Manual simplifies home repair A good home repair manual is arguably just as valuable to a toolbox as a hammer or screwdriver. Stephen Fanuka and Edward Lewine have teamed up on one that's easy for a first-time homeowner to understand and use.
"What's a Homeowner to Do?" (Artisan Books, $17.95) combines the know-how of Fanuka, a Manhattan contractor featured on DIY Network's "Million Dollar Contractor," and Lewine, author of the Domains and Ask the Contractor columns in the New York Times Magazine. Their book contains information for people from raw novices to more seasoned do-it-yourselfers, addressing everything from how to hammer a nail to how to replace a window.
They provide basic information on how the parts of a house are constructed or how they operate -- the roof, the foundation, the plumbing system, etc. -- and include sections titled "The Dark Side" to warn of things to avoid or problems that might arise. They also offer lots of handy tips, such as fixing a loose baluster or removing rust from a hinge.
