How to Plan, Contract and Build Your Own Home [Paperback]

Richard M. Scutella (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1991

On the many important and potentially expensive details that are normally left to the discretion of builders, this guide has been an acknowledged source of information, advice, and inspiration. This expanded second edition features new material on the planning and purchase of major appliances, garage designs and enhancements, plumbing and electrical wiring, energy-saving lighting options, home safety and security measured, and much more. Plus, the authors take a fresh look at vacation homes, multi-family dwellings, solar-powered, underground and kit structures.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

There are countless reasons why building your own home makes good sense, But, for most people, the chance to create the home they've always wanted is #1 on their list. And this all-in-one guide can help you every step of the way toward realizing your vision - from hiring the right vendors to picking fixtures.
Whether it comes to basic planning ("What's your move-in date?") or construction methods ("Wood or steel?"), this trusted reference, now fully updated to cover new materials, techniques, money-saving options, and environmentally friendly technologies and methods, is the most complete source on building your own home available.

Written by experienced instructors and builders, and used by savvy homebuilders to put up thousands of homes, How to Plan, Contract and Build Your Own Home will help you: Select and prepare a site; Make informed decisions on types of construction, framing, foundations, and layouts; Plan for home office use, communications upgrades, "smart house" technology, and more; Design a home that will serve your needs throughout your life; Perform construction tasks safely and efficiently; Install the newest and most economical and efficient types of insulation, roofing, plumbing, wiring, and more; Build amenities such as decks, patios, gazebos, sidewalks, and driveways; Make do-it-yourself vs. subcontracting decisions; Plan when you'll move in with a helpful calendar-style checklist; Select the right mortgage.
Featuring a reader-friendly style loaded with icons and sidebars pointing out safety considerations, problem alerts, and elaboration on specific topics, this one-stop, do-it-yourself home-building package makes any dream house a reality. It even tells you how to maintain and improve your home once it's done! --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Richard M. Scutella (Erie, PA) is an author of books on new construction, home buying, and home maintenance and safety. He has designed and supervised the construction on new homes.

Dave Heberle (Erie, PA, a former realtor associate, has an extensive background in home-building and design. A professional writer who has authored many articles on home construction, he is currently an environmental and health specialist. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 450 pages
• Publisher: Tab Books; 2nd edition (January 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 083063584X
• ISBN-13: 978-0830635849
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,434,086 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Preparation for your General Contractor, September 7, 2000

By 

Gare (Buffalo, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Plan, Contract and Build Your Own Home (Paperback)

This book is lives up to the first two parts of the title - Plan & Contract. It falls short on the building process but if you know you are going to use a Builder or General Contractor, it is a great source of information.

I haven't got the time to manage the building process but I know I can intelligently talk with my contractor. This book gives the reader a firm footing in dealing with the house design and contractor processes.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, Great Advice, March 7, 2004

By 

Randy Given (Manchester, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Plan, Contract and Build Your Own Home (Paperback)

This is an excellent book with a lot of great advice. The part of the title that says "build your own home" is misleading -- it does not mean it shows YOU how to build your home, it means it in the general sense of whether people will buy a pre-owned or build-your-own-home. I was fine with that because that is exactly what I was looking for.

I spend a half hour poring over a wide selection of similar books. This one looked best. I spent another ten minutes on it before selecting it as the best. I was looking for specific tidbits that I know that I would give other home builders. After reading the book, I was even more impressed. There is a tremendous amount of good advice in an easy-to-read format. Highly recommended.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How To Plan, Design & Contract Your Own Home, January 10, 2005

By 

G. Reid (Roseland, NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Plan, Contract and Build Your Own Home (Paperback)

This book is very helpful for you to work with and speak the language of your contractor. It is not designed for you to be your own contractor, but to work with one that you select. In Part II "How to Build It", the book shows how a house is put together. If you never lift a hammer throughout the entire construction process, it still pays to know how a house can and should be put together. The difference between mediocre and excellent construction involves a ridiculously small materials cost. Knowing construction methods and materials will also assist you in your dealings with whichever contractor you choose.