Home building kits can provide an attractive alternative for many people interested in do-it-yourself building. Building your own house can be an intimidating project for someone that has little or no experience with construction. It also can be overwhelming for someone already struggling with the pressures of day to day living. Home building kits, or some form of factory prefabrication, offer many advantages worthy of consideration by any owner builder. [Read more…]
Eco Construction
My interest in eco construction (or green building) began in the 1970’s with the early signs of an energy crisis. I was just learning home building and was developing a growing interest in energy efficiency, passive solar design, and other forms of alternative energy. I also attended one of the first owner builder schools in the country to explore alternative home building methods and the beginnings of the eco construction movement.
Starting with a focus on energy efficient home design, eco construction has developed to include two other primary areas of consideration. The incorporation of healthy materials and design features to increase air quality, along with the inclusion of sustainable practices for resource conservation, are now part of the big picture. [Read more…]
Design Your Own Home
An exciting part of the dream to build your own home, and a primary aspect of the owner builder advantage, is the creative challenge – starting with the design process. To design your own home essentially means to take every aspect that contributes to good design into careful consideration. You can be thoroughly involved in the process whether you completely do-it-yourself, hire an architect, or find an existing plan and modify it to meet your needs.
To holistically design your own home, it is important to consider your personal and family needs as well as the particularities of your building site. In consideration of your personal needs, it is important to consider your emotional and spiritual requirements along with physical space requirements. People tend to thrive in an environment that reflects their personality. [Read more…]
Methods to Build Your Own House
To build your own house, it is necessary to understand the choices of building methods and materials that are available and appropriate to your project. The majority of home building is done with standard stick built construction methods, using conventional framing lumber and materials that are locally available. The home is then built on a concrete foundation appropriately designed for the climate it is being built in. This is often an appropriate choice for many reasons – besides the materials being readily available, it is the method that the majority of subcontractors and lenders are familiar with. [Read more…]
Home Building Loans
Most people do not have the cash to build their own home but rely on home building loans for financing their project. Like everything else in a do-it-yourself home building project, the more you understand about home mortgages and construction loans the better equipped you are in decision making. Basic understanding of financing and the variables involved, along with mortgage and debt reduction strategies, will help you most effectively achieve your goals. [Read more…]