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The Owner-Builder Book: How You Can Save More Than $100,000 in the Construction of Your Custom Home, 4th Edition |  | Authors: Mark A. Smith, Elaine M. Smith
Publisher: Consensus Group; 4th edition (January 15, 2007)
Category: Book
List Price: $19.95
Buy New: $11.99
as of 11/21/2009 21:17 CST details
You Save: $7.96 (40%)
New (18) Used (13) from $9.45
Seller: Maggie's Collection
Rating:  43 reviews
Media: Paperback
Edition: 4
Pages: 274
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.6
ISBN: 1932272046
Dewey Decimal Number: 690
EAN: 9781932272048
Publication Date: January 15, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
The best available guide to saving money on a home construction project, The Owner-Builder Book shows you how to contract your new home, remodel, or addition at phenomenal savings. Contains a step-by-step description of the process, including how to find and hire good subcontractors, how to get a construction loan, and how to estimate costs and choose features for your project. Includes 85 planning steps and 100 new construction bargain strategies to save you thousands. Includes contracts, agreements, budget and schedule forms and worksheets. Super-index provides 1,500 search terms for total utility. Winner of the National Association of Home and Workshop Writers Silver Hammer Award for Books. "...16 easy to read chapters with lots of charts, lists and examples...More practical advice..." Nancy Cook-Senn, The Shawnee News-Star "...this is the book which will tell you how to design and build your own home just the way you want it. It also tells you how to save thousands of dollars in the process...You can also save up to 50% of the cost of a house by becoming an owner-builder...goes through the stages of how to plan, planning, how to buy, developing a network for purchasing your materials, how to get bids, what to look for in bids on different areas, how to supervise your sub contractors, etc...seems to leave very few, if any, stones unturned." Curtis Rivers, Vero Beach Press Journal "Assuming you have the same costs that a general contractor will have, you will save the profit (more than 10 percent average) and the overhead (two to three times the profit) paid to a general...The Owner-Builder Book discusses just how this can be done." Ask the Experts, Country's Best Log Homes "If you don't want to sorry, follow the process outlined by Mark Smith in his book, The Owner-Builder Book." Builders Showcase, Northwest Herald "...covers every aspect of the building process, including planning, scheduling, working with subcontractors, financing, building permits, etc....has, perhaps for the first time, demystified the home-building process for the layman. Consider this to be a textbook." Prince William Region Home Focus "...highlights techniques for materials shopping (what he calls "commando shopping") and planning your home room-by-room to maximize savings." Home & Real Estate Weekly, Daily Times-Call "This new book gives a step-by-step approach to building your own home and saving up to 50 percent on construction costs. Chapters show how to beat contractor pricing tactics, how to deal with paperwork (contracts, permits, and legal and insurance protection), how to manage home building project on a daily basis, and how to avoid common owner-builder mistakes." The Henry Herald "Great practical little book filled with tips to save money when building a home. If you want to take on the project yourself, it's good to know the tricks of the trade first. You'll learn to manage bureaucratic paperwork, how to get subs on your side, and even become privy to "commando" shopping techniques. The Smiths explain how to benefit from new tax laws and how to prepare yourself to get loan approval." Simple Living Quarterly "If you ever have thought of building your own home, The Owner-Builder Book is for you because it is a step-by-step guide for the amateur and covers all aspects of building a home." Robb Northrup, Kitchener-Waterloo Record "When it comes to building your dream home, sweat equity a.k.a. doing it yourself, can help economize. But you don't need to swing a hammer to nail substantial savings. In The Owner-Builder Book Mark Smith leads home-owners through a step-by-step guide of planning, scheduling and financing a custom built house." Michelle Mahfouri, American Press "The 16-chapter book takes [you] from putting a materials list together and putting out bids to subcontractors to shopping for bargains and close-outs on framing lumber, fixtures, concrete and appliances. It also discusses how to avoid first-time mistakes." Kansas City Star "...guides you through...building...and saving considerable dollars that will build [your] wealth without the [typical] risk..." Rocky Mountain News "What are the secrets to...save money on the construction of your home? This book tells all." Kansas City Daily News-Press
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 43
 Must Buy! November 1, 2009
sarayale (Oakhurst, NJ)
I will be owner building a large home (12,000 square feet (including finished basement) and have already read dozens of books. Still, I found this book very worth the money. This book gives you info on how to run the project but does NOT give information on the details of building, such as how a house is put together step by step, or how to choose quality materials, or how to check workmanship. This did not bother me, as no book can fit in everything, and I already have plenty of books on those subjects, but I thought it useful to mention in case someone is looking for a book on the nuts and bolts of building.
You will get crucial information that will save you money. For example, the book emphasizes the importance of getting lots of bids for the each part of the job. I just got bids to demolish the older homes on my property. I got 6 or more bids. The highest bid I got was over $15,000. The last bid and lowest bid was for $7300 which included capping the sewer, the higher bids did not include that (got bids as high as $1500 just for that). So if this book just makes you realize the importance of taking the time to get more bids, you really will save thousands.
The book is long and could probably contain same information in less space. It also tends to be written in a little bit of a gimmicky style and it definitely gives a one sided view of general contractors.
Still, I gave this book 5 stars because the author really tells you the things you have to do to organize your project and does tell the truth about the time commitments involved.
I disagree with another's unsatisfactory experience because the author sells stuff at the end of the book. First off, there are coupons in the book to get some of that stuff for free. Secondly, the advertising is at the very end of the book so you can just not read it. Thirdly, many of the books he sells are good books by other authors (I have some of them)and it is good to know they exist, even if you don't buy them from him. Lastly, this book gives detailed real information and enough of it to more than justify its price and the time it takes to read.
I think anyone owner building would be foolish not to buy this book and read through it with a highlighter, to isolate the core information.
Lastly, the book is one of encouragement and hope and that aspect should not be underestimated. It is scary to owner build and this book made me feel more empowered, capable and less afraid. It did this even though it did not in any way make light of the time and work involved and of the risks and problems. Believing you can and will do something, is half the battle in any project.
My husband is not involved in the house at all (except for paying for it) so I felt kind of alone. This book makes you feel connected to all the others out there doing the same, and there is a website where you can connect with others.
The best there is. August 28, 2008
Dana C. Larkin (eastern NC, USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
If you are contracting your own house, this book is a must. Read it, and also go to the website. I read this book through a few times, and feel more confident as I start my owner-builder process.
THE GREATEST BOOK EVER!! July 12, 2008
Andrea8430 (dallas, texas)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
well, i've read so many how to books, i've read tips and traps, the idot's guide, and the dummy's guide. the owner builder book surpases them all!
it taught me so much about being my own contractor to build my house myself. i've had a lot of friends who custom built homes, and one thing i noticed about all of them is that the builder didn't really build. he just managed the building project but made $50,000 or more for his management!
this book broke down everything you need to know to begin this process. it especially focuses on the planning stage which is the most important stage in building a custom home.
if you are considering being an owner builder, this the book for you!
 The Owner-Builder Book December 11, 2007
Alan C. Haghighi
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
While the book tries to convince you to be a owner-builder, it doesn't give you what you need to make the decision. A book that was far better and more closely resembles what you want to know about is Contracting your Home. I bought them both and was ready to discard this book and fell in love with that one.
 Very useful if you're planning your first building project October 28, 2007
L. Sellers (Stanfield, NC)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
I bought this book last year before I started my first building project and it was very useful. While I agree with some of the negative reviews that there are too many testimonials and some strange justifications discussed on why to build your own home, I think overall it's helpful.
Here are the things you can get from this book: a plan showing you how to get started, understanding the different steps and trades to build, understanding the planning time required, an idea of the commitment that is required, a structure to set-up your budget, tips to secure your bank loan and ideas for some custom home features to consider.
You will not get much information on the following: details on building techniques, detailed cost saving tips or useful price information.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 43
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