This heavily illustrated, all-in-one guide walks you through each step of construction in such detail that you can use it to build your own house! Clear instructions along with 1,500 photos and illustrations thoroughly cover every stage of construction and remodeling, from planning and site preparation to interior finishing.
Great for do-it-yourselfers, professional house builders and contractors and students, this A-Z guide has all the task-simplifying details needed for each project, logically organized according to the stages of building--along with important safety precautions. The authors even include valuable tips on buying a new home--what to look for and how to avoid costly mistakes.
Includes such diverse projects as:
* Kitchen and bathroom remodeling
* Installing solar heating
* Termite prevention
* Installing skylights
* Constructing fences, decks, and patios
* Framing walls
* Pouring concrete slabs
* Installing windows and doors
* Craft custom cabinets
* Panel rooms
* Repair damaged drywall
* Fix a leaky roof
* Lay ceramic tile
* and much more!
NEW TO THIS EDITION: latest tools and devices, new methods of utilizing wood in construction, new methods and materials, steel framing in residential work, and much more.