Aug 29 2008
“The Complete Guide to Attics and Basements” by Black and Decker
I picked up The Complete Guide to Attics and Basements by Black and Decker because we were looking at finishing off the attic in our home. We own a Craftsman-style home built in the 1920’s, and we thought that it would be an easy way to add on square footage.
Well, I’m so glad I picked this book up because it’s saved us a whole lot of time and money. We found out from reading it that converting our attic isn’t possible. After reading the requirements for the ceiling height in bedrooms, we crawled up into our attic and measured. We barely hit 7 feet at the ridgeline, and according to this book, your ceiling has to be at least 7′6″ over 50% of the floor. We don’t hit 7′6″ anywhere, let alone over 50% of the floor, darn it.
We were going to hire someone to come in and look at our attic to give us some ideas on how to best finish it off, and I’m sure such a trip would’ve cost us several hundred dollars. That’s obviously not going to happen now. Apparently, reading books really can pay off, literally!
Even though this book spelled the end of one of our plans, I still enjoyed it. I was very grateful that it was clear, easy to understand, well laid out, with lots of illustrations and examples. I enjoyed the first section, where there were lots of pictures to give me fun ideas, and then the second section, where there were step-by-step instructions on how to do a wide variety of projects, from adding drywall to your basement walls to installing baseboard heaters.It is focused more on giving you a broad overview of the process and ideas rather than a manual with intricate instructions.
I would suggest checking it out of the library before buying it, just to make sure it’s got what you need, and it aimed at your level of expertise and expectations. But if what you’re looking for is ideas and some concrete tips on how to convert your attic or basement, you couldn’t go wrong with The Complete Guide to Attics and Basements.
I give it 4.25 out of 5 stars.Havs
PS If you’re on the hunt for books about remodeling, make sure to check out my review of Affordable Remodel by Fernando Pages Ruiz. That was another great remodeling book. (You can probably tell I’ve been focusing on remodeling a lot lately! That’s part of the joy of buying an older home…)
