Owner/Builder
An owner/builder can theoretically do most of the work in building his or her own house. Most building authorities recognize that people often want to do the work themselves rather than hire professional contractors and laborers. Of course an owner/builder is still subject to the same code requirements as the professionals would be.
Building in this mode can save a lot of money and be immensely satisfying at the same time. I had always wanted to design and build my own house, and it wasn't until I was in my fifties that I was able to realize this dream; all of the construction I did before this had been either remodeling existing structures or working for other people. I must say that living in a house that I designed and built brings joy to my life in many ways; the building fits our needs and aesthetics so perfectly.
Most of the books listed here relate to conventional construction techniques. However most of the design work and planning that goes into building a house is the same, regardless of the materials used. Also much of the detailed work related to electrical and plumbing, etc. is the same.
ARTICLES:
How to Design Your Dream Green Home
Designing Your Affordable,
Energy-Efficient, Eco-Friendly Home
REVIEWS:
The Greened House Effect
EXPERT
ADVICE
with John Connell
OWNER/BUILDER QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Design
Foundations
Floors
Insulation
Dealing
with nature
Contacts
for building
Miscellaneous
The books shown below are arranged according to when they were published, with the most recent ones at the top. If you click on one of the images you will be taken to a page at Amazon.com where you can find out more about the book. If you end up buying one of them, greenhomebuilding.com will receive a small commission that will help cover the cost of maintaining this website. Thanks for your patronage.
Remodel Green: Make Your House Serve Your Life, a Green Home Building Book by Kelly Hart, 2014.
Over the course of the author's life he has engaged in numerous remodeling projects, as a professional carpenter, as a home owner, and as a renter. He draws on this experience as he explores with you what he considers to be the main principles that should guide you in your choices for your own green remodeling project.
The chapters include fitting your house to your needs, the basics of passive solar design, tips on keeping your house cool, options to power your house with renewable energy, ways to conserve water, employing local, natural and recycled materials, the value of cultivating vegetables, how to naturally store the produce that you grow, and why to consider sharing some facilities with others for economy and sustainability.
Informative Links
General
motherearthnews.com a Mother Earth News article: Essential Advice for Owner Builders by David Eisenburg.
lanierlawfirm.com Construction Worker Safety Guide
structure1.com How to design your dream home
Discussions
houserepairtalk.coma general forum about house repair, both inside and out.
ownerbuilderbook.com information about the book, forums, workshops, etc.
asktooltalk.com Find links to articles on home improvement, woodworking, products, and tools (including reviews); shop at the General Store; and locate manufacturers. Homeowners and construction professionals can ask questions and share ideas on projects.
Media
homebuilding.co.uk site for Homebuilding & Renovating: "The Self-Build Magazine"
theownerbuilder.com.au Australia's Owner/Builder magazine.
youtube.com Larry Haun has an extensive list of videos he has produced about basic carpentry skills.
Plans
dreamgreenhomes.com is the companion site of greenhomebuilding.com and has many wonderful sustainable home plans.
countryplans.com inexpensive plans for small cottages and cabins are described here, with lots of nice photos.
Photos
deboerarchitects.com Some thoughts and illustrations about strawbale building by architect Darrel DeBoer.
Climate Considerations
buildingscience.com some very specific suggestions for building techniques related to climate.
omahaoverheadgaragedoor.com Building or Remodeling an Energy-Efficient Garage
Directories
generalcontractorlicenseguide.com is a central hub for everything you need to know to get your general contractors license in every state in the US.
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Established in 2001, GreenHomeBuilding.com is primarily a labor of love. Kelly, and the GreenHomeBuilding team of experts, have answered thousands of questions for readers over the years, and we continue to publish up-to-date information about increasingly important sustainable architecture. If you feel moved to assist us in this work, your kind donation would be much appreciated; this can be easily done through our PayPal account:
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Disclaimer Of Liability And Warranty
I specifically disclaim any warranty, either expressed or implied, concerning the information on these pages. Neither I nor any of the advisor/consultants associated with this site will have liability for loss, damage, or injury, resulting from the use of any information found on this, or any other page at this site. Kelly Hart, Hartworks LLC.
