Independent Builder: Designing & Building a House Your Own Way (Real Goods Independent Living Books)

Amazon.com
Subtitled "Designing and Building a House Your Own Way," this is the book for anyone thinking about building their own home. It is comprehensive, detailed and covers subjects I have never before seen covered in home building books, like how to make a small house seem bigger, incorporating ergonomics and accessibility, doing your own drawings and scale models, making contracts that work, and working effectively with professional designers and builders. With detailed diagrams and photographs, this is the most thorough overall guide to building your own home I have ever seen (and I've seen a lot!).


From Library Journal
Clark, a carpenter, designer, and builder with over 25 years' experience, has revised and expanded his earlier Designing and Building Your House Your Own Way (Chelsea Green, 1978) to reflect recent developments. Clark takes a pragmatic approach to construction, combining the best new technologies with more traditional, time-tested methods (the main criteria being whether the construction is cost-effective and can stand the test of time). The first third of the book covers design, preparation, making contracts, and estimating costs, areas that aren't very glamorous but are of the utmost importance. The rest of the book covers materials, systems (heating, cooling, and water), and methods of construction. Clark doesn't engage in a lot of hand-holding-the information is short and to the point. This tome is chock-full of so much information that it could make even the most ardent do-it-yourselfer's head spin. Recommended for all construction collections. (Photos and appendixes not seen.)-Jonathan N. Hershey, Akron-Summit Cty. P.L., OhionCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Buy from Amazon     Compare Prices

Clark, a carpenter, designer, and builder with over 25 years' experience, has revised and expanded his earlier Designing and Building Your House Your Own Way (Chelsea Green, 1978) to reflect recent developments. Clark takes a pragmatic approach to construction, combining the best new technologies with more traditional, time-tested methods (the main criteria being whether the construction is cost-effective and can stand the test of time). The first third of the book covers design, preparation, making contracts, and estimating costs, areas that aren't very glamorous but are of the utmost importance. The rest of the book covers materials, systems (heating, cooling, and water), and methods of construction. Clark doesn't engage in a lot of hand-holding-the information is short and to the point. This tome is chock-full of so much information that it could make even the most ardent do-it-yourselfer's head spin. Recommended for all construction collections. (Photos and appendixes not seen.)-Jonathan N. Hershey, Akron-Summit Cty. P.L., Ohion


Buy from Barnes & Noble     Compare Prices