Customer Reviews

Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I got this on a recommendation from somebody who does work on interior walls of houses when I asked for an information source for stripping old wall paper and rerairing lathe and plaster walls. If you've ever looked at 'how to' books on home repairs or re-models, you doubtless have found them either overly technical, unrealistically involved, unreadably boring or way off-topic. If you own an old house and would like to do repairs on it but don't know where to begin or what to do, this is a great reference for pointing you in the right direction and getting you started on your project. The really cool thing about this book is that the author has a knack for explaining things succinctly yet simply and then illustrating what he means with excellent photographs in a way that causes one to realize right away whether the project one proposes to do is realistically undertaken or better left to experts. You can't imagine the disappointment one feels when one has begun a project that some flimsy how-to book (perhaps written to sell product) has promised to guide one through, only to discover too late that the problems covered are not at all the same ones being encountered. Usually this occurs because the authors presuppose that they are dealing with an audience trying to fix their mid-60's home, mid-1960's that is, and not something about twice as old. The the beauty of this book is that nearly every problem and project discussed is going to have you saying, "Wow, I've got that problem," or "Man, I wish somebody had shown me that before," or "What an excellent, elegant solution." Most of the other books I've consulted had me instead running off to a hardware store or a contractor to get the problem 'fixed' by simply getting rid of it and replacing it with something 'NEW.' Finally, this book makes things look so straightforward that I believe it will give most readers the courage and encouragement they need to begin to tackle stuff they've wanted to but have been putting off for years because of their heretofore intractibility.

Nash is a classic author who joyfully shares his experience in restoring old houses. While there have been a lot books we've enjoyed, no book has been more useful regarding issues specific to old homes than THIS ONE. The book is published by Taunton Press, known for other high quality publications like Fine Homebuilding and The Not So Big House. It's been critical for helping us to figure out how to do everything from fixing a smelly basement to removing a load bearing wall. What it has done the most is helped us to think of our house as a system (not just as the sum of it's parts). While it's true that construction and engineering have come a long way in 97 years, you can't always slap on a new [insert any product here] and assume everything will be better. Nash emphasizes how old houses are different in many ways, including how they circulate air, keep in heat and even stay standing. We never knew a balloon from balloon framing until we read this book. Finally, Nash shares our own values for design integrity. We know that his heart is with us and other old house owners trying to "right the wrongs" brought upon a house which has been 'remuddled' one too many times. We never lend this one out!

I have 5 books that are "Old house" oriented. I have an old house as well, "1765". Well, that's the oldest part of my house with which I most cherish and protect.

This is by far my most looked at, referenced, used book period. I have the last edition. This edition has been improved. Mine is just starting to have that used/broken in feeling.
It's my favorite in terms of depth and breadth of coverage.

Whether doing the work yourself or highering specific contractors familiar with what it is that needs doing. This book may help familiarize you with a great many things you're likely to encounter owning an old house.

It also gives a nice explanation of the difference between Restoration, Renovation, and Preservation. As in religion and politics, those are very, very, different things.
I'm preserving the 1765 end while renovating the damaged/shabbily repaired sections.

This is a GREAT reference for home renovation. I recently purchased a Queen Anne home, built in 1885. Of all the books I have on restoration, this one is by far the best. Thanks George, for your effort.

We purchased this book while living in Watkins Glen, NY. Most of the homes in the area were close to 100 yrs old. That being said, this book turned out to the be the definitive resource we turned to for *anything* house related. The author comes across as being the house expert equivalent of Tom and Ray on CarTalk. Although you can run to it when your ready for a project, I suggest actually reading it. If your serious about owning and maintaining an older house, I promise you will continue to go for this book long after your subscription of "This Old House" has expired...

This is the book I've been looking for eight years. It's a must-have for old home owners and provides a lot of extremely useful information for new homeowners and prospective homeowners on identifying potential problems with a house. Highly recommend.

I am never motivated to write a review for purchased books, but this book is so outstanding that I must. Essentially, this book actually provides useful information and a methodology of thinking which allows the home owner to solve problems in renovating for repairing his house. As other reviewers have noted, one reads the book looking to find answers to specific problems and amazingly the information is there! The reason for the success I believe is two fold. This author has done this work before, that is, renovate OLD homes, as apposed to a contractor who simply tears out and builds new. He has empathy with the home owner. And two, the author is succinct in his information. He doesn't waste page after page with reviews of tools you might need (don't you hate those!) He doesn't waste pages on photographs of workers holding up a level! He doesn't waste pages simply telling the reader, "oh, you better hire someone for that, and that, and that ..." And more importantly he is writing to the home owner who is a 'do it your selfer' is therefore is concerned about expenses. He simply has managed to provide information which is actually useful, in a well written, beautifully photographed, inspiring book. If you really need advice about old homes, I can't recommend this enough.

This should be one of the first books on your new-old house's bookshelf when you move in. Its advice on a multitude of repairs including repairing the pulley systems in your old windows, how to repair rot damage anywhere inside or outside of your house, etc. is extensive and very helpful. This book is a great resource for the do-it-yourselfer...or, if you want to hire someone, at least you will be knowledgable enough after reading this book as to whether or not they are doing a proper job.

A totally useful, informative and well written book. If you need ANY advice on doing up an old house this is the one to have. Lots of photos, clear instructions, I keep reading and re-reading this...now all I have to do is get doing it!

Not ony does George Nash "know his stuff" regarding construction and the business of restoration, he can actually write! I think this book would be a terrific manual for any homeowner because he explains how things... mechanical and structural... are put together, how they are supposed to work, when you need to repair or replace now and what can wait, what to expect. It is a wealth of information. Normally, I skip around these types of books looking for whatever pertains to the project I'm working on. I started this book at the beginning and am slowly working my way through. Well worth the purchase price. This book is well illustrated with photos and drawings, easy to read but not at all simple in nature. Love it!