Independent Builder: Designing & Building a House Your Own Way

by Sam Clark

This is a comprehensive manual of design and building methods for owner-builders as well as professional builders and their clients. In addition to presenting specific building techniques, the book explains the design principles and planning processes that underlie all good building, so that readers can develop their own exceptional designs, independently.

Independent Builder develops subjects not covered thoroughly in other books, but critical to success:

Designing small houses that seem big

Understanding innovation

Estimating and controlling costs

Incorporating ergonomics and accessibility

Doing drawings and scale models

Making contracts that work

Genres: Construction

528 pages, Paperback

First published September 26, 1978

Reviews

[Isaac · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a great week in L.A. last month. Got to see some good friends, got drunk at a wedding, and saw some great buildings like Bolton Hall in Tujunga.
I was driving around with my friend Oakley listening to Dead Moon and he was talking about how these guys built their own house... got me motivated to read up on building your own house. This book is a great start. Sam Clark started out working on lots of unconventional building styles, and he retains the considerations for energy use and cost, but also gives some cred to traditional methods. Anyone who thinks about building their own house - freedom from rent!- will be happy to read this book...

[Waven · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was disappointed so much of the book was spent on what I considered common sense - chapters and chapters about "you will need to consider this" on points I can't imagine someone not considering when designing. Like what a room will be used for. Where to put doors. At least half the book is spent on such (to me) inanities, when one chapter with a few lines on each subject would suffice. That said, when it finally got down to business, it was a very good guide. I was presented with a lot more to consider by the building details than all the build-up leading to it. For anyone serious about designing or building a home, this is a good reference. Just ignore the first half or it.

[Michaela Hutfles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good solid guidelines to build a house yourself. Not contracting it out to a professional, but actually doing the work yourself. I had read thsi as a library book and found it so useful it is now on my 'to own' list.
Even if engaging in non-stick frame construction there are excellent basic principle of any construction project, from addition to full home, that are great to keep in mind.
In my case the pieces on roof, foundations and estimates are the most useful.

[Taniesha]

For building new house, January 2018

[Taniesha]

For building new house, January 2018