New building products are coming out almost every week. Some of them may become new standards, as sheetrock replaced lath and plaster some years ago. Others are little more than a gimmick.

To write this manual, the author researched hundreds of products that have come on the market in recent years. The ones he describes in this book will do the job better, creating a superior, longer-lasting finished product, and in many cases also save you time and money. Some are made with recycled products – a good selling point with many customers. But most of all, they give you choices, so you can give your customers choices.

In this book, you’ll find materials for almost all areas of constructing a house, from the ground up. For each product described, you’ll learn where you can get it, where to use it, what benefits it provides, any disadvantages, and how to install it -- including tips from the author. And to help you price your jobs, each description ends with manhours – for both the first time you install it, and after you’ve done it a few times.