Kit Homes: Your Guide to Home-Building Options, from Catalogs to Factories

My favorite part of this book is the first chapter, which gives a thorough and accurate history of Sears kit homes in particular and America's kit homes in general. And I'm delighted to report that the publisher allowed me to provide some input, factual date and photos, too. The rest of the book is also well done with good quality photos, bright colors, handy layout and a writing style that makes the book easy-to-read and comprehend. The text is well written and makes reading both interesting and informational. I can highly recommend this book, however...DON'T FORGET that it all started back in the early 1900s with Sears, Aladdin and Gordon Van Tine. Those were the first kit homes that swept America by storm. Rose Thornton

Other books on kit homes provide building specs for all levels of newcomer, but KIT HOMES: YOUR GUIDE TO HOME-BUILDING OPTIONS, FROM CATALOGS TO FACTORIES is different. It offers a look at low-cost options and designs, pairing these to a homeowner's specific wants and needs and showing how parts of the kit can be tweaked for budget and aesthetics. Directories of kit home publishers and suppliers are included, but the heart of KIT HOMES are its pages of details on getting the most from what's available throughout the industry. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch