Better Houses, Better Living

Small Press Bookwatch, Nov, 2004

Better Houses, Better Living

Myron E. Ferguson

Home User Press

1939 Woodhaven Street NW, Salem, Oregon 97304

0965485617 $24.95

Written by a homeuser and retired engineer who spent 14 years researching and presenting his home-buying wisdom, Better Houses, Better Living: What To Look For When Buying, Building, Or Remodeling is a solid advice guide to getting the best possible home for one's hard-earned income. 462 black-and-white photographs, 140 references to Internet sites that further detail subjects fleshed out in the book add an extra touch to the core information and tips, which cover such topics as options for wiring a home in the 21st century, kitchen exhaust systems that work (and those that don't), the importance of the locations and types of doors, the pros and cons of various countertops available for kitchen and bath, and much more. Better Houses, Better Living emphasizes practical and functional needs--discussions of aesthetics, or how a home looks and feels, are left to other advice guides. A solidly useful and highly recommended resource, enthusiastically recommended for home buyers and home owners--when applied to the expenses of one's home, the insights gleaned here literally pay for themselves.