House Broken: How I Remodeled My Home for Just Under Three Times the Original Bid Book

"On time and under budget? I don't think so." As Al Borland, Tim Allen's right-handyman on the hit sitcom Home Improvement, Richard Karn tends to keep in the background, cleaning up Tim's messes and allowing Tim the spotlight on their show-within-a-show, Tool Time. Now, after a hair-raising year trying to rebuild his dream house, he's ready to speak outand speak out he does, sharing his hilarious experiences about the good, the bad, and the horribly expensive. Not quit the Mr. Fix-It he plays on television, Richard hires contractors to remodel his kitchen and master bedroom. Nightmarishly, this expands into redoing the entire house, setting off a series of construction misadventures for which Richard is ill prepared. Meanwhile, his bemused dad, a builder his whole life, looks on, dispensing advice such as, "You have to accept that some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue." Join Richard and his wife, Tudi, as they embark on their very own home improvement adventure with contractors, designers, plumbers, electricians, painters, and craftsmen and use humor and their best diplomacy skills to cope with bizarre building codes and never-ending change orders. Peppered throughout are stories of the worst building blunders in history, as well, as a collection of the unique vocabulary of real estate agents and contractors. Also included are things you may not think you need to know but are essential. Like the question you will ask the most when rebuilding your home: "And, um, how much will that cost?" And perhaps the worstand most expensivething a plumber can say to you: "I've never seen anything like it." Brimming with tips, anecdotes, and lots of laughs, House Broken is built for homeowners and the people who love them.Read More