Ranches: Design Ideas for Renovating, Remodeling, and Build

Most of older surban neighborhoods are filled with older ranch houses. This books will give you an outline (Handbook) of the problems you will encounter fixing your older ranch house. You do not buy this book if you do not have a ranch house. Again, when renovating these type of homes (Ranch), it is a good idea to be informed and knowledgeable. Unless, you have endless amount of money to hire the best contractor, and blindly not compare prices with the construction project. This book is more than a coffee table book. People that give this book one star are missing the "point," and should just buy an Architectural Magazine.

Despite what some other reviewers have said, I think this book can serve as a great inspiration for owners of all sizes of ranch homes. My own ranch home, in need of some updating and built in 1970, is on the small side but I found more than a few ideas in this book.A note: This book is not for someone looking to DIY a project on the weekend, and there are other books that are more appropriate for those who can live with particle board and $5 "oops" paint from Home Depot as their "home renovation." The updates in this book are beautiful and of architectural quality, ideal for someone who wants to make a solid investment in their home.I recommend this book - easy and interesting to read and lovely photographs.

The initial review may have been a little hasty.The photo lay-outs are certainly a bit overpowering, but I find the text as well as the photos give somewhat a practical quality to this book.I bought a ranch some 13 years ago, and have been making the improvements that seem called for. Most of this time my only resource materials were magazines from the late '50s and early '60s (and I had to buy them in antique stores). As I think back, had I had this book when I moved in, I wouldn't have spent so much time with the "should I or shouldn't I" dilemmas that go with major remodeling. For instance, it took me over a year just to decide on adding a 300 square foot sun room. The authors showed examples how well this upgrade works when done to maintain the basic integrity of the architecture. New windows, room make overs, bathrooms, kitchens and on it goes, but with an insight you seldom get from another source.There are plenty of TV programs devoted to remodeling . . . ripping off old dark paneling and snatching up shag carpeting, but considering the rampant "real life" examples of bad remodeling projects, due in some measure to a lack of clear conceptual assistance, I argue this book should be "standard equipment" with the purchase of any ranch.