstresses and Tailors Only	p. 364
Restoration or Remodeling?	p. 365
Historical Accuracy Is the Guiding Light	p. 366
The Hazards of Hazards	p. 368
Unpainting Your House	p. 370
Exterior Paint: Loads of Lead	p. 372
Plaster and Lath: The Days Before Drywall	p. 373
Resolving Window and Door Problems	p. 374
Restoration: Unknown Budget Territory	p. 375
The Contractor Talk Glossary	p. 377
Paint and Painting	p. 383
Paint Preparation	p. 389
Ladders	p. 393
Hiring and Working with a Contractor	p. 395
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