How to Plan, Contract, and Build Your Own Home, Fifth Edition

How to Plan, Contract, and Build Your Own Home 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