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

Scutella, Richard; Heberle, Dave

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0071603301 ISBN 13: 9780071603300

Publisher: McGraw Hill, 2010

Synopsis

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

About this title

From the Back Cover:

• Save and get more from your money
• Pick the perfect site
• Minimize maintenance cost and effort
• Maximize indoor and outdoor space

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 instructors 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

About the Author:

Richard M. Scutella has written several books on new construction, home buying, home maintenance, and safety, including Homebuyer’s Checklist, Second Edition (Tab Books; 1993), and the first four editions of this book. He has designed and supervised the construction of many new homes.
Dave Heberle is the author of McGraw-Hill’s Construction Safety Manual and the co-author of the first four editions of this book. A former environmental and safety consultant, he currently manages investment real estate.

About this edition

• Publisher: McGraw Hill
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0071603301
• ISBN 13: 9780071603300
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 5
• Number of pages: 912