Michigan remodeler Lawrence
Dworin occupies a niche in the
industry: Working mostly alone, he buys
and remodels homes for resale. His 1994
Craftsman book, Profits in Buying and
Renovating Homes, dealt with the ins and
outs of making money in spec remodeling.
His new book, Renovating and
Restyling Vintage Homes, zeros in on a
subset of existing homes: houses built in
the first few decades of this century,
mostly in the Victorian or Craftsman
styles, which he says offer special technical
challenges — and unique opportunities
for profit.
The word "vintage" in the title, with
its connotation of wine and cheese parties,
is a bit misleading. This book is not
aimed at aficionados of historic reproduction
and restoration. The