Be Your Own House Contractor Save 25% without Lifting a Hammer

by Heldmann, Carl

• ISBN13: 9781580178402
• ISBN10: 1580178405
• Edition: 5th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-04-01
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC

Summary

This Book Should be Required reading for anyone who is thinking about building or renovating a house. The savings involved can make the difference between just dreaming about that dream house and actually building it. The primary message behind Be Your Own House Contractor is "You can do it!" According to construction expert and author Carl Heldmann, anyone can oversee the building of a house and save up to 25 percent by acting as the main contractor. This popular book has sold over 268,000 copies since it was first published in 1982. Written for those with little or no experience in the building trades, Be Your Own House Contractor clearly and simply lays out the steps involved in home construction and answers the many questions that arise. Concise chapters deal with:.Locating and purchasing land.Procuring financing.Estimating costs and staying within a budget.Hiring subcontractors and finding suppliers.Building the house.Restoring an existing structure An extensive appendix contains examples of the forms, certificates, and permits that are required, as well as sample contracts and plans.

Author Biography

Carl Heldmann is a construction loan consultant and an expert on residential construction costs. A licensed homebuilder and real estate broker, he is co-founder of the Michigan School of Home Building and founder of the North Carolina School of Home Building. He lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Table of Contents

Preface to the 5th Edition	vii
Introduction	1	(2)
1 Be Your Own General Contractor and Save	3	(9)
What You Need to Know
Time Involved
You Can Get a Loan Three Alternatives to Being Your Own House Contractor
2 Where to Start	12	(19)
The Budget Comes First
Land Is the Second Step The House Plans
Cost, Appraisal, Decision!
3 Cost Estimating	31	(11)
The Process of Estimating
Cost Breakdowns
4 Financing	42	(9)
How a Construction Loan Works
Paying for the Land
5 Further Preparations	51	(5)
Inspections Required
Final Details
6 Subcontractors	56	(8)
Your Subcontractors and Professionals
Finding Your Subs Paying Your Subs
7 Suppliers	64	(5)
Finding Your Suppliers
Paying Your Suppliers
8 Building the House	69	(19)
The Steps Explained
9 Add On, Remodel, or Tear Down and Start From Scratch	88	(14)
Building an Addition
Remodeling: Renovation or Restoration Tearing Down and Building Up
Appendix 1: Building Details	102	(14)
Appendix 2: Sample Contracts and Forms	116	(23)
Appendix 3: Reading Plans	139	(12)
Glossary	151	(5)
English/Spanish Glossary	156	(6)
Index	162