Amazon.com
One of the surest ways to save a bundle of money on any serious home renovation is to be your own contractor. However, if an individual embarks on this effort not armed with all the facts and formalities, it can also be the proverbial primrose path to financial hell. Becoming your own contractor is neither as simple as it might seem, nor as potentially intimidating as worst-case scenarios might leave one to believe, if you have the facts and information you need before you begin.
Heldman, the author of Be Your Own House Contractor, one of the classics in the field, lays out how to evaluate your structure, estimate costs, negotiate loans as needed, and hire subcontractors; he also gives a thorough look at the forms and legalities involved in taking on this task. Done knowledgeably, with this book as a guide, a homeowner can save many thousands of dollars on renovation costs.
Heldmann provides savvy advice on whether certain kinds of projects are advisable under certain circumstances, whether renovations are financially practical for increased value, and approaches the subject with full knowledge of the kinds of disruption and confusion home renovating projects can cause in peoples' lives. This book will likely become yet another Heldmann classic for do-it-yourself home renovators in years to come. --Mark A. Hetts
Ruralife
"Written in simple reassuring language, the book is replete with sample contracts and sensible advice."
Book Description
How to appraise a restorable structure, obtain financing, and hire subcontractors.
From the Back Cover
Renovating your home? Whether you're making a snug family room out of a dingy basement or transforming a tenement into garden apartments, this essential manual offers step-by-step instructions on how to manage the project yourself and save up to thousands of dollars. Be Your Own Home Renovation Contractor contains: -- Sample contracts -- Invoices -- Inspection reports -- Insurance certificates -- Blueprints -- Glossary of building terms
About the Author
A construction loan consultant in Michigan, Carl Heldmann is also a former home builder and the founder of two Schools of Home Building, one in North Carolina and one in Michigan. He has written Be Your Own Home Renovation Contractor and Be Your Own House Contractor. Carl says, "Everyone who hasn't built a house before thinks it's too hard. I've been spreading the word that it isn't hard. You can do it."
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