DREAM 
DIY-Home-Building | Do-It-Yourself Home Building – The Owner Builder Dream | Do-it-yourself home building is a common dream that many of us share. Although it would be included as part of the American dream, it transcends geographic boundaries and culture. And, although on the surface diy home building can meet your need for the physical security of shelter, it is also important to consider your deeper needs for creative expression, emotional and spiritual security, and a connection with others. My dream started in high school. My uncle was one of my heroes and happened to be a carpenter – so I naturally gravitated in that direction. I took every shop class I could in school and loved working with wood. Later, in my 20's, after starting a family, the dream to build your own home started to take root. I wanted a small place in the country to raise my children – a place big enough to have a shop and a garden. I was interested in building with wood, stone and other natural materials, energy efficiency, and passive solar design – green home building before its time Everybody's dream is different. One of the best parts of building your own home is to cultivate your own dream, to tap into your creativity in order to express your personality and best meet your needs. What is your dream? What will it take to be a successful owner builder? | Lifestyle Assessment – Put Substance To Your Owner Builder Dream | There are many questions for an owner builder to consider at this stage of the home building dream. Here a a few to help you get started: - What is the extent of personal and family needs that must be addressed?
- What values do you want to consider and express in your home?
- What style or combination of styles are you drawn to?
- What options for materials and construction methods are suitable for your project?
- How much home can you realistically afford?
- What resources do you need to be a successful owner builder?
| Moving On – Put Structure To Your Owner Builder Dream | Do-it-yourself home building can quickly turn into a nightmare if you don't have the resources and understand the process of being an owner builder. It is easy to get anxious and get the cart before the horse. It is easy to miss an important step or overlook critical details. So, lets begin to look at the rest of the outline of the process required to build your own home. Step 2. Plan – The Preparation For Building Your Own House In order to get your dream in motion, the next step in do-it-yourself home building is to fully plan every detail necessary to build your own home. The planning requires consideration of many aspects – here are four primary areas. - Home Building Loans
- Construction Lot Selection
- Home Design Plans and Specifications
- Home Building Costs and Estimating
Additionally, the planning stage is the place to consider green building principles and whether a home building kit, or some form of prefabrication, is appropriate. Step 3. Build – The Construction Management For Building Your Own Home After thorough planning of your do-it-yourself home building project, adequate project management is crucial to avoid a nightmare and make your dream reality. Building your own home requires the management in these primary areas. - Choosing materials and suppliers
- Choosing and working with subcontractors
- Scheduling for efficient progress
- Financial and quality control
Lets now look more thoroughly at step two of the do-it-yourself home building process and more of the details of each area of consideration. Lets go to the Plan. | 
