Creating a new home-or rebuilding a purchased one-requires architectural expertise, not only for aesthetic design purposes but also to account for structural safety, feasibility of plan, compliance with local laws and codes, and above all, to make a new house feel like home-the home you've always wanted. However, architects can be very costly- but only if you use them. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Designing Your Own Hometeaches readers to do all or most of an architect's work themselves, step-by-step, with inspirational ideas; clear, concise information; practice exercises; and professional secrets-all explained in a warm, inviting, friendly voice. It explains everything readers need to know to design the home they've always wanted while making it practical, affordable, and secure.

Gathers tips on cleaning, entertaining, decorating, home repairs, eliminating pet odors, and solving health and beauty problems

Offers advice and suggestions for building a solar-powered home, including estimating energy needs, selecting the right equipment, and maintaining the system once it is installed.

Extremely accessible, with over 300 photos and illustrations, this guide is geared for the true home improvement beginner, with a visual glossary included.

This step-by-step guide offers the tactics used by home stagers--from de-cluttering and cleaning up to arranging and remodeling--that will often yield a quicker sale and higher selling price.

Covers creating a home security plan, assessing local public safety agencies, planning a budget, alarm systems, home survellience, and protecting a car.

Offers advice on starting a home-based business, with chapters on creating a business concept, buying a franchise, turnkey businesses, business plans, insurance, and taxes.

In this book you get: a practical explanation of how a multitrack recorder is used to separate vocals and instrumentation ; techniques for fixing a less than stellar performance without completely re-recording the track ; handy forms and documents used to maintain a log of the recording process ; and inspiring ideas for incorporating drum machines, loops, and such effects as reverb and echo to enhance your recording.

Explains how to locate a house to buy, negotiate an offer, get a mortgage, use the Internet to finance and sell one's home, increase resale value, and sell without a real estate agent.

An essential how-to on powering your home with sun, wind, water, and more. For readers wanting to save money-and the planet-by using alternative energy, this book provides everything they need to know. The five basic sources are fully covered: sun, wind, water, earth, and bio. The benefits, what is needed, and whether it will work for a particular home are all carefully laid out in this comprehensive overview: ? Solar energy for home heating, water heating, and electricity ? Wind power, hydrogen, and micro hydro power ? Heat pumps-air, geothermal, and water source ? Heating with wood and going bio