Wednesday, July 06, 2005

Renovate an Older Home For Less


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Renovating an older home doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. There are many parts that the astute contractor or remodeler can fix, patch and re-use in renovating. This is often called "maximum value remodeling". By keeping your overhead low you can practically guarantee your profit. If you are renovating or remodeling the home as a spec project it is in your interest to keep costs low. If you have a homeowner who wants to update every fixture, it may be more difficult to keep costs low as they may not care for the "rustic" look.

A great, but somewhat unknown book Renovating & Restyling Older Homes explains for the spec remodeler how to inspect the exterior, interior, plumbing, electrical and heating systems of an older home so that you understand just what you're getting into before you buy an older home for renovating and repair.

Then there are the great chapters on repairing -- along with the author's own antedocal stories of his encounters in dealing with mysterious problems in renovating . There are chapters covering emergency repairs such as gas leaks, plumbing leaks, and electrical problems. Then the book goes on to explain how to repair roof and siding problems, then window and door repair -- yes repair, not replacement! When was the last time you repaired a window or door? This book shows you how to make an old one-of-a-kind junk door look brand new.

Then it covers complete porch repair, garage repair, plumbing and electrical repair, and finally a huge chapter on repairing concrete work, foundations and drainage problems. It also explains how to easily solve structural problems that other builders will roll their eyebrows and run away from. It shows how to repair floors, and walls and ceilings. It even covers how to remodel an old bathroom without replacing the fixtures. Special chapters show how to rework Victorian and Craftsman style homes.

The author of this little gem actually makes a living buying and renovating older homes so he has put to use all the tips he spells out here in his book. These are tried and proven techniques to help any contractor or spec renovator save money.

The book can be found at http://craftsman-book.com/products/index.php?main_page=cbc_product_book_info&cPath=19&products_id=136

Check out the table of contents or a sample chapter. I think you'll agree.