Houses have been my other spouse for as long as I can remember. Buying and selling residential real estate, educating real estate consumers, building spec homes, and consulting with those who want to build a home are my professional specialties.

To take some of the mystery of what some perceive to be a daunting task, a book that just recently came to my attention is a definitive book for those who are planning on building or remodeling a home. House About It by Sheri Koones (Gibbs Smith, 2004, ISBN 1-58685-377-5) will become a desk-reference for first-time and experienced homeowners who are building or remodeling, interior designers, architects, and contractors.

House About It is designed and written in a format that includes examples of residential building components in photographs and drawings, handy resource tables adjacent to relative details, quick definitions and explanations of terms, advantages and disadvantages, and safety tips. In-depth web resources, and an unusual but important related books appendix, make this a one-of-a-kind gift from an experienced builder, renovator, and seasoned author.

Chapter titles include: Architectural Styles and Construction Techniques, Exterior Components, Interior Components, and Environmental Health and Safety. Don't think that these are cursory overviews; Ms. Koones drills sown to the nth degree. She covers considerations, design, durability, material options, technologies, terminology, and controls in enough detail to understand and make informed decisions, but without getting lost in a subject. An important benefit that is included is the authors awareness of green building, a growing variable for those building today.

This book is one of the first one-stop desk reference books that should be required reading for anyone related to residential homes. A perfect gift for friends embarking on a remodeling or home project, real estate agents, appraisers, decorators, and architects. This book rates a 10 plus. Ms. Koones next book, Modular Mansions is now available.