Library builder

Consider buying most of the safety equipment listed here. SAFETY EQUIPMENT Hearing protectors will prevent permanent ear damage and reduce fatigue while using power tools. There are a number of styles, from reusable foam plugs to earmuffs; properly fitted, they should reduce noise 15 decibels to 30 decibels (db). Look for models that meet American […]

The tools in this chapter are a subjective col­lection. Yours should be too. Choose tools that are right for the scope of your renovation, your experience, your storage space, your budget, and your physical strength. Because tools become an extension of your hands, shop for tools that are comfortable to use. Other specialized tools are […]

The renovators: Juanita and Steve Rynerson had lived in the original house 14 years while raising two sons. According to Juanita, a teacher, and Steve, an architect, "we no sooner had an empty nest than we demolished it.” To make an ambitious renovation affordable, they house-sat various houses for a year, which required that they […]

  The house abounds with tile, often used to case windows and doors. South and Central American objects collected over the years socialize in odd nooks and crannies. A hand-wrought snake handrail slithers up the wall to the left of the stairs. could see the light shifting throughout the day, the saturated colors softening and […]

Design is a process of continuing revision that doesn’t stop until you have finished architectural drawings, if then. The closer you get to a design that works, the more information you need. Once you have a floor plan that satisfies most of your program requirements, double-check the assump­tions underlying your design. Then revisit your local […]

The easiest way to envision change is to draw it. For this, tape tracing paper over the floor plans you drew earlier and start rearranging rooms. Because you drew your floor plans to scale, your overlay drawings will likely be reasonably accu­rate. If you’re unsure about the dimensions of a room, a fixture, or a […]

Information you’ve gathered thus far will be use­ful whether you’re hiring a general contractor and an architect or trying to tackle various parts of the job yourself. But before you begin explor­ing design solutions, consider realities that will have an impact on your plans. BUDGET CONSTRAINTS Consult a licensed general contractor (GC) about construction costs, […]

Renovations beyond cosmetic changes will prob­ably require some alteration of the structure as well as of plumbing, electrical, and heating/ cooling systems. As with many other aspects of renovation, it’s usually best to disturb as little as possible. Until you demolish walls you won’t know the exact location of every last pipe and wire, but […]

This section explains how to measure rooms and record the location and condition of the structure and mechanical systems (plumbing, electrical, heating/cooling) as well as how to explore build­ing elements that affect design. Here, too, you learn how to map the site and consider how well exterior renovations will suit the neighborhood. MEASURING ROOMS Start […]

Planning is one of the most satisfying aspects of renovation. On paper, you can live imperially—fruit trees beneath the windows, Italian marble in the bathrooms. When you tire of that, you can remove the tiles and replant the trees… with an eraser. Of course, your finished plans will be a trade-off between what you’d pre­fer […]