Wow, I did not realize that there were so many codes for homeowners. I like that this book tells you what the code is and why it is important. This book is not for the feint of heart. I was reading through it and I know I have at least one building code violation in my house. This book is perfect for do it yourself-ers and for handymen of all types. I would love to hire a handyman who knew the codes and could show me the reason he could not complete something as asked. I would hire him over the person who says I can get it done but does not complete the work to code.

Manages to make a dry, potentially intimidating subject very approachable. Plenty of photographs and illustrations to break up text blocks. A useful addition to a home collection or a public library. My one complaint with Black & Decker titles like this is the lack of diversity in the photos--nearly all subjects are white and male.