How to Plan, Contract, and Build Your Own Home, Fifth Edition: Green Edition (How to Plan, Contract & Build Your Own Home)

Publisher's Note: Products purchased from Third Party sellers are not guaranteed by the publisher for quality, authenticity, or access to any online entitlements included with the product. The All-in-One Custom Homebuilders Guide--Fully Updated with the Latest Green Construction Methods How to Plan, Contract, and Build Your Own Home, fifth edition, gives you the information you need during every step of the homebuilding process--from selecting materials to designing the rooms to working with a contractor. Featuring practical, cost-effective ways of planning, designing, and building energy-efficient homes, the book presents money- and energy-saving options in every chapter. This thoroughly revised reference explains how you can implement many of the green construction strategies that make up the U.S. Green Building Council's award-winning Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) guidelines. Written by experienced instructors and builders, this is the most complete planning and homebuilding resource available. Learn how to: Select the building site that best suits your project Determine floor plans and types of construction, foundations, framing, and finishing Use energy-efficient electric, lighting, heating, cooling, and insulation Choose the best quality floors, wall coverings, fixtures, and appliances for your budget Integrate green construction systems, components, and materials throughout your home Include amenities such as decks, patios, gazebos, sidewalks, and driveways Find and work with an established, skilled, and reliable contractor 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's 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, energy-saving options, and environmentally friendly technologies and methods, is the most complete source for homebuilders available.Written by experienced contractors and builders, and used by thousands of savvy buyers of custom and not-yet-built homes, How to Plan, Contract, and Build Your Own Home will help you: Select the right site and supervise its preparation, Make wise decisions on floor plans, types of construction, framing, and foundations, Plan for home office use, communications upgrades, "smart house" technology, and a home that will serve your needs throughout your life, Choose the newest and most economical and efficient types of insulation, roofing, plumbing, wiring, and more, Select amenities such as decks, patios, gazebos, sidewalks, and driveways, Evaluate doing it yourself vs. subcontracting, Know when you'll move in with a helpful calendar-style checklist, Select the right mortgage. The Classic Blueprint for Do-It-Yourself Homebuilders Updated to Reflect the Latest Materials,Techniques, and Options! Covering everything from hiring the right vendors to choosing fixtures, this information-packed guide is a step-by-step roadmap for building a new home or remodeling an existing one. The heavily-revised Fourth Edition focuses on the latest technologies, materials, money-saving options, and environmentallyfriendly methods, allowing homeowners to save money, get more for their money, maximize their usable space, decrease maintenance costs, and choose from an exciting array of new options. With this book, homeowners will be able to: Select and prepare a site Make informed decisions about construction, framing, foundations and layouts Plan for home office use Design or remodel a home that will serve their specific needs, perform construction tasks safely and efficiently Install the newest and most economical types of insulation, roofing, plumbing, and wiring Build amenities such as decks and patios, sidewalks and driveways, make do it yourself vs. subcontracting decisions, plan their move Annotation The Classic Blueprint for Do-It-Yourself Homebuilders Updated to Reflect the Latest Materials, Techniques, and Options!Covering everything from hiring the right vendors to choosing fixtures, this information-packed guide is a step-by-step roadmap for building a new home or remodeling an existing one. The heavily-revised Fourth Edition focuses on the latest technologies, materials, money-saving options, and environmentallyfriendly methods, allowing homeowners to save money, get more for their money, maximize their usable space, decrease maintenance costs, and choose from an exciting array of new options The Classic Blueprint for Do-It-Yourself Homebuilders Updated to Reflect the Latest Materials, Techniques, and Options! Covering everything from hiring the right vendors to choosing fixtures, this information-packed guide is a step-by-step roadmap for building a new home or remodeling an existing one. The heavily-revised Fourth Edition focuses on the latest technologies, materials, money-saving options, and environmentallyfriendly methods, allowing homeowners to save money, get more for their money, maximize their usable space, decrease maintenance costs, and choose from an exciting array of new options. From hiring vendors to selecting fixtures, here's a step-by-step, everything-and-the-kitchen-sink blueprint for anyone planning to build their own home. Expanded to include topics relevant to today's market, this guide contains design considerations for seniors, new energy efficient materials, wiring for communications/media, and "smart house" controls To arrive at the best-possible home for yourself, first take a step back-away from houses and house construction in general-and review some basic concepts about what a home can and should contain. A complete guide to planning, contracting, and building a home-fully updated with the latest green building guidelines Title from PDF title page (viewed on Nov. 21, 2007).