Resources for Constructing Your Own Home (01)

Get Home Building Advice from Building Expert Tom Landis
Whether you are working with a general building contractor or an architect for your building project, knowledge truly is power. On his website, former building contractor Tom Landis shares information on OwnerBuilder.com about such diverse topics as building green, permits, scheduling, safety, quality control, budget estimates, 10 ways to collaborate with your construction team, and more. A series of informative articles tackles such issues as whether your lot is buildable, shopping for a home design, construction loans, and how to be an active listener. Click on Consumer's Advantage to discover why it is to your advantage to use an owner builder consultant on your home building project. Links to house plans, a 45-minute documentary about home building, as well as Landis' blog are also provided.

Project Green Build Encourages Readers to Think About Environmentally-Friendly Building
Check out Project Greenbuild's site to see a series of articles on various aspects of environmentally-friendly building. Why not consider using tiles made from recycled glass for your next construction project? You will also discover what the advantages of building an environmentally-friendly home are, what green pest management involves, why it makes sense to plan a high-performance building, and more.

Why Do It Yourself? This Site Will Spell It Out For You
Building your own home has its advantages, and HowToBooks.co.uk covers them all—from financial incentives to quality control. This online article details how a do-it-yourself perspective to homebuilding can increase your personal satisfaction with the project and how your skill set can save you money at the same time. There are a bevy of links on the how-to aspect of designing and building as well, from finding land to hiring an architect. Advice on a wide variety of projects are also here, such as roofing and flooring and interior design.

Be Your Own Log Home Architect & Builder
Looking to build your own log home? The Log Home Builders Association site is a great resource to check out if you're looking for information—there's an informational page about the Association's two-day classes; articles detailing the pros and cons of everything from log home construction kits to performance of certain types of treated lumber; and opportunities to read and post in public forums where builders and log home hobbyists can exchange information on the ins and outs of log home building and all it entails. There's even a FAQ page with more than 30 answers to log home construction conundrums, such as "How can I tell good logs from bad logs?" or "What log home building method lasts the longest?"