The Condo, Co-Op, and Apartment Dweller's Guide to Repairs and Improvements: Expert Advice on How...

Gladstone, who was home repair editor of the New York Times , here addresses ``soft repairs'' only--leaky faucets, doors that won't close, faulty light switches--and not bigtime projects like fixing the roof or remodeling the basement. His book is particularly appropriate as more and more people living in apartments or condos come to realize, with chagrin, that even with a super or a managing agent in business for them, repairs aren't made right or on time. The author chats us up rather like a neighbor who knows more than we do, and yet avoids cluttering the book--or our work--with unnecessary details. One of the outstanding assets of his book is how precisely it considers the concerns of its audience: Not only are there chapters on repairing doors, windows, walls, ceilings, floors, stairs and electrical and plumbing systems, but also on painting and wallpapering, home security, storage innovations, noise control and furniture care--plus a section on hiring and working with contractors, should the reader want to pass bigger jobs on to professionals. Helpful boxed information targets side issues: how to care for wood floors; what to do when pipes freeze--and offers pointers on everything from driving nails to finishing plywood. As with many home repair books, the accompanying illustrations aren't detailed enough to be very useful; at best, they're unclear; at worst, downright confusing. Illustrated. (June)