-- Covers the subject from land issues, through the entire construction process, all the way to plandng the lawn.-- Contains anecdotes, real life examples, diagrams, applicable political comment and special exposition on such subjects as basic electricity, Radon, energy saving, windows and much more.-- Written for the aspiring home owner, but is equally valuable to building professionals and real estate agents.

Except for remodeling out first home, my wife and I had no experience in building yet dared to built two homes: a custom one for our growing family and, later, one for our retirement. Though the book is well illustrated, it is not a step-by-step instruction on how to build a home, but one well detailed in all phases of construction. . Our retirement home, built with concrete blocks, reinforced with steel, is a more permanent structure. Let me put it this way: it is not an overstatement if I say our retirement home will last thousands of years, one that will have people wondering, who the heck built a Greek temple on a California mountain? We did not go into the project blindly. The key words are research and taking the time to visit building sites. In my work clothes of white shirt and tie and with clipboard for taking note, I was seen by most laborers as a typical office worker doing his tedious job. Please try to be unobtrusive while questioning workers in different stages of construction. Carpenters were helpful in demonstrating the safe use of power tools. Stucco men loved to show off the different textures they created, Spanish lace their favorite. I strongly recommend that my readers visit construction, and please get permission from a job foreman. Good luck.

Shows homeowners how to stay within one percent of their budget Delivers the perfect balance of information--covers everything homeowners need to know without overwhelming details Ready-to-use worksheets save time and money Tells homeowners who to meet with, when to meet, and how to track progress and control costs

Buying a new home can be an expensive endeavor. Many people dream of building their own home but mistakenly believe that doing so is not cost effective. However, you can save 20 to 40 percent or more by building your own home. In The Complete Guide to Building Your Own Home and Saving Thousands on Your New House you will discover that your dream can become reality. From basic planning to construction methods, this new book will take you through all the steps of building your own home. You will learn how to: choose a site, draw up a construction time line, apply for construction loans and financing, obtain essential insurance information, buy or prepare inexpensive plans, find and negotiate with subcontractors, comply with building codes, select features and fixtures, choose the style of the house, decide on the size of the rooms, and get building permits. You will learn about building materials and foundations, floors, walls, paint, windows, decks, garage doors, roofing, flashings, chimneys, plumbing, wiring, ceilings, floors, railings, and attics. In addition, you will learn how to design a home that will meet your needs, perform constructions tasks safely, and build amenities. This book will inform you about common problems to watch for, including foundation, roofing, walls, stairs, sidewalks, driveways, heating and cooling, electrical capacity, and wiring. This book will detail money-saving options and environmentally friendly techniques, while at the same time allowing you to monitor the quality of the materials and the workmanship, fine-tune the design, and make sure the results are exactly what you had envisioned. Atlantic Publishing is a small, independent publishing company based in Ocala, Florida. Founded over twenty years ago in the company president's garage, Atlantic Publishing has grown to become a renowned resource for non-fiction books. Today, over 450 titles are in print covering subjects such as small business, healthy living, management, finance, careers, and real estate. Atlantic Publishing prides itself on producing award winning, high-quality manuals that give readers up-to-date, pertinent information, real-world examples, and case studies with expert advice. Every book has resources, contact information, and web sites of the products or companies discussed.

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

Build a quality home - and save money at every stage of construction! &break;&break; You dream about building a perfect home. But you just don't see any way to come up with that kind of money. &break;&break;So bring down the cost. Be your own general contractor and save on every aspect of building your home. Do some of the easier work yourself and the savings can soar even higher. You can do it without compromising quality. &break;&break;Part-time work, big-time equity! &break;&break; Build Your Dream Home for Less is jammed with construction information, including the smallest money-saving detail. Keep your regular job, work on the side as general contractor, and build in equity as you build your home. &break;&break;Woodson has organized his book to match the progress of your project, from weighing the decision about wearing the general contractor's hat all the way to moving in without marrying anything. Here's just a taste of what you'll find inside: &break;All you need to know about being your own general contractor &break;How to work with materials suppliers &break;What to keep in mind when selecting subcontractors &break;A close, cost-conscious look at each phase of construction &break;Materials options, and pros and cons of each &break;An appendix with sample forms and contracts &break;&break;You dared to dream, dare to try? &break;&break; This is a dollars-and-cents book. And a build-it-right book. You'll learn how to recognize quality at each stage of construction. Build Your Dream Home for Less is the book you need to make your goal a reality.

Current building costs for residential, commercial, and industrial construction. Estimated prices for every common building material, the labor cost to install the material and a total installed cost. For those jobs where you can't rely on your past experience to estimate, rely on the prices in this national standard of construction costs to get you safely in the ballpark.