The first comprehensive guide of its kind, Building an Affordable House is for homeowners and building contractors who want to incorporate proven cost-saving techniques into their projects.

Many Americans dream about building their own home. With this book you can make those dreams a reality. As innovative and original as it was when first published in 1972, Ken Kern's The Owner-Built Home is an aspiring DIY homebuilder's bible. Finally, after years of demand, it is back in print for the next generation of owner-builders. The product of years of research and experimentation with innumerable design and construction techniques around the world, The Owner-Built Home is full of practical tips. It describes in refreshing, straight-forward language, everything involved in making a home. Fully illustrated with drawings, photographs, and plans, The Owner-Built Home is an indispensable tool for anyone planning to build a house. Readers interested in related titles from Ken Kern will also want to see: The Owner Builder's Guide to Stone Masonry (ISBN: 9781626545403), Owner Built Homestead (Emblem Editions) (ISBN: 9781626545441), The Owner Builder's Guide to Stone Masonry (ISBN: 9781626545403), Owner Built Homestead (Emblem Editions) (ISBN: 9781626545441).

Revised and updated new edition of the popular and best selling handbook for all owner-builders.Home builders can contribute in many ways to reduce the use of products and processes that convert solid and liquid carbon containing materials into gaseous carbon. Everyone is now aware of the advantages of correctly oriented, well insulated houses with sensible ventilation and comfort systems. In this revised edition of the best selling complete guide to building your own home, George Wilkie updates and adds a new section on energy and environmental efficiency. An increasing key factor in building.

This practical guide is written especially for the owner-builder and provides step-by-step instructions supported by diagrams and photographs. It covers the construction process from site preparation through to foundations, concrete slabs, strip footings and stumps. Special techniques for straw bale construction and the integration of these techniques with those of conventional house building are also covered, including floors, timber wall-frames, ceilings and roof framing. Advice is offered on plumbing and electrical work in a straw bale house. Written with first-hand knowledge of the challenges that face the owner-builder, the author explores local council issues and requirements, the potential pitfalls of building and what to look for when ordering second-hand material, aided by a useful glossary of terms. The book concludes by covering the various safety issues that arise during construction, including fire prevention, equipment usage and the working environment.

A clear, concise, up-to-date guide on all aspects of deciding, designing, hiring, financing, building, and enjoying a home that's really your own. -- Covers all aspects of the home building process, from deciding what kind of house to build, to designing it, planning it, hiring the people to build it, and financing it. -- Less intimidating than many do-it-yourself books which are 600+ pages and either assume some knowledge of the home building process or are geared towards those who plan to do some of the actual constructing themselves. -- Written by an experienced consumer rather than a contractor, banker, realtor, or other biased author. The Complete Idiot's Guide "RM" to Building Your Own Home is a clear, concise, up-to-date guide on every aspect of the home building process. It answers every question readers have about building a custom residence-and a few questions they may not have considered. With clear instructions and illustrations, this book takes readers through every step of the home-building process from figuring a budget to finding labor and materials to all aspects of home construction. Whether they plan to build it all themselves, build some and hire some done, or hire it all done to their specifications, The Complete Idiot's Guide "RM" to Building Your Own Home will do the job.

Ruth Bouldes shares lessons learned while overseeing the construction of her own custom home and discusses everything from contracts to cabinets.

Do you have what it takes to live tiny? Do you dream of simplifying your life, freeing up your financial resources, and ditching all of the clutter that's weighing you down? Learn the nuts and bolts of what it really takes to achieve this dream of designing, building, and living in a tiny house of 400 square feet or less! Tiny house professionals Gabriella and Andrew Morrison have been involved in the trade for over 20 years, helping others to construct their own tiny homes, and they have poured all of their expertise and firsthand experience into this guide. Tiny House Designing, Building, and Living is the one-stop manual into this innovative concept of minimalist living. Dozens of helpful images and a full-color insert displaying different types of tiny houses help you visualize your dream. • Advice on how to embrace the tiny house lifestyle! • How to design and build a house that's an ideal fit for your needs. • The nuances of foundation types, financing and insurance, and legal standards • Building techniques, must-have utilities, off-the-grid living, and home placement. • Inspiration for functional décor and storage. • Three tiny house floor plans, with detailed illustrations!