It all seems so simple, doesn't it? Flip on the TV and you can build a deck. Crack a magazine and you've got a new bedroom extension. Log on and you're halfway to the soaring ceiling of your new great room. So much that's being presented today skates across the reality of renovation, instead selling tools and materials by making it all seem, well, easy.     

We aren't fooled.     

We've tried to put in nothing more than a new doorknob and suddenly we've been faced with questions about levers vs. knobs, brass plate vs. chrome, 2?- vs. 23/8-inch backset. We've grappled with drilling and mortising and chiseling and then, finally, at the end of the day, the dang thing still didn't latch.     

We know about renovation.     

What we want to know is the truth, the opinionated truth about the one particular project we're ready to do. That is where this book shines. It has a comprehensive discussion of just about any project you might consider. It gives you the inside track on everything from decks to kitchens, plumbing to contracts, and restoration to renovation. And it does it in the usual  fashion: smart-alecky remarks, funny cartoons, and a lot of simple, easy-to-understand information.     

Let's face it: The materials, tools, and technology exist to do practically any project. What's missing is the owner's insight. This book helps you understand the materials, the design considerations, and the cost ramifications before you set off for the home store or call up the deck guy.