Product Description

For those who love to live in old houses or want to invest in one, this completely revised and updated book levels no stone unturned. From evaluating a property to making foundation repairs to adding on a porch, it's a comprehensive guide to every aspect of making renovations and repairs--whether you already live in, or are contemplating buying, an older home.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25752 in Books
• Published on: 2003-11-10
• Released on: 2003-12-01
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 416 pages

Review
"Plain talk for restorers, from soup to nuts (and bolts). Here's thorough, practical advice that's sensitive to both history and budget."

Customer Reviews

Required reading for olh house owners
If you have an old house, then you should own this book. Perhaps you don't want to tackle the problems of owning an old house yourself, but hire out instead. If that's true you should still read this book. You'll be more informed and know what the repairs might entail and what questions to ask your contractor. I use this book as a guide for my own repairs and its been invaluable. Simple, clear illustrations of what's inside the walls of an old home is very handy!

A must own for old house lovers.
First things first.... This is not a fix-it book for the average homeowner. It is a renovation guide for older homes and covers everything from stone foundations to slate roofs and provides whole slew of major structural repair information. So if you are wanting to learn simple home repairs, like fixing a leaky faucet or quieting a squeaky floor you would do better to look elsewhere.

My first house was built in the 1890s and because I was very young and didn't know anything about how old houses were constructed, the construction behind those plaster walls, in the basement and attic looked shoddy to my uneducated eyes but it didn't matter to me, I was just grateful to be a home owner. My father told me this is how real craftsmen built homes during that era. He added: "Son, this house will be around and doing just fine LONG after you are gone!"

Even though I old that old house a long time ago, when I saw this book I knew I just had to have it. It takes a look behind the scenes of old houses and shows how they are broght back to their past glory no matter how much neglect they have suffered. Whether you currrently own an old house, previously owned an old house or just have an interest in construction methods of eras long ago, this book is perfect for your bookshelf!

A Must-Buy Book if You Own an Old Home
Mr. Nash has written a wonderfully detailed and informative book that, I feel, is a must-own for anyone who owns or is looking to purchase an old house.

As someone who grew up in the building trade, I found my how-to construction and woodworking knowledge incomplete when my wife and I recently purchased our 1884 Victorian home. This book provided exactly the information I need to understand and recognize the challenges I will face when I perform the renovation. Since approximately 1950, homes have pretty much been built the same which is where my experience lies. But old houses were built in a different way, with different materials, and incorporated much different ornamentation and detail than modern homes. This book explains those differences and offers a myriad of excellent suggestion on how to bring old homes up to modern house standards.

Each owner of an old house has the same questions to answer, such as whether to repair or replace the original windows, whether to repair or replace the plaster walls, how to best increase insulation of the house without creating moisture issues, how to determine the state of the electrical and plumbing, etc. This book discusses each one of these issues, presenting the pros and cons of any decision in a way that is very informative and easily understood.

Though the author's experience and many of the examples given in this book seem to be based in the upper north-east regions, I found very little that was not applicable to my southern-Missouri residence. I may not have to worry much about frost heave on my cellar walls, but moisture is an issue where I will be taking many of Mr. Nash's recommendations to heart, especially his "Ground Roof" option which I have not encountered before.

All in all, this book will give those new to home renovation much needed information on how to recognize and deal with most all problems that will be encountered during a renovation, and will provide those who already have renovation knowledge additional concepts and tools to solve issues that are more prevalent to an old house.