*
Hello, I’d like to build my own home. Or atleast do as much of my own building as possible. I’ve done alot of carpentry in my life time for others and for myself and some plumbing. But I’d like to read some books on those subjects and masonry as well. If anyone would care to let me know their opinion of home building books and taunton press books I’d like to hear it.
Thanks
Steve M
Replies
*
Steve... i still get a kick out of reading "House" by Tracey Kidd (?).. he also wrote "Soul of a Machine"..
Taunton Press is good... i can't think of a real "overview" one in their lineup though...
Bob Syvanen is a good author, and has good insight...lots of illustrations.
Gene Leger has a good comprehensive manual "Complete Building Construction"
Joe Lstiburek (Building Science Corporation did a good job with "Builder's Guide Cold Climate"
drawing your plans...Architectural Graphic Standards...
try for an old edition... not much changes until you get to the CD version...i have 6th & 7th...God only knows what the current edtion number is...(or someone reading this)..
Time Saver Standards is another Designer's bible....
lots of Government Publications (usually somewhat dated in methodology) by USDA, & Forest Service..
and the Canadiens (--ians) have some great Government pubs...
check the archives here for this also...
Mike
*Steve,Go to amazon.com - books section and type in "homebuilding" for some examples. Be sure to check out the Taunton Press website also. Go to the library and check out a big pile of books. Read them and buy it if you find one you like. Taunton has books on different parts of homebuilding i.e. framing, masonry, windows and doors, roofing etc. - that are compilations of related articles from Fine homebuilding magazine. good luck to you
*I read "Soul of a machine". Come to think of it, my brother still has.Oops, am I turning the thread already?
*
Other than the question which I posted today I feel pretty comfortable with the idea of building my workshop with help from the following book:
Carpentry and Building Construction by John L. Fetrer, Gilbert R. Hutchings and Mark D. Feirer.
This is used as a text book for trade schools. If you are frugal like me then go to your public Library and check the book out before buying it. My public library will get a book for me thru their "inter-library-loan" if they do not have a copy. This usually cost me $2 or 3 for postage. I have yet to find a book which they could not find for me.
BTW, I wish I had done all this research before building my home last year. I am happy with my house but lots of minor low cost improvements all over the house could have been made had I read this book.
Good Luck.
*
Graphic Guide to Frame Construction by Rob Thallun is a good one and it's available through Taunton.(Sorry for the shameles plug,lol).
*
Thanks for all the input folks, including the shameless plug :-), thats appreciated as well. Sometimes if someone can shamlessly plug themselves (:-S) than it may be worth reading.
Thanks for the list of books Mike S and all you other folks for taking time out to respond.
*
Funny, I worked with a GE MRI machine that was based on the very Data General computer (the eclipse i think) that was the subject of "Soul." Boy, I hated that computer. When i finally rewrote the software I'd set up on the DG on the puny Macintosh I'd used in school, i figured i could have done my thesis data analysis in 1/1000th the time.
I'm glad humans aren't evolving as fast as computers. I'd be in some landfill by now.
*The Thallon and Leger books are very good. But nothing beats lurking on this board.
*Steve, I am currently in the process of building a small home in the Mountains of Eastern Arizona. I have found that BACK ISSUES of Fine Homebuilding are an excellent source of information! I started collecting them about 2 - 3 years ago. Just about any type of home building topic has been covered in the numerous back issues that are available. Excellent design/planning tips as well. The back issues can be kinda pricey, but you can find some deals on E-Bay!!! One book that I find myself going to for reference is called THE VISUAL HANDBOOK OF BUILDING AND REMODELING, by Charlie Wing (Rodale Press). This book is an excellent source of general information on home building. Nicely put together. I use mine all the time. It covers lots of basic info that I find helpful.Good Luck!
*Steve, in addition to those posted there are a number of "classics" such as Leonard Koel's Carpentry. The old standby, Construction Manual: Rough Carpentry, published by Craftsmen. Buiilder's and Contractor's Guide to New Methods and Materials in Home Construction, published by Prentice-Hall. More Other Homes and Garbage, published by Sierra Club Books.GeneL.
*WOULDN'T IT BE NICE IF THEY WERE ON CD-ROM??? But i repeat myself.JLC (Journal of Light Construction, much more hard-core than FH) is on CD, and worth getting i think because you can randomly search the entire set of volumes at once, even print out the articles & pics the way they looked in print. The last 12 years are something like $99, visit their website for info.
*
Hello, I'd like to build my own home. Or atleast do as much of my own building as possible. I've done alot of carpentry in my life time for others and for myself and some plumbing. But I'd like to read some books on those subjects and masonry as well. If anyone would care to let me know their opinion of home building books and taunton press books I'd like to hear it.
Thanks
Steve M