The Smart Approach to Home Renovation [Paperback]

Ms. Susan Boyle Hillstrom (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2007 | Series: Smart Approach

Thinking about remodeling but perhaps a little unsure of what to expect? The Smart Approach to® Home Renovation is the latest title in the best-selling series of Smart Approach books. The Smart Approach to® Home Renovation counsels would-be remodelers about the process, from planning and budgeting through completion. Included are the stories of real-life homeowners and their makeovers that include kitchens, baths, additions, exterior updates, and outdoor living spaces. These “Case Studies” are followed by picture-driven Design Workbooks that illustrate important design features within the projects. In all, the book contains hundreds of photographs that include both before and after shots of remodelings, plus plenty of inspirational photos. Like all of the books in this popular series, The Smart Approach to® Home Renovation contains Smart Steps in each chapter that take the homeowner through the process of planning and design. Smart Tips throughout provide special condensed but important pieces of information. An extensive Resource Guide in the back of the book offers information regarding related manufacturers and associations.

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

The Smart Approach to Home Renovation is the latest title in the best-selling series of Smart Approach books. Author Susan Boyle Hillstrom counsels would-be remodelers about the process, from planning and budgeting through completion. She also tells the stories of real-life homeowners and their makeovers that include kitchens, baths, additions, exterior updates, and outdoor living spaces. These “Case Studies” are followed by picture-driven Design Workbooks that illustrate important design features within the projects. In all, the book contains hundred of photographs that include both before and after shots of remodelings, plus plenty of inspirational photos. Like all of the books in this popular series, The Smart Approach to Home Renovation contains Smart Steps in each chapter that take the homeowner through the process of planning and design. Smart Tips throughout provide special condensed but important pieces of information that will prove invaluable to the homeowner.
An extensive Resource Guide at the back of the book offers information regarding related manufacturers and associations.

From the Back Cover

The Smart Approach to Home Renovation

 

The Smart Approach to® Home Renovation explains what you need to know and do before getting involved, and provides great ideas—and before and after stories—for renovating or adding more living space, including kitchens and baths, family rooms, bedrooms, outdoor living areas, and exterior makeovers.

 

• Dramatic before and after projects

• More than 250 color photos of kitchens, baths, family rooms, bedrooms, porches, patios, decks, AND exterior makeovers

• Complete coverage of the important planning aspects of a remodeling, including how to finance the project

• CASE STUDIES—real remodeling stories from real home-owners who offer their firsthand advice

• DESIGN WORKBOOKS—a feature that zeros in on important design details within many of the featured projects. See how the homeowners pulled everything together.

• A comprehensive resource guide that directs you to important industry sources and manufacturers

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Creative Homeowner; First edition (January 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580113036
• ISBN-13: 978-1580113038
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #928,744 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Susan Boyle Hillstrom is the author of several books and the former executive editor of House Beautiful Special Interest Publications. She frequently writes about home design and remodeling for numerous national publications from her home in the western Catskill Mountains in New York State.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lots of Good Words, March 21, 2007

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Smart Approach to Home Renovation (Paperback)

I like the opening sentence of this book, 'Before you take a single step toward fulfilling your remodeling dreams, do a thorough reality check.' Having been through a serious remodel (after a fire) I can assure you that the advice she gives is well founded. Her ideas on working with contractors are very good, but I'd add one more thing to check - contractors are bonded. Find out how big the bond is. If it's say $20,000 and he defaults on four projects, you're only covered to $5,000, max.

Kitchens, this book, and most other books on remodeling show kitchens that have commercial grade gas stovetops. They're really neat, but wait until you see the price of new ones. However, restaurants go out of business and the stoves last forever, you might get a really good price on a used unit. Or in my kitchen I got one that had been used by the restaurant supply company at a trade show. It wasn't new, but the price was less than half.

Tile floor in the kitchen? It looks great. Don't drop anything. A jar of mayo that falls on a carpet is usually OK. On tile, it's a mess.

All in all, lots of good words here that if heeded can save you a bundle of money, of aggravation.

3 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful ideas, January 12, 2008

By 

Brazil123 "Book enthusiast" (Seattle) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Smart Approach to Home Renovation (Paperback)

This book is wonderful. The pictures are beautiful and the content is very usefull. I loved the tips for renovations, what to look out for and the step by step process to follow in a renovation.