Leon A. Frechette

Leon A. Frechette, an industry authority, spent over 20 years in construction and 15 years as a tool reviewer. His wide-ranging interests and experience include a remodeling consulting firm, tool development and testing, and product evaluation.

After eight years (1997-2005) of presenting his high-energy "ToolTALK" and "ToolTIPS for Women" shows to standing-room-only crowds from coast to coast and answering Q&As in his weekly newspaper column ("The Tool Guy") from 2003-2006 in The Spokesman Review "Home," he's redirecting his energy to focus on his many home improvement sites currently under development.

His ongoing career has brought many challenges and rewards on the editorial side of the home improvement industry. In 1995 he received Stanley's Golden Hammer Award for "How to Install a Garage Door Opener," a short-subject article published in the January/February 1995 issue of HomeImage Magazine. In 2000 he received the Vaughan/National Association of Home and Workshop Writers (NAHWW) Golden Hammer Writing Award for his book "Build Smarter with Alternative Materials" published by Craftsman Book Company. In 2003 he received the Vaughan/NAHWW Golden Hammer Writing Award for Best How-To Electronic Media for "Dress Up Your Chandelier With A Ceiling Medallion"; in 2007 he received the Vaughan/NAHWW Golden Hammer Writing Award in the Internet Category for "Bricky - The professional wall-building tool"; and in 2008 he received the Vaughan/NAHWW Golden Hammer Writing Award in the Internet Category for "Learn How to Read and Choose a Tape Measure."

Leon makes numerous appearances on local and national television and radio shows as well as at Home and Garden Shows throughout the United States and Canada. He provides practical know-how to both professionals and DIYers. In the last ten years he has written the following books:

• Remodeling A Bathroom (The Taunton Press, 2004)
• Build Smarter with Alternative Materials (Craftsman Book Company, 1999)
• Accessible Housing (McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1996)
• The Builder's Guide To Decks (McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1995)
• Bathroom Remodeling (TAB Books/McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1994 out-of-print)
• The Pre-Development Handbook The Permit Process For Multi-Family Housing: New Construction and Rehabilitation (C.R.S., Inc., 1991)
• The Helping Hands Guide to Hiring A Remodeling Contractor (C.R.S., Inc., 1988)

Additionally, he has authored over 100 articles on a variety of home repair/remodeling topics for the following magazines and newspapers:

Contact Leon through eMail at crs@asktooltalk.com. To see his full bio click here!

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