Complete with illustrations, checklists, sample contracts, forms, and survey maps, and a must-have homebuilding timetable, this guide gives you everything you need to know to build your dream home.

You deserve a home that meets your specific needs and desires! If you find yourself dreaming of the perfect patio, the ideal kitchen, and inviting rooms where you love to spend time, it might just be time to start building! With Building Your Custom Home For Dummies, you won’t have to feel intimidated as you plan, finance, and oversee construction on your new oasis. You’ll learn what it takes to build a custom home, including which pros to call and when. This updated edition also covers the latest in real estate and home construction trends, including smart homes, green building, and banking options. It's more important than ever to live in a home that’s truly how you want it, truly your own. Now is the perfect time to get started—if you’re still in the dreaming stage, this book will help you identify your style and articulate your vision. If you’re further along in the process, you’ll benefit from checklists and pointers on reviewing architects’ plans, evaluating contractor bids, flipping the home you build, and more. The latest guidance on building a beautiful home on any budget New ideas for high-tech homes with low carbon footprints Step-by-step instructions for securing financing, hiring architects, and finding reliable contractors Advice on how to invest your home-building budget wisely and plan for the future Building Your Custom Home For Dummies takes you from finding the perfect homesite through laying the foundation to framing and finishing—in the friendly Dummies style you can trust.

Keep construction on track with helpful checklists Turn your dream of a custom home into reality! Thinking about building your own home? This easy-to-follow guide shows you how to plan and build a beautiful home on any budget. From acquiring land to finding the best architect to overseeing the construction, you get lots of savvy tips on managing your new investment wisely -- and staying sane during the process! Discover how to: * Find the best homesite * Navigate the plan approval process * Obtain financing * Hire the right contractor * Cut design and construction costs * Avoid common mistakes

A Homeowners Guide to the Custom Home Building Process introduces the new homeowner to the paperwork and processes that it takes to build a home from the ground up. The Homeowners Guide walks you through contractor selection, bidding and contract administration, all the way to project completion. You will learn of some warning signs along the way, so you dont get taken advantage of. Building your new home can be an enjoyable experience, by educating yourself, staying positive, and visualizing the outcomeyour dream house. I have personally known Christy for over twenty years. Christy is very personable, honest, hard-working, and dedicated. She has an excellent understanding of the construction industry and associated paperwork, and her estimates have always been accurate. Paul U. Dritenbas, AIA, principal architect

Vernon Swaback, FAIA is extremely passionate about his craft, and that is very evident in both his words and his own completed work. Swaback continues the Frank Lloyd Wright tradition of thoughtful and highly intelligent strategies for making homes, rathe

DESIGN YOUR CUSTOM HOME WITH LESS STRESS & GREATER SUCCESS! Professional Designer Rick Kadello and Architect Paul Larsen take your step-by-step through the design process of your custom home. This book is filled with wisdom and practical knowledge that puts decades of their experience to work for you by a careful consideration of the important issue. Selecting an Architect Should I use my Architect's Consultants? How Long Does the Design Process Take? A Realistic Design Budget Prioritizing Your Needs and Wants Design Elements That Inflate Cost Should I go Green? Do I Need CAD Drawings? What Can I Expect After I Move In? Those and many other insights will equip you to avoid common pitfalls and prepare you for an exhilarating and positive design experience.