So You Want to Build a House: How to Be Your Own Contractor

Tells how to work with a designer, understand construction terms, obtain financing, pass inspections, purchase building materials, select subcontractors, and manage the construction

For a growing number of people, having an affordable custom house means either building it themselves, or managing the process by which others build it. Taylor's book reads like a series of lessons in overseeing the typical home construction project. He explains the initial work with bankers and designers, selecting subcontractors (and possibly a construction manager), dealing with material suppliers, and keeping the peace with building inspectors. The keys to a successful project, Taylor feels, are strong negotiating skills, the ability to manage and communicate clearly, and a confident attitude. For those so equipped, Taylor provides a good, common-sense guide to self-contracting. A lengthy appendix provides nearly 30 useful business forms. Libraries with demand for another book on the owner-contracted home may consider this a worthwhile addition.
- Bill Demo, Tompkins Cortland Community Coll., Dryden,
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.