Product Description

Collins Complete DIY Manual has sold over 3 million copies and is the most comprehensive and authoritative DIY manual ever produced. For novices, DIY enthusiasts or professionals, this essential book continues to be the most in-depth, up-to-date and user-friendly DIY book on the market, covering everything from decorating and repairs to electricity, plumbing and much more. This fully updated version features an even more accessible design to help you navigate easily through the info, and thousands of new photographs and illustrations to make sure you get your job done quickly and safely. There have been many changes to regulations in recent years, particularly in electricity (the new Part P legislation and changes to cable colours) -- the Manual not only lists but also clearly explains these new regs and helps you work with them. And as we all become much more conscious of the environmental impact our homes have, new material on energy-saving DIY is essential reading for any householder -- saving you money too in the process.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1997 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 552 pages

Review
"A book that does exactly what it says on the tin" -- Sarah Vine, The Times

Build It Magazine Build It Magazine, November 2007
'...the big daddy of DIY'

House & Homes Ideas, December 2007
'an absolute must for an enthusiastic beginner or an old hand...a great reference book for the family bookshelf'

Customer Reviews

How to do everything ... in two paragraphs
There is no denying the scope of this book is, to say the least, comprehensive. It covers almost every topic imaginable in DIY from dry lining your basement to capping the chimney and covers it at every range whether you just want to change a fuse or rewire the entire building.

That scope though is both its virtue and its problem. Yes I can pick this up and be fairly confident that it will tell me how to go about building a stud wall but I know that it is also likely to be something of an overview of the subject rattled off in a few paragraphs. Often that is enough. There are a lot of jobs where a grasp of the basics and a willingness to have a go are good enough and if I'm laying new paving slabs I'll read this and go for it. Alternatively there are some jobs where I'd like a little more expertise than this can provide. Yes this book will tell me how to change the main fuse box but I'm not going to do that when it means working on the live side of a 100 amp line! In those cases though at least it lets me know roughly how difficult the job is so that I don't sound like a complete numpty when I call an electrician and ask if they could replace the 'thingummy by the front door with the fuses in it'.

The new (2007) edition has some changes most are improvements, some are not, but the improvements could be sufficient to make it getting the new edition. On the downside the binding is not as good as previous issues so this is a book which could suffer in use. On the upside there is more detail about building regulations and approval. Not in so much detail that it gets in the way of what you want to do but enough to give an overview of the process and in a nod to the way the world moves there are now sections on 'communications' and the 'office at home'.

I'd say to anyone that they should buy this book even if you don't ever intend to do the DIY yourself. If you do the DIY this is a good first reference to find out what to do. If it's not comprehensive enough then it will give enough of an overview that you will know what to look for when searching for more detail and if you do get someone else to do the job you've a better chance of knowing if they're doing the right thing.

Useful
This book will give handy hints and tips when undertaking any domestic DIY project.

It is not the most comprehensive manual but is great for simple reference, enabling those with a view to further investigation to seek answers elsewhere - hence 4/5

Great Book
Bought this book for my husband, as our previous addition was way out of date. Often find him browsing and reading up on things we need to do. Just got to see the end results, when he has time. As mentioned we had a previous addition this was invaluable and a well explained DIY book. Every house should have one for that small emergency and also if you do DIY you can make sure that it is up to standard.