A burglary takes place on average every 30 seconds. This book will show you how you can reduce the risk of it happening to you. There is a lot that the average person can do to protect themselves, their family and their property. This book will show you how to perform a security review on your home and lifestyle: - how to identify a range of vulnerabilities, threats and risks; and - how to take the countermeasures that will make it highly unlikely that you become a victim of crime. The measures are mostly simple, and all are designed to be implemented with the minimum of cost and effort. Contents: 1. Introduction; 2. Undertaking a House Security Review; 3. Securing Your Home While You Are Away; 4. Good Neigbours are an Asset; 5. Threats from Bogus Callers; 6. If the Worst Happens; 7. Implementing Your Chosen Coutermeasures; Useful websites; Index.

In today's home decor, matched furniture is out and individuality is king. Whether these pieces are coming from a flea market, vintage fair, attic, or thrift shop, transforming them into one-of-a-kind home accents takes only a little DIY creativity and attitude. In Junk Beautiful: Furniture ReFreshed, author and "Queen of Junk" Sue Whitney provides inspiration for reimagining and refashioning vintage pieces into truly unique furniture and accessories. 30 projects presented here include clear, concise step-by-step instruction and photographs Requiring little to no skill to create and capable of being completed in a weekend or less, the projects are arranged based on where they will appear in the home An introductory section on techniques, tools, and supplies lays the groundwork for the woodworking, painting, staining, and crafting that will transform these items A shopper's guide presents tips and advice for selecting and collecting items to incorporate into your home.

This book offers hundreds of ideas for turning a backyard into an outdoor living area. Taunton's best-selling "Idea Book" series has sold more than 2.5-million copies. Featured ideas range from outdoor kitchens and fireplaces to innovative and clever solutions for outdoor storage and play areas. Everyone wants more from their homes and that means expanding the liveable space to the outdoors. In fact, homeowners are spending more time and money than ever on their gardens. This book brings together hundreds of fresh ideas and unique solutions for making the most of outdoor space. The inspiration is limitless for small to extensive projects. It is brimming with ideas for porches and patios, outdoor rooms for dining and entertaining, garden rooms, all types of sheds and outdoor buildings and more. Add natural pool settings and picturesque outbuildings to the mix and readers will delight in this outdoor design guide. A new sidebar features a DIY project for more hands-on homeowners.

In Owner building made easy, Tamara Aspeling takes the would-be owner-builder through all the steps involved in the process in a way that's logical, accessible and chronological. She leads through the apparent minefield of regulations, estimating, drawing-up of building contracts and dealing with contractors, suppliers and professional people to the end result – your new home, just as you envisaged it, built the way you wanted it and with the minimum of fuss and expense. The book deals with the preparation of plans, obtaining local authority approval, costing and estimating, putting the project out to tender and selecting a contractor as well as negotiating a building contract that’s fair to both owner and contractor. Filling a much needed gap in the South African market, Owner Building Made Easy shows the first-time owner-builder how to anticipate and thus avoid unexpected pitfalls, and follows the house-building or renovation process sequentially from design to completion. Where appropriate professional help might save costly headaches later, Aspeling says so, thereby helping to avoid expensive lessons in false economy.

Home is a haven, a place of refuge. But did you know it might be making you sick? If your home is cluttered, overwhelming, and full of chemicals, you need expert advice. Let Natalie Wise help detox your home with products that are healthy for you and your family. You'll find information on why you should start going organic now and the best organic cleaning products and supplies, where to find them, and how to make them. Start with the basics and work your way into every corner of your home . . . from tile grout to shower mold, how to clean lampshades to how to clean water bottles. There are recipes for cleaning nearly every surface in your home from the carpet to stuffed animals. Chapters include: The Kitchen The Bathroom The Living Room The Bedrooms The Laundry Room Clothing and Closets The Kids' Stuff The Home Office or Desk Area The Medicine Cabinet The Catch-All or Mud Room The House Itself: The Ins & Outs If you have questions about keeping an organic home, The Modern Organic Home has answers. You'll also learn storage and organization secrets to keep your home clutter-free, how to manage your time and budget, and why some old-fashioned remedies are still the modern organic way to keep home. Not only will you find your home cleaner and fresher than ever, it will be inviting, welcoming, and an altogether modern organic home. Now is the time to get started. "Keeping home is one of my favorite things. I love having a home that is bright, healthy, happy, and welcoming. Home is our refuge, our place of comfort at the end of a long day, when our hearts need a little refreshment. This is why keeping home is so important to me: my heart lives here. And the hearts of my family and friends. The world out there is harsh; full of heartache and distress. But my people and I deserve the best when we come home. Our home world will not be harsh; it will not be full of heartache and distress. And it sure as heck won't be full of chemicals."

If you love your tools, want to understand them, look after them, own the very best, and use them effectively, then this is the book for you. A complete visual guide featuring more than 800 images, and a foreword from Nick Offerman, The Tool Book pays homage to generations of craftsmanship, ingenuity, and know-how. It looks at tools from every angle, so you can understand the structure and make-up of your trusted tool, and includes illustrations of tools in action. Gallery pages display different types of hammer, spade, or chisel, and there's expert advice on what to look for when choosing a tool. Clear step-by-step photography walks you through how to use your tools like a pro, while easy-to-use charts provide tips on how best to care for them. The Tool Book explores, in loving detail, why each tool is the right tool for the job, and why it deserves pride of place in your tool shed, workshop, or studio.

"PlyDesign "presents 73 ideas for sleek, smart home furnishings that you can make from off-the-shelf sheet materials using only basic hand and power tools. With designs contributed by more than 50 creative builders across North America, the projects include tables, stools, workstations, benches, laptop stands, shelves, art panels, organizers, headboards, doghouses, dollhouses, and more. A photo of each finished project is accompanied by a list of needed tools and materials, cutting and assembly diagrams, and clear step-by-step instructions.

If you want to introduce alternative power supplies around the home and garden or even live totally off-grid in your boat, caravan or yurt and need a practical introduction to solar power and 12 volt supplies, here is an essential guide to the subject. Not only will it save you money, it will show you how to run your lights, laptop, DVDs and music, and even your tools and household products, from a simple 12 volt system. Be in control of more of your home's own energy supply, develop a low impact way of living and be prepared for power cuts and for power down situations in the future! Do It Yourself 12 Volt Solar Power begins with a lesson in how electricity works and the main components of a DIY solar system. The author uses clear diagrams and terms. There is, of course, more technical information as the book progresses, but don't worry, this no-nonsense guide provides a useful, back-to-basics approach for the layperson. This is a reference book that will help you trouble-shoot and get the best value for money from what you can find hidden in the back of the garage. Quirky and humorous, it also shows you how to make a sun following system using just a bicycle wheel, a pallet and the motor from a CD player!

Authors David and Jeannie Stiles give readers all the information they need to build their own cabins -- whether it be as a wilderness retreat or a backyard studio. The authors describe each step in the process from buying land to obtaining services, from finding qualified construction help to deciding on and developing plans for a structure that suits their lifestyle and budget. Cabins is packed with detailed illustrations, plans and common-sense advice.

Chapters include classic construction methods: how to build a log cabin, pole-built and stick-built cabin, post-and-beam, stone, cordwood and kit cabins. Construction methods are clearly illustrated in photographs and drawings and the advantages of each are explained in detail. Foundations, windows, doors, insulation, roofing, installing utilities, water and sanitary systems and heating are all discussed.

Many designs are presented as inspiration and to help readers select the cabin that is perfect for them: homesteader log cabin, writing cabin, guest cabin, Japanese moon-gazing cabin, lakeside retreat, pyramid and A-frame, and hillside Mediterranean cabin. The authors include personal reminiscences from successful builders and cabin owners, and discuss furnishings and accessories that can help readers get the most enjoyment out of their newly built wilderness retreat.

The use of additive manufacturing for the direct production of finished products is becoming increasingly important. The method not only reduces the demands on industrial infrastructure, but also opens up new perspectives in terms of decentralized production and customer inclusive individualized production (customization, cyberproduction). Oriented towards the practitioner, in this book the basics of additive manufacturing are presented and the properties and special aspects of industrially available machines are discussed. From the generation of data to the forming method, the complete process chain is shown in a practical light. In particular, the following additive manufacturing technologies are discussed: Polymerization (e.g., stereolithography) Sintering and melting (e.g., laser sintering) Layer laminate method (e.g., laminated object manufacturing, LOM) Extrusion (e.g., fused deposition modeling, FDM) 3D printing Applications for the production of models and prototypes (rapid prototyping), tools, tool inserts, and forms (rapid tooling) as well as end products (rapid manufacturing) are covered in detailed chapters with examples. Questions of efficiency are discussed from a strategic point of view, and also from an operational perspective. With the purchase of this book, you also receive a free personal access code to download the eBook.

Will Nowell has revolutionised the sales process with ValueMatch: Selling for Home Builders. Proven, powerful, and effective, ValueMatch listening skills will help you open the door to your prospective home buyers' emotional need to buy a new home. These skills, the core of the ValueMatch sales process, will help you match what your homes have to offer with what prospects value most in a new home -- and it usually has nothing to do with granite countertops or number of bedrooms. ValueMatch Selling for Home Builders will teach you how to: build rapport within the first 60 seconds; sell yourself to establish a relationship; convey the builder's concept or vision; make a dynamic presentation that includes asking for the close three times; put yourself and your prospect in a closing posture; complete the sale; launch a new after-closing relationship that brings in referrals. This is your guide for selling what matters most.

Basements often get a bad rap. They can be dark, dank, and depressing, and are some of the most challenging spaces in a home to remodel. But the rewards of tackling a basement remodel are potentially enormous--transforming an otherwise ignored space into a bright, open, and usable asset, perfect for a spare bedroom for guests, a game room for the kids, or a den for the adults. In Basements Complete, author Steve Cory covers the most popular remodeling approaches and projects for basements, including information on preventing mold and mildew, moving pipes up or over to make more headroom, bringing more light into a dark space, mitigating radon, and sealing floors and walls. Additionally, some of the projects--such as flooring, plumbing, and wiring--apply to other rooms in the house, but are treated here with an eye towards basement needs. Though the book is largely how-to, it also explores some design and planning issues, making it the truly complete reference title for all things basements. With more than 700 photos, 35 illustrations, and clear step-by-step instructions, Basements Complete is the only book that homeowners, remodelers, and builders will need to transform a damp basement into a warm addition.

From bronze axes of the Viking conquests to the American homesteader's felling axe, this is a tool that has shaped human history like few others. American Axe pays tribute to this iconic instrument of settlement and industry, with rich history, stunning photography, and profiles of the most collectible vintage axes such as The Woodslasher, Keen Cutter, and True Temper Perfect. Combining his experiences as a forester, axe collector, and former competitive lumberjack, author Brett McLeod conveys the allure of this deceptively simple woodcutting implement and celebrates the resurging interest in its story and use.

Welding is a skill any do-it-yourself enthusiast needs in his arsenal. It is only when you can join metal that you can properly repair and create. This book is the perfect introduction for beginners, and an excellent refresher for veteran welders, a work so comprehensive and so complete that most readers won't need any further instruction. "How To Weld" starts with a brief history of welding, an overview of different types of welding, and a thorough discussion of safety practices. Longtime welding instructor Todd Bridgum describes various tools and types of metals, as well as techniques and types of joints. Bridgum discusses gas, stick, wire-feed (MIG and TIG), even brazing, completing each section with a series of exercises that fully illustrate the skills he has covered. This book concludes with six projects, including construction of a welding table, gantry, and jack stands.

THE AUDIOPHILE’S PROJECT SOURCEBOOK

Build audio projects that produce great sound for far less than they cost in the store, with audio hobbyists’ favorite writer Randy Slone. In The Audiophile’s Project Sourcebook, Slone gives you—

• Clear, illustrated schematics and instructions for high-quality, high-power electronic audio components that you can build at home
• Carefully constructed designs for virtually all standard high-end audio projects, backed by an author who answers his email
• 8 power-amp designs that suit virtually any need
• Instructions for making your own inexpensive testing equipment
• Comprehensible explanations of the electronics at work in the projects you want to construct, spiced with humor and insight into the electronics hobbyist’s process
• Complete parts lists

The Audiophiles Project Sourcebook is devoid of the hype, superstition, myths, and expensive fanaticism often associated with high-end audio systems. It provides straightforward help in building and understanding top quality audio electronic projects that are based on solid science and produce fantastic sound!

THE PROJECTS YOU WANT, FOR LESS

Balanced input driver/receiver circuits
Signal conditioning techniques
Voltage amplifiers
Preamps for home and stage
Tone controls
Passive and active filters
Parametric filters
Graphic equalizers
Bi-amping and tri-amping filters
Headphone amplifiers
Power amplifiers
Speaker protection systems
Clip detection circuits
Power supplies
Delay circuits
Level indicators
Homemade test equipment

DIY for Renters Don't Call the Landlord is a complete repair and maintenance guide for everyone who rents-not owns-their home. It's designed to help apartment and house renters perform common repairs and upgrades that are economical, safe, and don't conflict with tenant/landlord agreements. Also included are tips on taking down and removing upgrades when it's time to move out of the rental unit so you can get your security deposit back in full. Packed with step-by-step instructions, illustrations, and color photos, this book teaches basic repair skills that potential future homeowners will use for the rest of their lives. Author Charles Byers, an experienced vocational school educator, shows how to address all of the normal maintenance issues that every home encounters, from squeaky doors and floors, wet basements, and replacing light switches to installing ceiling fans, plumbing, heating, and electrical repairs. Byers guides the reader to complete each project as inexpensively and perfectly as possible, using readily available materials from the local home center.

This is a practical guide to tools: how to choose and use them, shown in 220 photographs. It is a simple and accessible guide to do-it-yourself tools for a wide range of jobs, including tiling, painting, flooring, woodwork and general repairs in the home. It includes photographs for easy identification of the tools. It shows you how to use planes, chisels, saws, drills, hammers, screwdrivers, pliers, sanders and many more. It includes instructions on making the best use of each tool, with hints and tips on selecting the right types. It offers guidelines that show you what to wear, how to handle tools with care, and how to tackle jobs safely to avoid accidents. For any task around the home, tools will be needed. Knowing how to use them efficiently is vital if you want a good result. This book discusses preparation, the right tools to use for a particular job, and how to use them safely and effectively. Useful tips point the way to improving your skills to get the most out of your tools.

As the line between indoor and outdoor living spaces continues to blur, creating greater fluidity and a feeling of openness, homeowners are eager to tap into the projects that will enrich their lives and beautify their homes. With over 300 fresh ideas covering a range of patio and walkway styles and sizes, plus top-notch design advice, "Patio & Walkway Ideas that Work "is the most complete and up-to-date patio and walkway design sourcebook. From pergolas to grilling islands, poolside patios to front paths that make a grand statement, readers will delight in having instant access to all the essentials of designing and installing a new patio or walk, as well as accessorizing an existing patio. "Patio & Walkway Ideas that Work "creates a path to affordable, smart home improvement whether undertaking a project yourself or hiring a contractor.

"Patio & Walkway Ideas that Work "is the latest book in the popular IDEAS THAT WORK series, which includes "Outdoor Kitchen Ideas that Work, Bathroom Ideas that Work, Deck Ideas that Work, Kitchen Ideas that Work," and others.

Parties with pizzazz -- parties that everyone talks about -- happen when some creative person gets things rolling! Twenty-three absolutely unforgettable party themes for all seasons and occasions are included -- a "TGIF (Thank God It's Friday) Party, " a "Murder We Wrote (whodunit participation) Party, " a "Kidnapping Caper (for teens only) Party" -- these and many more. Each party plan tells how to do it, gives food suggestions with recipes, reproducible party game papers, checklists and lots more, plus "do-it-yourself" invitations professionally designed! Just add the specifics and photocopy them. Everything made easy. Success assured -- these ideas have all been party-tested. We know they're good! Enough parties here for a year or two of fun. Guaranteed to make you the most celebrated party people in town!

Best-Seller! This book contains 95 of the most useful business forms and contracts for builders including: Sales and marketing forms; Contracts and agreements; Trade contractor specifications and checklists; Orientation and quality control documents and much more. These forms will help you systemise your business, work more productively, and manage more effectively. You can browse the book for the contracts and forms you need, download the documents from the CD, and customise them to meet your business needs, with your address, logo, local specifications, and more! Benefit from the experience of successful builders across the country and increase your business success in: Sales & Marketing: Work successfully with prospective home buyers, salespeople, and real estate agents; Contract & Agreements: Solidify your business and legal relationships and keep your business on track; Trade Contractors: Ensure quality and keep your production schedules moving; Construction Management: Define the standards you use to build quality homes and deliver them on time and at the right price; Quality Control & Warranty: Manage your final quality control checks and warranty work. You will save hours of work -- and that can mean saving hundreds of dollars with every form you use! The CD contains Microsoft Word files and text files. Windows Vista/Office 2007 compatible.

An easy-to-access, comprehensive step-by-step reference on home plumbing offering authoritative, reliable information that enables the reader to tackle any DIY plumbing project with confidence. This volume is a comprehensive, authoritative, and easy to use reference for homeowners covering all home plumbing situations from the most basic to advanced. The only projects not covered are those that should be left to professionals. This highly visual book focuses on real world situations faced by homeowners and offers real world advice, including how to deal with the inevitable things that can go wrong. What is unique about this plumbing guide is that it is easy to find the project and the information on how to tackle it. Intuitive finding devices and visual tables of contents make it easy to identify the material in the book relevant to the readers situation.

Tiling Complete is a highly visual book focusing on real-world situations faced by homeowners and offers real-world advice, including how to deal with the inevitable issues that can arise during a project. In this second edition, the book has been updated with the latest information on new types of tile--including large-format tiles and wood-plank tiles includes details on project preparation and setting materials. 125 new photos have been added, for a total of 875 photos Tiling Complete is a comprehensive, authoritative, and easy-to-use reference for homeowners, covering all tiling projects from the most basic to advanced.

When you are building your own fitted kitchen cabinets, you are not just saving money. You also improve upon the materials & construction used in factory-made cabinets, and get exactly the sizes you want. And with the techniques that the author demonstrates and explains in this book, you can incorporate custom details in your cabinets to make them even more distinctive, e.g: arched doors, custom cornice treatments, oversize pantry cabinets and solid wood end panels. - Designing custom cabinetry to suit your space and budget - - Building drawers and doors in a variety of different styles - - Tools - Understanding wood - Design - Face-frame construction - Doors - - Panels - Building drawers - Base cabinets - Wall cabinets -Other cabinets - - Finishing - Hardware - Accessories - Installation - Countertops - * Taunton's Build Like A Pro series: expert advice from start to finish. * Any serious do-it-yourselfer can make his/her own fitted kitchen armed with the know-how in this fully illustrated book.

Kiko Denzer and Hannah Field, maker and baker, invite you into the artisan tradition. First, build a masonry oven out of mud. Then mix flour and water for real bread abetter than anything you can buy.a Total cost? Hardly more than a baking stone a and it can cook everything else, from 2-minute pizza to holiday fowl, or a weekas meals.
Clear, abundant drawings and photos clarify every step of the process, from making aoven mud, a to fire, and to bread. Informative text puts it all into context with artisan traditions of many ages & cultures. Beautifully sculpted ovens (by the author and readers) will inspire the artist in anyone. And the simple, 4 step recipe (based on professional and homestead experience) promises authentic hearth loaves for anyone, on any schedule.
From weekend gardeners to "simple living," back-to-the-landers; Peace Corps volunteers to neighborhood community-builders; third-graders to earth-artists of all ages, this book feeds many hungers!
a[ updated, expanded, re-written, & revised.
a[ foreword by Alan Scott, the grandfather of wood-fired ovens and artisan bread.
a[ super-insulated design holds heat longer with less wood burned.
a[ 8 pages of color photos.
a[ Plus: mobile ovens, rocket mass heaters for the home, hay-box cookers, and more.

"Porches and Sunrooms" is the perfect reference tool for homeowners who are considering adding or renovating a porch, sunroom, or conservatory. Topics include planning and designing the "outdoor room" to bridge the indoors and outdoors, basic information on the room's structure, and details on what a homeowner should know to add it to the house. Readers will see real-life examples in hundreds of beautiful, full-colour photographs, discovering what a difference a porch can make to the outside of their home, or a sunroom to their indoor lifestyle. With over 400 colour photographs and 60 full-colour illustrations, this book covers porches, plus popular sunrooms and conservatories. It provides construction basics and important remodelling information and features a section on maintenance and repair.