Remodel! An Architect's Advice on Home Renovation [Paperback]

Greg Gibson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 6, 1996

Residential architect and renovation expert Greg Gibson shows you how to successfully manage the entire remodeling process

It's no secret that remodeling a house can be a complex and expensive undertaking, and finding reliable information on how to do it can be very difficult. In Remodel! An Architect's Advice on Home Renovation, homeowners get practical, real-world advice on managing the entire process with a minimum of expense and stress. From assessing the viability of the project through directing the progress of construction, this indispensable book shows you how to:

• Determine remodeling viability
• Quickly estimate project costs and determine cost-recouped-at-resale value
• Choose a project methodology that works best for you
• Find, hire, negotiate, and contract a designer and a builder
• Keep the remodeling project on track and within budget
• Shop for, select, and approve the installation of products and finishes
• Live in the house while construction is going on
• Minimize your risk by managing cash flow
• Close out the job only when an acceptable level of quality has been achieved

Illustrated with more than 200 descriptive photos of real remodeling projects in progress, and supplemented with numerous drawings, project checklists, and sample contracts, Remodel! An Architect's Advice on Home Renovation will show you how to manage the design and building process confidently and realize your dream of an improved home.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Experienced architect Greg Gibson keeps homeowners focused on their optimum role in any home renovation: project management. Provides practical advice on such topics as identifying a local architect and builder, negotiating for special services, temporary kitchen setups, and managing the design team's performance. Contains the management contracts, forms and checklists necessary to keep the project on track plus over 100 photos of renovations in progress. A savvy business primer written to prepare the owner manager to make good decisions on everything from the psychology of directing hired pros to controlling costs.

From the Back Cover

Residential architect and renovation expert Greg Gibson shows you how to successfully manage the entire remodeling process

It's no secret that remodeling a house can be a complex and expensive undertaking, and finding reliable information on how to do it can be very difficult. In Remodel! An Architect's Advice on Home Renovation, homeowners get practical, real-world advice on managing the entire process with a minimum of expense and stress. From assessing the viability of the project through directing the progress of construction, this indispensable book shows you how to: Determine remodeling viability Quickly estimate project costs and determine cost-recouped-at-resale value Choose a project methodology that works best for you Find, hire, negotiate, and contract a designer and a builder Keep the remodeling project on track and within budget Shop for, select, and approve the installation of products and finishes Live in the house while construction is going on Minimize your risk by managing cash flow Close out the job only when an acceptable level of quality has been achieved

Illustrated with more than 200 descriptive photos of real remodeling projects in progress, and supplemented with numerous drawings, project checklists, and sample contracts, Remodel! An Architect's Advice on Home Renovation will show you how to manage the design and building process confidently and realize your dream of an improved home.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 269 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (April 6, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471122602
• ISBN-13: 978-0471122609
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,094,381 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Step by step details on remodeling, March 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Remodel! An Architect's Advice on Home Renovation (Paperback)

This book gives you step by step instructions - to the point of including samples of phone questionnaires, Request for Proposal letters, the agenda for the architect interview, etc. It tells you how to interview for an architect and a contractor, and what to expect at each stage of the remodeling process. It relies heavily on formal AIA procedures, but if you're investing a lot in a renovation and you're new to remodeling, the AIA procedures are probably the best way to go. If you read just one book about remodeling, I recommend this one! (Too bad it's out of print.) I also recommend Rusk's On Time On Budget for more good info (but Rusk does not give all the details that Gibson gives).

5.0 out of 5 stars Really helpful guide book and also an enjoyable read.., December 2, 2009

By 

J. Healy (Philly) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Remodel! An Architect's Advice on Home Renovation (Paperback)

ReModel seemed to strike a perfect balance between an instructional/guide book and a series of mini-case histories. This combination provided a great source of information for me as a homeowner who has added a large addition to my existing house. It helped me understand/prepare for the design and construction process. I imagine everyone undertaking an addition has differing needs and seeks out different sources of info, but reading ReModel was a welcome break from browsing web pages and blogs on how to build an addition. It had a tone and a pace to it that made it easy for me to picture the process of dealing with adding on to my house. It had a few areas that Gibson writes about that helped my project directly:

Use redlines (architect and customer revisions of drawings in progress) as a communication tool.
Gibson advises that the use of vinyl siding is inevitable because it is cheap and easy to install but the trim can be its weak point. We discussed this with our builder and came up with a way to hide the trim with some wood outside corners, glad I knew about that from the book.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Darn it, Greg, you're an architect, not an author!, May 2, 2007

By 

Kelly Garbato "www.easyvegan.info" (Kearney, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Remodel! An Architect's Advice on Home Renovation (Paperback)

As a first-time homeowner grappling with the prospect of a mid-level, whole-house renovation this summer, I scoured my local library in search on any and every book I could find on home renovations. Unfortunately, many non-DIY books seem to concentrate on new home construction vs. the remodeling of existing homes. REMODEL!: AN ARCHITECT'S ADVICE ON HOME RENOVATION is one of the volumes I located that falls into the latter category.

In REMODEL!, author and architect Greg Gibson shares his advice for homeowners who wish undertake a home renovation (particularly additions). He covers the process from start to finish, including hiring and working with architects, designers, and general and subcontractors. The discussion runs the gamut, from interview questions to the necessity of contracts and shopping for fixtures and furnishings.

While Gibson does offer many helpful hints, his writing style is somewhat scattered and disjointed. Too often, the text takes the form of a rambling conversation rather than a concise how-to guide. The author's predilection for analogies and clichés is a bit disconcerting after awhile, and he has a tendency towards tangents. Additionally, a number of photos are sprinkled throughout the book - but more often than not, they have little-to-nothing to do with the topic at hand. Sometimes, they fill an entire page or group of pages; other times, a small paragraph of text is wedged under or between photos. As a result, I found myself flipping back and forth through the chapters, trying to figure out where the book's text picked back up after a section of photos. Annoying, to say the least.

Overall, the book just doesn't flow well. It's hard to articulate, but there's also something a bit off-putting about Gibson's tone. Look closely, and you'll find all sorts of jabs and digs in REMODEL!, be they at fellow architects and designers, general contractors, subcontractors, or past clients. Sure, they may have been well-deserved and presented as a cautionary tale for the reader, but they didn't have to be served up in such a bitter fashion. Just sayin'.

If you're thinking of hiring an architect or other design professional to spearhead your home renovation, REMODEL! is probably worth a look. At the very least, it offers a glimpse into the mind of an architect. This, in fact, is REMODEL!'s greatest strength - giving you, the homeowner, and idea of what to expect (and what is expected of you) when working with a home design pro. In terms of vetting general contractors, choosing a design scheme, financing a home reno, and other aspects of home remodeling, I've seen better books on the subject.