Review of The Modular Home (Paperback)

If you are considering the purchase of a modular home, I highly recommend this book. Every page is bursting with great information, and the amount of detail is tremendous. The author doesn't gloss over important topics. The only complaint I have is that after reading the book, you get the impression, that modular homes are the greatest thing since the Hoover Dam. Modular homes are like cars. Some are great, and some are awful. I think the author's main goal is to promote the entire industry, rather than share unbiased information on the topic. You have to be very careful with an investment of this magnitude. I've heard a lot of bad things about Modulars in my area. Is that the dealer or manufacturers fault? It could be both. The author warns you about this, but it's very difficult to separate fact from fiction in this business. There is no Consumer Reports for Modular homes. If there is such a publication, I'd love to know about it. I think you can tell a lot about a dealer by who he uses as a manufacturer. If you could determine the good and bad manufacturers, I think you would be half way there. Of course, the same could be said of stick builders, I guess. But most stick builders are not using open faced floor joists and glued drywall. Is that a better way of building or a huge savings in material and labor costs? My feeling is that it's merely a cost savings, and not really a revolutionary way to build. But most, if not all, modular manufacturers use these building techniques. Unless you see visit a home that's been in place for more than 10 years, how can you really know if these techniques are a problem? And since dealers will tell you that the manufacturing continues to improve each year, if you do see problems in some of these older homes, you might be led to believe that your home won't have the same issues because the technology is so much better. The author does not go into such details. Nor can he, because he would be raising questions about the very business he is in.

Product Description
Home buyers and house architects agree: the most exciting things on the housing market today are modular homes. They can be built and reach move-in condition in just a few weeks, and they offer a host of customizing possibilities.

Now Andy Gianino, founder and president of The Home Store, the largest dealer of modular homes in the Northeast, has written a comprehensive handbook for prospective modular home buyers. The book is packed with everything you need to know about buying and building a modular home--or a modular addition to your existing home.

Gianino dispels the misconceptions about the limitations of modular homes and shows potential buyers that a modular home can be as good as, if not better than, houses built with traditional stick-frame construction. Then he gets down to the nitty-gritty: choosing a dealer, working with a general contractor, selecting a floor plan, choosing the customized details, even planning the landscaping around the house. Throughout the book the emphasis is on top-quality materials and cost-effective measures to ensure that the buyer gets their dream home at a great price. What's more, this book is equally useful for anyone already in the modular business or looking to get in as a dealer, manufacturer, designer, or specialized general contractor.

Illustrated throughout with a 16-page fullcolor insert, plus a host of house plans, The Modular Home shows home buyers how going modular can expand their choices, save time, save money, and prove to be more durable than conventionally-built houses.



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Review of Log Home Care and Maintenance: Everything You Need to Know to Buy, Maintain, and Enjoy Your Log Home (Paperback)

Log Home Care and Maintenance by Jim Davis is an excellent resource for all log home owners or anyone considering building or buying a log home. As the owner of Log Options, a business dedicated to the care and maintenance of log homes, I purchase this book in bulk to provide for home owners when performing log inspections. The book covers all the important aspects of log homes from understanding the wood chemistry, inspections, cleaning, maintenance, repairs, and much more. It is very well written and easy to understand. This is also an invaluable resource if you are planning a do it yourself project. There is a glossary in the back with common log home terms and information on where to purchase log home supplies. Also included is a "Finish/Sealant Estimating Chart" to help you calculate how much product you will need for your project. I highly recommend this book to help care for your log home.
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Product Description
A comprehensive guide to log home maintenance for the homeowner.


From the Back Cover
For longtime and new log home owners alike, as well as anyone considering the purchase of a new or used log home, Log Home Care and Maintenance is a valuable reference that will help you save time and money, and avoid frustration - while ensuring that you get all the benefits and pleasure of living in a beautiful, solid, and satisfying home.
Smart care of the log home begins with understanding the materials, and Jim Davis starts with the basics, explaining why logs make good homes, demystifying the science of wood, and talking about the properties of the various types of wood and how they respond to changes in temperature and humidity. He follows with advice about inspecting and designing log homes, outlining approaches that will head off trouble before it sets in. Also included is a complete and easy-to-follow plan of regular maintenance, addressing problems related to everything from weather to general cleaning to fending off the assaults of insects. Final chapters cover replacement of entire logs, and evaluating contractors. Most important is Davis's overarching theme - intelligent maintenance will save log home owners countless hours and, just as crucial, many dollars.
Log Home Care and Maintenance features:
* Complete instructions for dealing with the main enemies of a log home; sun, moisture, insects, and neglect.
* Complete remedial instructions for owners with existing structural problems.
* Charts, recommendations on maintenance and sealant product types, and checklists for prospective buyers of previously-owned log homes.
For longtime and new log home owners alike, as well as anyone considering the purchase of a new or used log home, Jim Davis's guide is essential.




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