The Complete Idiot's Guide(R) to Building Your Own Home [Paperback]

Dan Ramsey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2002 | Series: The Complete Idiot's Guide

There?s no feeling of accomplishment like having built your own dream house.

This clear, concise, up-to-date blueprint for every aspect of the home building process answers all major questions. The new edition takes the reader from figuring a budget to finding labor and materials. Readers will discover how to be one?s own general contractor; the pros and cons of myriad options; and sample bid forms, project schedules, estimating worksheets, contractor agreements, and other forms not in the previous edition. Plus, there are 100 additional illustrations to enhance reader understanding.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dan Ramsey is the author of more than 20 books for home builders and buyers, including builder's construction guides, contractor business guides, kit home construction, and homeowner remodeling and repair books. Dan also wrote two editions of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Trouble-Free Car Care (Alpha Books). Many of his books are available on the Internet at MulliganPress. Additional resources on building your home are available at MulliganPress/byoh/.

Dan has extensive remodeling experience and has also worked as a successful real estate agent. He recently supervised the design, siting, construction, and move-in of his parents' new home in northern California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Alpha; 1st edition (February 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0028643119
• ISBN-13: 978-0028643113
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 2.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,369,858 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Just OK, April 26, 2003

By 

misterbeets "misterbeets" (Safe Harbor, MD USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide(R) to Building Your Own Home (Paperback)

This book is strong on charm but weak on expertise. For example I think whenever your explain there are two styles of wood framing, balloon (as in light as a ...) and platform, you should point out the former, requiring studs two stories long, was replaced by the latter a hundred years ago, and is virtually unused today. On the other hand he recommends having a portable toilet on site so as not to "upset your new neighbors". Best as an introduction for beginners. You'll need to read others.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars home building 101, April 22, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide(R) to Building Your Own Home (Paperback)

If you plan to design and build your own home you?ll need all the help you can get?and this book is a good place to start. Its set-by-step layout, highlighted notes, detailed glossary and clear illustrations make all those thousands of things you?ll need to know very accessible. After reading this book, you?ll have a much clearer vision of whether building your own home is a good project for you.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars okay for general intro, June 8, 2006

By 

casual.remark (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide(R) to Building Your Own Home (Paperback)

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Building Your Own Home does okay as an introduction; it is an easy read and has some good tips and refreshing humor too. However, it seriously lacks in its commission when it comes to actually doing anything beyond the 'kicking the tires' stage of building.