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Building Your Own Home for Dummies
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 * Find the best homesite * Navigate the plan approval process * Obtain financing * Hire the right contractor * Cut design and construction costs * Avoid common mistakes
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 25, 2005
108 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 5, 2021
While I am sure this book was an excellent read in the early 2000's it is drastically outdated by references of two-way pagers, PDAs, and the convenience of this new age technology. Many of the principles are still applicable, however, it becomes increasingly distracting trying to apply some of the communication concepts to an even newer age.
Technology is not the only change we see reflected in this book as code and legalities in acquisitions and permits are ever changing.
All in all 20 years is a long time to go between iterations when you are dealing with such sensitivities. Example: I would not encourage a medical article to someone in the 2000's from the 80's. Smoking is not a healthy appetite suppressant.
Technology is not the only change we see reflected in this book as code and legalities in acquisitions and permits are ever changing.
All in all 20 years is a long time to go between iterations when you are dealing with such sensitivities. Example: I would not encourage a medical article to someone in the 2000's from the 80's. Smoking is not a healthy appetite suppressant.
August 25, 2021
a good overview
While this book could have done more to explain the details of the owner-builder experience, it provided a good overview of a customer home build lead by a general contractors and financed by a bank. And that was a help in itself.
While this book could have done more to explain the details of the owner-builder experience, it provided a good overview of a customer home build lead by a general contractors and financed by a bank. And that was a help in itself.
April 7, 2012
Focused a bit more on conventional custom home building than I was looking for, but certainly has a broad range of useful suggestions. Some of the fiscal advice though may be a bit suspect given some of the changes post-2008 (the book was published in 2005). Check out this nugget of pre-recession thinking:
"Many people approach their finances today using philosophies that have been passed down through many generations. For example, the concept of using extra cash to pay off your mortgage early was based on Depression-era economics of the 1930s. In those days, banks were unsafe, Social Security was merely a twinkle in the eye of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and owning one's home free and clear was the only financial hedge most people could rely on.
Of course, times change. Banks are safe, most people have retirement income and/or Social Security to help out as they grow older and leave the workforce, and a home is merely one of several assets that most people keep in their financial portfolios. Are you living your financial life based upon the philosophies of the 1930s?"
Yeah, banks are safe...
"Many people approach their finances today using philosophies that have been passed down through many generations. For example, the concept of using extra cash to pay off your mortgage early was based on Depression-era economics of the 1930s. In those days, banks were unsafe, Social Security was merely a twinkle in the eye of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and owning one's home free and clear was the only financial hedge most people could rely on.
Of course, times change. Banks are safe, most people have retirement income and/or Social Security to help out as they grow older and leave the workforce, and a home is merely one of several assets that most people keep in their financial portfolios. Are you living your financial life based upon the philosophies of the 1930s?"
Yeah, banks are safe...
February 23, 2024
This book taught me an incredible amount. If you are considering buying land and building a house (ANY house not just a custom house), this book could save your life- at least your sanity and financial health.
This book explains how everything works… This allows you to be prepared and knowledgeable…
Reading this book taught me not just what SHOULD happen but also what should NOT happen. I was able to fully recognize that we were about to make a very bad deal for us. A great deal for others perhaps, but we’d have been in a gigantic unrelenting impossibly-bad mess.
Thanks to this book and my daddy teaching me about what good land is, we didn’t lose anything but a month of time and hope. I’m an idealist- I’ll bounce back. Other things would not have bounced back as well perhaps not at all.
Read this book. Educate yourself. Knowledge is power.
This book explains how everything works… This allows you to be prepared and knowledgeable…
Reading this book taught me not just what SHOULD happen but also what should NOT happen. I was able to fully recognize that we were about to make a very bad deal for us. A great deal for others perhaps, but we’d have been in a gigantic unrelenting impossibly-bad mess.
Thanks to this book and my daddy teaching me about what good land is, we didn’t lose anything but a month of time and hope. I’m an idealist- I’ll bounce back. Other things would not have bounced back as well perhaps not at all.
Read this book. Educate yourself. Knowledge is power.
April 23, 2022
I did not know that this book had been updated until after I read it. I am sure that an update provides even more good information.
This guide served as an excellent introduction to the elements of building one's own home.
It is a big dream and it takes big effort, courage, and stamina to see it through.
This guide grounds the home builder or would-be home builder in reality.
And then there are the learning opportunities.
What's the difference between 'land' and a 'lot'? A LOT!
Learning the distinction made the whole book worthwhile.
Highly recommended.
This guide served as an excellent introduction to the elements of building one's own home.
It is a big dream and it takes big effort, courage, and stamina to see it through.
This guide grounds the home builder or would-be home builder in reality.
And then there are the learning opportunities.
What's the difference between 'land' and a 'lot'? A LOT!
Learning the distinction made the whole book worthwhile.
Highly recommended.
May 18, 2022
Really helpful for grasping the big picture in custom construction. There are innumerable variables that affect price and quality.
I enjoyed learning the customer perspective and the questions they “should” be asking. Number 1 thing (like most things) is communication. People want to know what is going on.
Also, money money money. You don’t want to build if things are really tight. Projects go over budget and you want to be prepared rather than stressing you, the bank, and your construction project out.
I enjoyed learning the customer perspective and the questions they “should” be asking. Number 1 thing (like most things) is communication. People want to know what is going on.
Also, money money money. You don’t want to build if things are really tight. Projects go over budget and you want to be prepared rather than stressing you, the bank, and your construction project out.
January 6, 2016
This book was very helpful. It's about how to find financing for and manage a custom home project, so it's not for people who want to pay cash for materials and do all the hard labor to literally build a house.
Some highlights: Even if you get financing, you're going to need a lot more cash than you think you need. Do LOTS of research and stick to the plan as much as possible. Finally, communicate with everyone about everything.
Some highlights: Even if you get financing, you're going to need a lot more cash than you think you need. Do LOTS of research and stick to the plan as much as possible. Finally, communicate with everyone about everything.
March 24, 2019
UK buyers should be aware that this is an American book (or at least the version I got was), therefore most of the advice is only valid for the American audience. The British housing market is very different as are building regulations, legal issues and so on. The publishers should bring out a specific UK version and not sell this one in the UK market. Hacked off because it was not a cheap book either.
January 17, 2010
I'm a big fan of For Dummies books, but this wasn't one of their best. It brought a few things to mind I hadn't considered before, but mostly its value was in the reassurance that there's nothing more to building than what I was envisioning. It's nice to be talked through the process, and I guess that's what this book accomplished for me.
Currently reading
March 17, 2010Well, we plan to build - so I need a quick primer. Good so far.
August 12, 2012
Great reference book... Couldn't read it front to back. But helpful.
August 31, 2018
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
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From the Back CoverKeep 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
About the Author
Kevin Daum has 22 years of experience in the real estate and mortgage industry. He is founder and CEO of Stratford Financial Services, and is the leading expert in custom home financing. Daum has financed more than 800 custom homes and has published numerous articles on construction financing,mortgage education, and entrepreneurship.
Janice Brewster served as editor of Log Home Living magazine for five years. Brewster has been involved in the custom home industry for more than 10 years.
Peter Economy is Associate Editor for the Drucker Foundation's award-winning magazine Leader to Leader and a featured expert for AllBusiness.com. He's the coauthor of the books Leadership Ensemble: Lessons in Collaborative Management from the World's Only Conductorless Orchestra, Strategic Tools for Social Entrepreneurs: Enhancing the Performance of Your Enterprising Nonprofit, and many others, including Consulting For Dummies, Home-Based Business For Dummies, and Raising Capital For Dummies.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews