Recommended DIY Books/Sites?

[Ashley Lesieur]

Hi all,

I am planning on renovating my 650sqft pre-war condo within the next year.  Before I joined this community, DIY would not have entered my mind.  But now that I have read about others doing it, I am considering it.

Are there any specific books or sites to learn about the overall process of DIY as well as the details?  I am willing to learn...just have no idea where to even begin.  Thanks for any information!

[Douglas Larson]

@Ashley Lesieur

"Are there any sites . . . ?"  THIS IS THE SITE!

Use the search box in the upper right to find threads on just about anything you can think of. If nobody has answered the question you have then start a new topic in the DIY section.

If you are looking for ideas I like ThisOldHouse.com and Houzz.com.

I will also add that when I was first starting to invest and needed to DIY some projects I asked a lot of questions at Home Depot and took some of their weekend clinics like tile setting,  plumbing, etc. Also, whenever I had a technician come to my home to do anything from replacing windows to repairing my furnace I shadowed them and asked a lot of questions. Eventually I have been able to pick up some decent skills. Now, I hire subcontractors for most repairs and renovations but it's great to have the skills and knowledge to get accurate bids and to verify acceptable work.

Have fun and post pictures of your process!