We loved the subtitle of this book, Respectful Rehabilitation, and this convinced us to give the book a try. There are more than enough wreckovating books out there, and for those that are interested in maintaining the charm of older homes, a book like this is a rare find indeed. If you are living in an older home that has seen better days, or considering purchasing a fixer upper, this is truly a vital book that belongs on your bookshelf.

While this book does not go in depth on many actual projects, it does offer key advice that you would be hard pressed to find anywhere else. The book starts off with the reasoning behind restoring an old home to its former glory and offers some great consideration points when it comes to making a decision on whether a renovation is actually worth it. There are no pie-in-the-sky ideals here, and the author is not afraid to discuss whether or not it is feasible to restore an old home. Not every property can be helped, and you can save a lot of money by figuring this out early on in the process.

The next two chapters deal with learning more about older homes and how to start the process of actually fixing them up. You’ll also learn about safeguarding older properties and some considerations that need to be taken into account before you even begin. By simply reading this book before starting a renovation, a homeowner could easily save thousands of dollars, even if they only read the first three chapters.

The section on cost is by far the best and can be used to get a better idea of how much you are going to need to spend to fix your older home. Contractors and DIY angles are discussed as well as what to expect when your budget gets out of control, as it often can with an older home. Remember, once you start one project on an old house, there are tons of chances you’ll be dealing with five more as a result.

The actual renovating process is broken down into the exterior and interior of the home. Some great advice can be found in these two chapters, especially if you are trying to maintain the character of your older home and restore it properly. We can’t always rely on old photographs, and these chapters will help with some of the bigger decisions on what to do during your renovations.

The last chapters go over learning more about older homes and how to find resources that will help with your renovation project. If you are committed to respectful renovation, these resources are incredibly helpful, especially if you are in the dark on your home’s previous history.

We loved this book and would highly recommend it to anyone that is trying to fix up an old home. You’ll be able to save money and get the benefit of some great advice along the way.

Originally posted 2008-09-18 18:27:15. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Book Review, Handy Man

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