Working with Concrete | Foundations and Concrete Work | Exterior Siding, Trim, and Finishes | Framing Roofs
Roofing with Asphalt Shingles | Wiring a House | Installing and Hanging Doors
Building Stairs | Finish Carpentry | Renovating a Bathroom | Renovating a Kitchen | Building Tips and Techniques
Running a Successful Construction Company

For Pros By Pros
Working with Concrete
A comprehensive guide to building with concrete.
by Rick Arnold

      Whether you're pouring a concrete walkway or staking out the excavation for a basement foundation, doing the job right demands a thorough knowledge of concrete construction techniques. In Working with Concrete, veteran builder Rick Arnold explains everything from mix characteristics and formwork options to waterproofing details and repair procedures. You'll benefit from Arnold's years as a general contractor, framer, and foundation contractor as he offers time- and money-saving advice that comes from understanding the subject from all angles. Get the rock-solid results you're after with this comprehensive guide to building with concrete.

      This book will enable you to:

* prepare a site for excavation
* evaluate soil conditions
* lay out footings and foundation walls
* use site-made and manufactured forms
* install proper reinforcement in footings, walls, and flat work
* estimate and order ready-mix concrete
* test and evaluate concrete quality before the pour
* build walkways, patios, steps, and slabs from start to finish

      About the author: Based in Rhode Island, Rick Arnold has been a professional builder for over 20 years. A contributing editor to Fine Homebuilding magazine, Arnold has written numerous articles about construction and remodeling. He also conducts seminars for builders at trade shows and conferences across the country.

      Softcover, 8-1/2 x 11 in., 192 pages, with color photos and drawings. Published 2003, ISBN 1-56158-614-5

Working with Concrete    $20.00    Quantity:

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      Foundation work is not the glamorous side of home building. It is hard, dirty work. But it's also the work upon which all other work rests, and so a good foundation is critical to every home," writes Fine Homebuilding editor-in-chief Kevin Ireton in the introduction to Foundations and Concrete Work. And whether you are planning to build a new foundation, shore up an old foundation, or pour a new driveway, this collection of articles from Fine Homebuilding magazine will provide you with the professional guidance you need to do the job right. Foundations and Concrete Work brings together contractors and builders from all over the country to provide the best advice on formwork, foundations, waterproofing, reinforcement, and related topics.

      Written by the pros who actually do the work, these articles will help you to:

* prepare a site for excavation and formwork
* avoid common mistakes when working with concrete and masonry
* cut, form, and install rebar correctly
* prepare forms properly
* evaluate insulated concrete form systems
* select and install drainage components
* repair problems in old foundations
* construct block foundations
* select the right waterproofing treatment

      Softcover, 8-1/2 x 11 in., 160 pages, with color photos and drawings. Published 2002, ISBN 1-56158-537-8.

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      A home's appeal depends a great deal on its exterior paint or stain, brick and stonework, siding, trim, and other details -- and it's not just the type of finish that's important. It's also how well the job was done. This first-ever collection of Fine Homebuilding magazine's most popular articles on the subject provides you with ideas for choosing the correct finishes for exteriors, plus solid how-to information covering everything from building shutters to the much debated use of PVC.

      Written by the pros who actually do the work, these articles help you to:

* Create exterior-trim details that last
* Use modern materials that protect historic trim
* Choose the best caulks that are flexible and paintable
* Create an EIFS retrofit for leaky windows
* Match the mortar to the brick
* Learn why housewraps and building papers fail
* Choose the best wood for clapboards

      Softcover, 8-1/2 x 10-7/8 in., 160 pages, with color photos and drawings. Published 2004, ISBN 1-56158-652-8

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      Accomplished roof framers rely on a variety of tools, techniques, and trade secrets to get the complex and dangerous job of roof framing done right. In Framing Roofs, a collection of articles from Fine Homebuilding magazine, you'll find out how the foremost framers work with speed and precision, and discover what it takes to master the craft of roof framing.

      Written by the pros who actually do the work, these articles will help you to:

* design and build common, and not-so-common, residential roofs
* lay out and cut valley rafters with compound angles
* frame hips, valleys, eyebrows, and gable overhangs
* calculate tricky measurements quickly and accurately
* work safely and efficiently with roof trusses
* wave time by using production techniques

      Formerly The Best of Fine Homebuilding: Framing Roofs, this newly revised edition features 30 percent new content, including the latest tools and techniques and updated photos and illustrations. Softcover, 8-1/2 x 11 in., 160 pages, with color photos and drawings. Published 2002, ISBN 1-56158-538-6

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      More than 80% of the homes in North America are roofed with asphalt shingles. Whether you're shingling your own house or tackling roofs every day, Roofing with Asphalt Shingles will help you improve the production, appearance, and quality of your finished product from eaves to ridge. Installing an asphalt roof isn't the most difficult task you'll face, but improper installation can lead to costly interior damage. Avoid those worries with clear and complete instructions from author and custom builder Mike Guertin.

      In Roofing with Asphalt Shingles you'll find details on:

* planning, estimating, and ordering materials
* calculating and installing adequate roof ventilation
* preparing a roof deck for shingles
* installing shingles quickly and accurately
* flashing critical roof-to-roof and roof-to-wall connections
* stripping and reshingling old roofs
      About the author: Mike Guertin is a custom builder with more than 20 years of roofing experience. In addition to being a contributing editor to Fine Homebuilding magazine, he has written numerous articles on home building, is the co-author of Precision Framing (The Taunton Press, 2001), and conducts training clinics at trade shows throughout North America.

      Softcover, 8-1/2 x 11 in., 256 pages, with color photos and drawings. Published 2002, ISBN 1-56158-531-9

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      A complete, no-nonsense guide to safe residential electrical wiring. First published in 1996, this critically acclaimed reference is revised to account for changes made in the electrical code. Master electrician and home wiring veteran Rex Cauldwell gives you the benefits of his professional expertise along with tips and tricks he's picked up from over 20 years on the job. Recognized as one of the most knowledgeable practical electricians in the country, Cauldwell takes the mystery out of every aspect of wiring a house, from wiring a panel to installing a light switch.

      Writing with a keen attention to safety, Cauldwell's "code-plus" approach to home wiring shows you how to choose the best tools and materials, which materials to avoid, and how to wire any room. You'll learn how to install main and sub service panels, receptacles, GFCIs, simple-to-complex fixtures, and every type of appliance. You'll also find out how to ground a house properly, how to run wire in existing walls with minimal damage, and how to meet and beat national code requirements. New material covers home generators, lightning protection, and wiring "above code." An essential reference for everyone associated with residential construction.

      Softcover, 8-1/2 x 11 in., 256 pages, with color photos and drawings. Published 2002, ISBN 1-56158-527-0

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      It is said that the mark of a good finish carpenter is the ability to hang a door so "a nickel just fits between the door and jamb." But even good carpenters often spend too much time and effort trimming a little here and a little there to make that nickel fit just right.

      Getting a door to hang perfectly doesn't have to be such a time-consuming struggle, however. Installing and Hanging Doors offers proven production methods and custom techniques collected from other finish carpenters and from the author's own trial and error. Even if you've never hung a door before, Installing and Hanging Doors can make door hanging easy and enjoyable. And experienced carpenters will appreciate the depth of information provided in Installing and Hanging Doors, including:

* choosing a door
* hinges and hardware
* installing jambs
* installing prefit doors
* hanging doors from scratch
* essentials of weatherstripping

      Softcover, 8 x 10 in., 224 pages, with b/w photos and drawings Published 2002, ISBN 1-56158-635-8.

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      Stairway design and construction is a cornerstone of homebuilding. This is where carpenters show off their skill in combining safe, solid construction with suitable dimensions, excellent craftsmanship, and (more often than not) impressive measures of ingenuity.

      Even in the simplest of houses, building a stairway can be a complex project. That's why the editors of Fine Homebuilding magazine have compiled a selection of stair-building articles that covers a broad range of details relating to design, fabrication and installation. It's all here -- from simple, site-built utility staircases to elaborate spirals.

      Written by the pros who actually do the work, these articles will help you to:

* Master basic design, layout, and construction techniques
* Build straight, L-shaped, spiral, and curved stairs
* Install straight and curved railings
* Install manufactured railings and balusters
* Build railings and newel posts
* Install a drop-down attic stairway

      Softcover, 8-1/2 x 10-7/8 in., 160 pages, with color photos and drawings. Published 2004, ISBN 1-56158-653-6

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      Pleasing proportions, clean lines, flawless miters, and other well-crafted details are all measures of excellence for finish carpentry. Finish Carpentry takes you to the job site to see exactly how topnotch trim carpenters get interior detailing done right. A collection of articles from Fine Homebuilding magazine, this book covers the essentials of interior trim and built-in construction, including techniques for constructing hutches, baseboards, windows, crown molding, and paneling.

      Written by the pros who actually do the work, these articles will help you to:

* install different types of door, window, baseboard, and cornice trim
* calculate, order, and plan trim installation to minimize waste
* compensate for out-of-square, out-of-plumb conditions
* make cope and miter cuts quickly and accurately
* use scribing techniques to get precise fits against uneven surfaces
* design and install a paneled wainscot
* use a nail gun to speed trim installation

      Formerly The Best of Fine Homebuilding: Finish Carpentry, this newly revised edition features 30 percent new content, including the latest tools and techniques and updated photos and illustrations. Softcover, 8-1/2 x 11 in., 160 pages, with color photos and drawingS. Published 2002, ISBN 1-56158-536-X

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      Bathrooms demand a builder's best work. As the average size of bathrooms continues to grow and homeowners demand that they have as much style as any other room in the house, the challenges facing anyone undertaking a bathroom remodeling project multiply. Written by architects, builders, plumbers, and tile setters, this collection of articles from Fine Homebuilding magazine will help you overcome these challenges with confidence. Renovating a Bathroom covers the broad range of design options, materials, repair procedures, tools, and installation techniques that can help you transform an ailing bathroom into an exceptional one.

      Written by the pros who actually do the work, these articles will help you to:

* redesign a bathroom for improved function and appearance
* choose and install a toilet
* tile a bathroom floor
* install a leakproof shower pan
* use caulks and sealants to prevent moisture problems
* create an accessible bathroom

      Softcover, 8-1/2 x 10-7/8 in., 160 pages, with color photos and drawings. Published 2002, ISBN 1-56158-584-X

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      Kitchen remodeling is one of the most expensive and intensive remodeling projects you can undertake in any house. The process involves important design decisions about cabinets, countertops, lighting, appliances, layout, and finish treatments. In Renovating a Kitchen, a collection of articles from Fine Homebuilding magazine, professional builders and designers take you through each phase of remodeling, from design to building to installation.

      Written by the pros who actually do the work, these articles will help you to:

* design and build cabinets on site or from factory-made components and install them correctly
* make plastic-laminate, solid-surface, and concrete countertops
* select and install proper ventilation
* get appliances to fit into your design
* make minor improvements that have major impact

      Formerly The Best of Fine Homebuilding: Kitchens, this newly revised edition features 30 percent new content, including the latest tools and techniques and updated photos and illustrations. Softcover, 8-1/2 x 11 in., 160 pages, with color photos and drawings. Published 2002, ISBN 1-56158-540-8.

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      For over 20 years, Fine Homebuilding readers have consistently picked the Tips and Techniques column as their favorite part of the magazine. It's easy to understand why. This is the place where veteran carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and other tradesmen share their shortcuts, trade secrets, jigs, and ingenious solutions. With over 350 entries, this collection of job-site gems will help you get the job done better and faster -- and it may even save you some money in the process.

      Written by the pros who actually do the work, these articles will help you to:

* Solve tricky layout problems
* Use jobsite scraps to build useful jigs, benches, work tables, braces, and sawhorses
* Save time and money with special techniques
* Eliminate costly mistakes when installing expensive materials
* Solve common problems with plumbing, electrical, and HVAC installations
* Correct mistakes quickly and easily

      Up until now, you had to page through 112 pounds of back issues to uncover the best gems from Fine Homebuilding's Tips & Techniques. This new book puts these winning jobsite solutions right at your fingertips. Softcover, 8-1/2 x 10-7/8 in., 160 pages, with color photos and drawings. Published 2004, ISBN 1-56158-687-0

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      You don't need an MBA to create and run a thriving residential construction business, but you do need a tight grip on the fundamentals of construction management and business organization. In this completely revised second edition, David Gerstel shows how to create accurate estimates, set up an office, shop for insurance and keep the books, how to find the right jobs, figure costs, make bids, write strong contracts and handle change orders. The new edition includes updates on business information technology and a discussion of how the increasing complexity in construction technology has changed the way construction companies are organized.

      If you're starting your own contracting business, the systems Gerstel offers will help you get going with low overhead and without drowning in paperwork. If you already own your own company, this book will give you the information you need to gain control of your operation. Softcover, 8-1/2 x 10-7/8 in., 272 pages, with color photos and drawings. Published 2002, ISBN 1-56158-530-0

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