Customer Reviews

About the House with Henri de Marne: How to maintain, repair, upgrade, and enjoy your home

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Henri De Marne publishes a nationally syndicated column called "First Aid for the Ailing House," in which he answers homeowners' questions about how to maintain, repair, upgrade, and enjoy their homes. If you are a fan of the column, buy this book pronto. De Marne has over three decades of experience with home maintenance and this volume collects all his advice into nine chapters organized by section of the house (roof, exterior, plumbing, etc.). It includes an extensive index which cross-lists items under as many names as possible. If you have a question and De Marne has ever answered it, you can locate his advice in a few seconds with this book.

This reviewer purchased About the House not because she was a fan of the column, but as part of a search for a good new homeowner reference book. This has been recommended as a great gift for a new homeowner, and I disagree with that recommendation. This is a great book for an experienced homeowner or a regular reader of the column. It is not organized in a fashion that is relevant to new homeowners, who need step-by-step maintenance and care instructions and would be aided by illustrations (which this book lacks, for the most part).

Know what you are getting into, and buy this book if it meets your need. This is not a gift book for the first-time homeowner.

Written by home improvement columnist Henri De Marne, About the House with Henri De Marne is a comprehensive homeowner's manual written in plain English for lay readers. From crawl spaces to roofs, doors and windows, plumbing, electrical systems, kitchens, baths, interior surfaces, insulation, and more, About the House with Henri De Marne provides "how-to" solutions to common problems and recommends when to do it yourself and when calling in a professional is recommended. A small amount of black-and-white photographs and sketches illustrate this money-saving, question-and-answer format guide. "The best way to clean an oil stain from concrete or asphalt is by sprinkling a layer of TSP-PF crystals onto the stains and sprinkling hot water onto the TSP-PF. Scrub with a stiff bristle brush and let stand for a half hour. Rinse with clear water. If the oil is deeply embedded, you may need to repeat the procedure." An excellent resource of tips, tricks, and techniques for keeping one's home in top condition.

Every year, for over 32 years, Henri de Marne has been fielding thousands of questions from homeowners. As a result, he knows better than anybody else what problems people encounter, the mistakes they make, and the issues they face when repairing or upgrading a home. This book belongs in every home as a ready reference, because you never know when you'll need the information it contains.

All households should read Henri's book before considering to do any work around the house.

I recieved this book as a gift when my husband and I bought our first house, just last month. It is now simply known as "The Book". "I wonder why it takes so long for the hot water to kick in?" = "Check The Book." "How do we remove the caulk?" = "Check The Book!" Henri has already helped us repair a foundation crack, uninstall shower doors, plan our landscaping, and make decisions about electrical upgrades.

This is an OWNER'S MANUAL for your HOUSE. I cannot recommend it enough. Henri De Marne is my hero.

I bought this because it was requested as a Christmas gift and the recipient is very happy with the book. He has been reading Henri's column in the paper every week and wanted the book.

This book contains lots of useful information about the house. The book is well writen with helpful pictures and drawings.