Reddit mentions: The best home design & construction books

We custom built a house 6 years ago. http://imgur.com/a/33bfY

It was about $160 sq. foot, perhaps a bit more when fees and everything are added in. Later on we finished our basement and that was probably only $30 sq ft to finish, making the overall price per sq foot a good deal cheaper.

We love it but I've been told our experience was incredibly good relative to the average custom home builder experience. That said, we had a lot of legs up:

• Our land was free, I subdivided from my parents, so money wasn't as huge of a stress as it is for many. We actually built a house we could afford (including making sure we could afford 40% overruns with changes; which we didn't end up needing, see below). There is no way I would have done this if I'd had to buy the land in my area unless I won the lottery.
  
  
• Building next to my parents we had a network of people to recommend good GC options. Our GC was fantastic and amazingly honest. We took the high bidder due to their honesty. To give you an idea how honest they were, it was a fixed price build and they did a no charge on $5k worth of change requests at the end of the build since they saved more money on gutter than expected.
  
  
• We used an architect b/c we wanted a unique design, but we knew an architect already from a relative. We told him we were budget sensitive and he agreed to do a limited design and hand off to the GC. We loved his first design and took it virtually unchanged. This probably cut his fee by 2/3 (I think his total fee was $15K maybe less). He billed $150/hr so avoiding the common weeks of back and forth obviously saved us a good deal of money.
  
  
• This great GC ended up having generally great subs. The house was finished in about 5 months, which was key for us due to having a baby on the way. I'm told this is an unusually fast turnaround. I met a sub later that was redoing my parent's roof and he explained that my GC always paid his bills on time, which is rare, and b/c of that the sub would happily leave a current job to start and finish the GC's job. This meant there was virtually zero down time during the build waiting for subs, which is rare.
  
  
• My wife was off work with a baby on the way, and I have a flexible job with lots of vacation. We were able to easily make meetings and check the site for work. My parents lived next door and could keep an eye on the job site as well. We did 90% of the painting and staining ourselves and saved $10-$15K. I'm not sure I would do that again, it was brutally hard work.
  
  
• My wife and I are good at making and sticking to decisions together. We probably had $15K in unavoidable or desirable CR's (like with the jerks at the power company made us move our electrical meter and caused a $4K CR). We easily said no to $40K in other CR's. We stayed within all our budgets for tile, floor, fixtures, lights etc. Most people don't do this, some people have near-divorces over fights on things like this.
  
  
• I work in a project management and billable hour related field, so the idea of scope creep and indecision blowing up a budget and schedule is not surprising to me. The GC later told us we had pretty much the smallest amount and cost of CR's he'd ever seen and fewest changed decisions or issues. I think that was part of why he freebied the $5K CR at the end.
  
  Keep in mind that custom home-building tends towards rich people building their dream house. Forums like That Home Site are rife with people who would accept nothing less than a $4K Wolf Range in their kitchen. This can skew your view on things, try to avoid that.
  
  If you don't want a uniquely designed house, you can save some money by buying a prepackaged design. Keep in mind that a lot of those designs have bells and whistles that you might not want built in, so you can usually work with your GC (or an architect for more $$$) to trim out stuff you don't want. Even with hourly fees that can save you more money in the long run.
  
  Finally, if you're like most people and you like typical houses in your area, you're probably better off just buying a house. My free land changed my equations, otherwise it's almost never cheaper to build from scratch (especially since most houses are built in bulk and the developer will get pretty big economy of scale savings on materials/equipment/labor/etc building a bunch of similar houses at once).
  
  PS. If you feel like your kitchen remodel didn't go well, keep in mind this is like 20 kitchen jobs combined. You need to take a deep look at what might have gone wrong (and what might have gone right, and why you were or weren't happy about it). There's the other risk that you actually have a good set of contractors doing good work but you incorrectly feel like you're getting screwed by things that are part of the normal process. You need to figure out how to be happy with a good job as well. I can't find the name of the book but I read one or two general books. I think one of them was this standard For Dummies book. No magic in them, but it gives you a good feel for the process and what to expect.

No problem. There are a ton of great books out there. As with REI itself, there is no right way to go about educating yourself.


REI, at least in my experience and on the scale I'm operating, isn't as brutally complex from a mathematical/formula perspective as I first imagined. You obviously need to know how to analyze a deal, but you don't need to memorize every last little formula as I originally thought I would. As they say, "keep it simple stupid". Middle school math and excel for the more detailed formulas and breakdowns cover most of it.


The most important skills to have IMO and based on my experiences thus far are:


1.) Healthy dose of common sense


2.) "HOW not IF" mentality to problem solving


3.) Emotional intelligence (ability to read ppl & situations and react accordingly). Or basically ppl skills.


You can thus see why some say real estate investors are the "blue-collar" millionaires. And why, at least IMO, the mindset books like RICH DAD POOR DAD and THINK AND GROW RICH are just as important as the REI specific books.


I would also recommend you try to educate yourself on estimating rehab costs. That is the other area that almost all newbies (except those with construction background) struggle. And it is one of those things where you can't really cheat experience. I read every book under the sun and thought I had it licked, but boy was I wrong. The fact that both labor/material costs differ from market to market makes it difficult to extrapolate costs from one market to another.

One thing I have found extremely helpful though are the Craftsman Estimator books. They aren't designed for investors, but rather contractors to help them better estimate jobs. But that is exactly what you want in REI, always to be seeing things from the other person's shoes. If I want to be accurately predicting what Contractors are going to charge, then what better way than using the same information and system to generate Estimates that they do? It takes actual costs from contractors across the entire country, takes into account different geographical areas, and applies those costs to every line item you could possibly imagine in all avenues of construction. It also extrapolates costs in form of man-hours. So for example, if you have 1000 SF of laminate to install. You can know how long it takes your AVG Flooring Installer in your region to install 100 SF of laminate. Knowing that info and the avg cost (including markup, insurance, etc.) for flooring installer, you have everything you need. If you get a bid, multiply (Manhours required on avg to complete items in SOW) x (Avg. Cost of Individuals Performing Those Costs) = ROUGH IDEA OF WHAT REHAB SHOULD COST. And then if you have a handyman who is working on hourly rate, you have an idea of how long it should take him to perform the tasks you assign him.


I've included a link below as they can probably explain it better on their site than I can. Amazon doesn't have preview for them, but if you Google book titles, you can find free PDF samples pretty easily so you can get an idea for how things are broken down inside.


https://www.amazon.com/National-Repair-Remodeling-Estimator-2017/dp/1572183314/ref=pd_sim_14_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1572183314&pd_rd_r=QGKDB03AJHGKRTS6KJH1&pd_rd_w=kYkQp&pd_rd_wg=CfVpC&psc=1&refRID=QGKDB03AJHGKRTS6KJH1

https://www.amazon.com/National-Home-Improvement-Estimator-2017/dp/1572183276/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1572183276&pd_rd_r=R2XCBZ0ET9KYVSASDE6P&pd_rd_w=tBLoF&pd_rd_wg=ZDqUd&psc=1&refRID=R2XCBZ0ET9KYVSASDE6P

These have been a HUGE asset for me in not getting one put over on me by contractors giving me quotes. Even to the point where I got licensed as a GC and I've been able to bring parts of the rehab crew in-house and have my own full-time crew of W-2 guys to rehab my properties. We are actually have our systems set up to the point, where I'm in process of expanding business to rehab properties other than just my own. Have a GC/Project Manager I've groomed who will largely handle that piece, which will provide me an additional income stream that I can live off of and invest in REI. None of that would have been impossible had I not had the cost book as I have no experience or cost history of my own to base estimates on. I have also developed some mutually beneficial relationships with other GCs and contractors who have acted as a "big brother" to me throughout, which has also helped. But that goes back to #2) PROBLEM SOLVING (No experience, how do I offset that weakness) and #3) PEOPLE SKILLS (how do I convince these people to take the time to help and advise me).

>possibly a basement but I think that might be beyond my expertise in building.. not sure yet.

Can you describe your building experience, please? Are you a builder? This will help us be more focused.

If you are interested in building it yourself, I suggest a book I just re-read called The Well-Built House, which will take you through one expert's process. It is not exactly the latest but it is very practical and useful.

I purchased that and the Graphic Guide to Frame Construction years ago, at Builders Booksource. I highly recommend utilizing all your local resources, too. Bookstores can be great. Designers, builders, planners can be an even bigger help. Try talking to anyone in the local planning departments about the process, pick the brain of your neighbor, the general contractor or your old uncle, the architect. Of course, the more we know about where you are from, the more we can offer advice.

Most importantly, whether you go with a strategy to build on your own or you hire an architect, don't be discouraged. I see this over and over with clients. Architecture is a long process. It can take (and almost always does take) a number of years to complete it. Take this in stride and you will do fine.

Best of luck and please do keep us updated.

Just some tips that I learned over the years...

1. Tools and know how to use them, safely. http://www.reddit.com/r/HomeImprovement/comments/1xeyuf/home_improvement_faq_my_first_toolbox/ - I started out with Harbor Freight tools and purchased better stuff that I used more often.
   
   
2. Probably the most common thing around the house to fix/repair is drywall. This should be pretty easy. Learning how to do the common textures, such as, Knockdown, Orange Peel, etc.. Painting, which should be pretty easy, but there are a ton of articles that have good tips on preventing common mistakes,
   
   
3. Since you're thinking about knocking down walls... learn basic woodworking and home structure. I personally liked this book: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1600854923/ - which basically covers just about everything you can do with renovating. If you're building a bar... you may want to make your first project be a workbench or something simple, which will also be useful for building cabinetry and what not. It talks about also different materials/tools for the job at hand, which is useful.
   
   
4. Building Codes... probably a good idea to know different building code standards, if you ever plan on selling the house. You'll want to make sure that it stays up to code for any project you do. You don't want to end up creating a potential fire hazard that may cost you $ in the future. I can't stress it enough, safety first. If you're tearing down walls, be sure you're not cutting into electrical wires and what not.
   
   
5. Electrical, basic electrical knowledge will help. E.g. knowing about circuits, circuit breaker operation, safety, etc.
   
   
6. Planning out your project ahead of time, will help you avoid costly mistakes, prep you for what tools/materials you'll need. Don't be like me and dive head first. Usually when I deviate from this, my projects come out less than desired. So plan ahead of time.
   
   
7. In the end, the best way to learn, is to plan your project and just go out and do it. Take your time. Don't rush it. Start with small projects where you can afford to make mistakes. Having a carpenter in the family also will help for things that you're not sure on, plus you can probably borrow some of the more expensive tools.
   
   

You can have anything done in one of the following three ways:

1. You can have it cheap and good, but it won't be fast
   
2. You can have it cheap and fast but it won't be good
   
3. You can have it fast and good, but it won't be cheap
   
   There are four main cost categories that go into a house:
   
   

• land
  
• permits/Inspections
  
• labor
  
• materials
  
  Assuming you have the land, we will ignore this.
  
  Permits:
  ---
  These are typically a set price, so these can be ignored too; regardless of if you build or contract the build, the permits will be the same.
  
  Labor
  ---
  Figure out what labor you can do yourself and what you can't. Some people are real good with the framing and can do plumbing, but electrical scares them, so they contract that work.
  
  Some people can do all things but need extra hands for some heavy lifting; many times laborers can be hired specifically for helping to raise walls and steady sheathing for attachment. Roofing is one that usually requires some level of hired help.
  
  Most people do, and should, hire a contractor to prepare a proper foundation.
  
  Materials
  ---
  For the work you do yourself, you will be getting the materials yourself. When house plans are purchased, many times they come with the material requirements for the framing in terms of linear footage: every exterior corner needs 3 studs, every 16" of wall needs a stud. Every wall needs two top plates and a bottom plate. Every X sqft of floor needs y amount of plywood sheets. Many contractors have formulas that automatically figure this stuff out, but you will have to do it yourself.
  
  Anything contracted comes with the materials included in the final price.
  
  Buying in bulk is cheaper and many contractors have deals with their suppliers for lower-priced materials due to volume expectation and business history.
  
  All that said, the median price for home construction including an unfinished garage is $155 per sq. ft. the low end is $125 per sqft.
  
  For 850 sqft, that's about $106K to 131K.
  
  This involved contracted work at every level, so everything you do yourself knocks off a chunk of that cost.
  
  The first step is getting the plans. If you want to do this, buy the plans and build the house in sketchup or similar.
  
  Learn the codes for building; Internet searches can help with this immensely and there are a few layman's guides for home inspections and code-adherence. This book helped me out a lot too.
  
  Your house plans include the following:
  
  
• Cover Sheet
  
• Foundation Plan
  
• Floor Plan
  
• Roof Plan
  
• Cross Sections
  
• Exterior Elevations
  
• Construction Details
  
• Electrical Plan
  
• Furniture Plan
  
  This makes things very easy because it tells you how to arrange the foundation footings, how to lay the beams and joists, and how to frame the walls. A simple count of things will give you a cost break down for the materials, then add 10-15% of that for a rough estimate.
  
  Next factor in contractors for things you can't do yourself. Remove the materials from your materials cost and then add in the contractor cost. This is your new estimate.
  
  From experience I can tell you that framing is about the easiest part of the whole job. It's labor-intensive, but it's very easy to do. I recommend a nail gun unless you are an experienced carpenter or framer; those guys can drive a sinker in with a single whack... my money is on you taking at least 8 whacks, per nail.
  
  I don't see this taking $50K or less. Price estimates look like this, for all non-framing:
  
  
• Foundation: $8300 - $13,200 depending on type
  
• Electrical: $5100 - $6800
  
• Plumbing: $3000 - $5000
  
• Roofing: $4000 - $8000 (assuming high-end of NC work. Your roof is pretty flat)
  
• HVAC: I have no idea.
  
  Electrical plans for new home plans are usually pretty light (pun) on the illumination options. Many new homes don't have a light in the room at all except for the kitchens and bathrooms. With your electrical cost, plan for adding additional lighting like recessed, pendant, sconce, etc. Plan for ceiling fans
  
  Dry wall you can do yourself easily. Hire experienced tapers to do the seams.
  
  Painting can be done yourself.
  
  Flooring can be done yourself, tile is harder than wood, is harder than laminate. Good tile guys can knock a floor out pretty fast.
  
  Trim work can be done yourself. mind the studs.
  
  Windows can be done yourself, but a set of guys hired to install the new-construction windows can pop them in in a hurry.
  
  Hire someone to do the front door hanging; leaks are a bitch and front doors are heavy. Do the interior doors yourself.
  
  Exterior siding is a big job. If it's stucco or brick, hire a contractor, especially for the brick. If it's vinyl, that's easy. Wood is about as easy as vinyl.
  
  If you ever wonder what should or should not be done by a contractor: go here

Actually, Home Depot has a decent book Wiring 1-2-3. It’s a good place to start and it explains the concepts and why you have to do a lot of required things.

As far as YouTube goes, my favourite channel is HouseImprovements. The dude on there is Canadian, but he has great videos, showing things like how to wire a switch, how to pull cable etc. Being Canadian, they have a slightly different code than the NEC. But it’s good for learning technique and tips.

Those would be my suggestions for learning about house wiring.

The best tip is to make buddies with sparky that likes to drink beer. That’s what I do. I do all the grunt work, running cables, terminations, switches and outlets and then I bring my sparky buddy over to do QC for me. He looks when I’ve finished rough wiring, and again before drywall. And sometimes he will do the pane tie ins for me. I bring him over before I call the inspectors and it works great. Never had an issue with inspections, I get to learn how to do the work better and he gets free beer. Everyone wins.

Shigley's is great for learning how to design and why you design the way you do. It's the book I used in college and still reference at work. I'm not so sure it'd be great for a novice engineer. For a more practical approach, I'd recommend a few below (not necessarily in this order):

1. Machinery's Handbook - This is regularly seen as the [mechanical] engineer's bible. It has nearly everything you'd need to know for design. Most of the machinists used this in a shop I used to work in. Nearly every engineer in my current job (and there are a hundred or more) have a copy of this at their desk.
   
2. Pocket Reference - This is kind of (loosely) like Machinery's Handbook but much more broad. It covers a little bit of everything from engineering, to vehicle maintenance, to plumbing. I like it for it's all-around information.
   
3. Handyman In-Your-Pocket - this is by the same author as #2 but is tailored to the building trades. I also have this but I haven't used it much yet. Not because it's not useful, just because I haven't gotten around to it.
   
4. Marks' Standard Handbook for Mech. Engineers - I have an old copy of this book from the 80s, I believe, that my dad gave to me. It is also on the same order as Machinery's Handbook, but instead of covering EVERYTHING, it goes into more depth about the topics it does cover. If I remember correctly, it covers topics ranging from how to make a weldment to how to design a power generating steam boiler and turbine.
   
5. Solutions to Design of Weldments - This is a new one to me. I recently went to the Blodgett Welding Design Seminar and this was one of the reference materials they handed out. I had a few text book sized design guides by Omer Blodgett that I've often used, but this one seems to take all of the info from those books and condense it down to a handbook. Best part is that it's only $3.50 for a copy and I think (but I'm not sure) that it ships for free.
   
   A nice free reference manual that includes all sorts of design equations is the NCEES reference handbook. I used it back when I took my FE exam (the first exam you take before you become what's call a "Professional Engineer" in the US). It's a nice PDF to have around, though it doesn't go into a lot of explanation as to what the equations are.
   
   A few web resources I use are: http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/, http://www.roymech.co.uk/
   
   I'm sure I'll think of some more and, if I do, I'll update this post.
   
   Hope that helps.
   
   

Why build yourself? Are you looking for something in particular? Building a house in not an easy endeavor.

I'm saying that as a "builder" now working on my second build. I'm not a traditional builder, but I was/am working with smaller in-city lots and am building specifically for long term hold rental properties. My properties had to be custom designed to fit the lots and are for student rentals, so I designed them with smaller bedrooms without master suites, low maintenance long term items (spray foamed the entire exterior of the house, standing seam roof, etc) I literally built the house myself. I was the GC and did a lot of the work myself. It took me about 15 months (demo to CO) for the first one and the second we broke ground about 3 months ago. The drawing and permitting process took ~6 months prior on both. It was an extremely rewarding experience once I finished, but it was extremely stressful on the family and I just can't imagine a normal person doing it. I literally was on my job site 95% of the days over those 15 months.

I'm a huge fan of building science and while I like the idea of Passivehaus, I'm would caution that reaching those higher limits may not be worth the effort if you aren't a building science nerd like I am. More often than not many "normal" contractors will either lie to you saying they know what you want and know how to do it or will have the deer in the headlights look. If you want to get to the higher standards you will have to find those specific contractors and they are not cheap nor are they always readily available.

Agreed with the other user on low maintenance material. The current house I'm building I found a new siding that is definitely more expensive, but is actually dyed through (composite) and therefore will never need to be painted and it being a composite means no caulk. Again that is a tradeoff of upfront cost versus down the road cost.

Lastly before I built my first house I read for almost 2 years. I was/am a full time landlord so am fairly free so that reading was really "studying" and "preparing"for me. One minor note regarding the book list is that I wasn't looking for a builder as I had time and wanted to try and build a house. So many of the books I read were more granular and not so much about permitting and budgeting, etc. I figured I would figure out that stuff as I went along and I did. One big caveat, I didn't finance my build, but if you are you will more than likely need to hire a licensed GC/builder.

Books I read:

1. I read a lot of the IRC code book (make sure you municipality uses the IRC). This was to ensure that I could check on the people that I hired.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/International-Residential-Two-Family-Dwellings-Council/dp/1609837371
   
   

2. Read a lot about building science. Not in any particular order of preference.
   
   Green from the ground up
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Green-Ground-Sustainable-Energy-Efficient-Construction/dp/156158973X
   
   Green Home Building
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Green-Home-Building-Money-Saving-High-Performance/dp/0865717796
   
   Superhouse
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Super-House-Efficiency-Dazzling-Strength/dp/0965792633
   
   Buildings don't lie
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Buildings-Dont-Lie-Henry-Gifford/dp/0999011006
   
   Complete visual guide to building a house
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Visual-Guide-Building-House/dp/1600850227
   
   
3. A lot of the Taunton Press For Pros by Pros (framing, wiring a house, siding, plumbing, concrete, trim, windows) books. Those were for my education on the utilities as I did most of this myself. Some of this may be too granular for you, but still lots of great info in there.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Taunton+For+Pros+by+Pros&ref=nb_sb_noss
   
   There were many more books, but these are the ones I thought worthwhile to buy.

Ignore this negative nancy.

I think this is a really good idea. If you know what you are doing you are in fact going to save yourself a lot of money building and designing the house yourself.

The fact that you work on cars should help a lot as you have a do it yourself attitude, are good at figuring out how things go together and don't mind getting dirty.

A book I just recently read that I though was pretty good as an introduction to this is: How to Design & Build Your Own House by Lupe DiDonno & Phyllis Sperling

A few suggestions:

• Make friends who are contractors in various fields who can give you advice, free help, references
  
  
• Start looking up general contractors and home builders in the phone book and online and see what they have to say.
  
  
• Talk to realtors for references to general contractors and home builders.
  
  
• Start reading books on the different parts of the house, plumbing, electrical, framing, foundations. The more you know the better off you are. There are even books on construction estimation if you really want to get into it.
  
  
• If your time allows do actual work paid/volunteer/whatever for friends to really learn how to build. If you don't have the time make it.
  
  
• This: http://www.diychatroom.com/forum.php Is a good forum full of lots of people who can give you really solid answers on all kinds of topics.
  
  
• Make sure you fully understand each step you are doing and how they all interact.
  
  
• I am currently remodeling half my house, my first project, doing a lot of the work myself but having some things subbed, at first it was pretty mind numbing talking to the City about permits setbacks egress structural problems blah blah blah, because they have their own little language for all this, but as you learn it you realize it's all pretty simple.
  
  
• Learn to use Sketchup. It's a great way to quickly make whatever you are trying to show someone or talk to someone about into a nice 3d model, which anyone can understand.
  
  I don't know if you need plans from an architect unless you want design input especially with the house you are wanting to make. Here you can make your own plans / the general contractor can. You may need a engineer to work with for some structural stuff or if your house is on a cliff and so on.
  
  Edit: PM If you need any help or have any questions.
  

1. Designed it myself. Went to Architecture school myself, but when the economy tanked I happened to be offered a great job in the IT sector so did not finish school. After designing and starting build I discoverd the Zal Vardos had built one nearly identical to what I had planned. I'm totally stealing the end window design now. Much better then what I was going to do.
   
2. See Above.
   
3. Heating/Cooling is still being debated. Mine is constructed out of 6" Structural Insulate Panels, with a ~R40 value. I don't know if I am taking back home to Alaska, staying here Montana, or taking the increasingly attractive paying job offer in Texas. Each of those sorta require a different heating/cooling approach... so finding one that will work in any of them... well its a pain.
   I'm presently leaning towards a Fujitsu MiniSplit system that will handle both the heating and cooling is rated to provide heat even when it is -15f outside; with an supplemental heat source for when it is colder then that.
   What that supplemental heat will be is also not decided. I love the look of Dickson Marine stoves, but no thermostat control is no bueno; electric radiant in floor heating is lovely but I'm not sure it will provide enough heat in sub -20 temps; wood heat is also not thermostatic and means I have to have a wood source; lastly an attractive direct vent small propane stove has been either impossible to source or crazy expensive.
   
4. Portable on a custom built 24' trailer.
   
5. 80% by myself, with a helper who sadly got a day job at the worst possible time. Contracted out the trailer build (which the screwed up) and the subfloor install (also screwed up.)
   I might farm out the electrical part, but probably not as it will be mixture of low voltage 12v LED lighting and 120V standard wiring. Nothing super complicated. Except the AC install, that I will definitely contract out. Though all the wiring and hole drilling etc I will take care of ahead of time.
   
6. In addition to my schooling, growing up my family built houses seemingly every summer, and I have done bits of everything on those jobs. Framing, plumbing, wiring, sheetrock, roofing, you name it I've done it. Electrical is definitly my weakest strength, with sheetrock being my best... amusing because their will be no sheetrock in my house.
   It has been very challenging. For example, the subfloor screw up resulted in instead of consistent 6" space depth a distance varying fro 4 3/4" to 5 1/2" so insulating the subfloor instead of being "drop in the foam" it was "Hand cut each piece individually." Also my helper got a job just as I was doing the roof raising. That led to me having to install 50# ribs and 120# beams by myself... 12' in the air. There were also lots of other challanges, most of which were my own faults from, shall we say, sub-optimal design decisions.
   
7. Challenging but doable. Particularly if you have a good set of plans and have another set of hands. Doing it by yourself sort of sucks. For example yesterday afternoon I spent installing sheathing on the curve of the roof. So I'm on an icy ladder a dozen feet in the with a big heavy nail gun while holding a glue covered 4' x 8' panel hold it in place, level, and nail it... and the wind starts to blow.
   If you have to do it by yourself get this book it will help. Also the folks at TinyHousebuild.com have a really excellent DVD set that is really quite good.
   Lastly come hang out at /r/TinyHouses as there are always lots of good ideas there and people are pretty friendly.
   
8. Troll. Technically... no

Here are some of the books that I learned a lot from:

General Knowledge

Plumbing

Electrical

Additions (I don’t like this book as much as the rest as far as individual tasks go, but it’s value comes from teaching more about project management than anything else)

Framing

There’s a couple more that I can’t remember the names of right now, I’ll see if I can find them this weekend and make a post for other diyers

These aren’t really books for pros (except for The Very Efficient Carpenter), but I’ve found they’re very good guides for diyers. They’re what got me started, and I think I’ve reached a pretty high skill level with their help

If altering walls/floorplans is important to you, definitely make sure to bone up on framing and carpentry - there are some great books on Amazon that are geared towards apprentices. They're very easy to understand and will help you figure out how to make changes to your home. At the very least, you'll be familiar enough with basic concepts to ask smart questions of any contractors you hire in the future.

Also, you'll want to learn about the difference between load-bearing and non-load-bearing walls.

If you're looking to find a professional for his/her opinion, assistance or labor, asking elderly neighbors for recommendations is a good place to start. Don't overlook asking around at your local mom & pop hardware, plumbing store or sawmill as well. The "gruff curmudgeon" working the counter for the last 20 years has seen & heard a lot and can be an invaluable resource.

If you find yourself buying supplies locally, it's almost always preferable to buy them on a 'cash and carry' basis at a source that sells to pro-contractors. Sherwin-Williams vs Home Depot, for example. These guys sell products that are meant to last (no pro worth his or her salt wants to come back and redo a job they just finished because something has failed or broken) and that aren't available in big-box stores. The more you buy, the more of a relationship you will build, and this is always a good thing when it comes to DIY. There are a lot of fantastic roofing/plumbing/tile shops in nondescript pole-barns out in the middle of 'nowhere'. You can usually find these shops by reading pro-forums online, searching for products that are mentioned, and then looking for distributors on those product manufacturer's websites.

Last but not least, if you ever find yourself looking for granite or marble counters, pay a visit to your local tombstone/monument company. You can often pick up amazing deals, and if your project is small enough, you can buy their "scrap" trimmings for far, far less than you would pay at Lowe's or a custom kitchen company. (We scored beautiful marble thresholds and window sills for our bathroom remodel for $20 each; the tombstone maker custom-cut them out of a piece of overage he had leaned up against the back of the building.)

The Eurocode series.

Ah but really, I quite like this: Reinforced Concrete Design

This is supposed to be quite good:Dynamics of Structures: Theory and Applications to Earthquake Engineering

I used to love this book, but I wonder if there is an updated version for eurocodes, will have to check it out

And of course it always depends on your field of interest, for instance I particularly like this book: Theory of Shell Structures

Also, this is supposed to be a classic: Structures: Or Why Things Don't Fall Down


I now apologise if you don't live or work in Europe.

I'm a DIY noob. Here's some of the stuff that's helped me.

I got hosed a few times by contractors before I learned enough to start asking the right questions. This book helped me get onto the right path. Checklists and battle plan for remodels and new construction, based on the experience of 100s of projects. What Your Contractor Won't Tell You https://www.amazon.com/What-Your-Contractor-Cant-Tell/dp/0979983800

I bought some Journal of Light Construction books. True, their Field Guides are way overkill for me and my projects, but they're very cool. https://www.jlconline.com https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AJournal+of+Light+Construction&s=relevancerank&text=Journal+of+Light+Construction&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1

I like those Matt Risinger videos quite a bit too. https://www.youtube.com/user/MattRisinger

The most useful books I've bought are the Code Check short guides. I just read them until I kinda understand them. As a total noob, that takes a while. Here's the electrical title. https://www.amazon.com/Code-Check-Electrical-Illustrated-Wiring/dp/1631869167/

The knowledgeable staff at my local pro suppliers have been super helpful. Especially Ferguson's. I really can't say enough good things about all the people who've helped me. Sometimes you get lucky at Home Depot and the like. But they pay shit and they're understaffed, so don't judge.

Congrats on your house, and good luck renovating! Here are some resources I found that I hope will help:

• "What Your Contractor Can't Tell You: The Essential Guide to Building and Renovating"
  
• "The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control"
  
  
• Lowe's Ideas & How-to's
  
• Home Depot's Projects & Ideas
  
• "Staying Put: Remodel Your House to Get the Home You Want"
  
• Apartment Therapy has a post on Green Home Renovations, and they list a LOT of websites, stores, books, businesses and appliances for people who want to renovate while staying green.

I'm working away at my basement remodel (1950's). Do you want to start with a book? The gold standard for basic renovations is Renovation 5th Edition. This will set you on the right path before you start researching specific things for yourself. There are many ways to accomplish each task. For example, for your wall assembly you can go with the classic frame + fiberglass + vapor barrier. Or you can do with frame + spray foam. Or you can go with XPS foam + frame + rockwool + smart barrier. This will depend on local building code as well since you will require a minimum R-value.

Start with your local building code/permitting office and see what is required in your area. Where I live we are supposed to pull permits for a basement renovation. Some people hate the idea of permits, but generally the inspectors and building code office should work with you to make sure you do things safely and correctly. The application process is fairly simple. Fill out a form and provide a basic drawing of the proposed space including room dimensions, window size/locations, ceiling heights, locations of existing bulkheads/beams. They also want to know what your proposed wall assembly will be. They will either approve your application or will help you to make modifications in order to meet code.

Once approved you can start working away. We require inspections after framing, insulation/vapor barrier, plumbing, and final. A separate inspection will come with electrical since that is a separate organization unrelated to the municipality.

Structural Engineers Pocket Book

It's for the UK as all design codes are in BS (and some EN) but I think (and please correct me if I'm wrong) standard steel sizes for UB's and UC's are the same in the US. Its quite a useful book to have at hand. The structural steelwork section has tables with standard steel sizes for UB, UC, PFC, EA, UA etc etc

Graphic Guide to Frame Construction.

I love this book. It has great tips, structures, methods, and detailed pictures to show how to accomplish what you're looking for. Also mentions code requirements. In the link above, it goes to the third edition, which is what I own.

I haven't actually used it that much on jobs because I've gone union and work mostly commercial jobs, but I've used it on some other projects for straight framing and it was great.

Here is a link for the fourth edition.

Depending on the complexity of the task, don't discount the possibility that you can tackle this yourself. Home Depot sells an awesome book called "Wiring 1-2-3" which has a ton of useful information. I used it to teach myself how to do some minor work, and eventually to take on larger jobs like installing new lights and receptacles and even whole new circuits. It's really not rocket science.

At this point, I've re-wired about 75% of my house. That one book has probably saved me thousands of dollars.

I found a fantastic book a few years back in a second-hand store titled How to Design and Build Your Own House. If this is what you're interested then I highly recommend that you find a copy. It takes you through every part of the process, from finding a piece of land to laying out floorplans, to physically assembling the structure. It provides standard builder's formulas and explains how to look up local building codes, gives advice on how to take the best advantage of your location, and even contains some of the best descriptions of basic structural analysis I've ever read. It was written in the seventies, so you do have to keep that in mind, but the important stuff hasn't changed.

The book on Amazon.

Some books previously recommended on this sub:

https://www.amazon.com/Renovation-4th-Edition-Completely-Revised/dp/1600854923

https://www.amazon.com/Carpentry-Remodeling-Installing-Removing-improvement/dp/0865737207/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1494249697&sr=8-3&keywords=black+and+decker+books+Framing

“A Practical Illustrated Trade Assistant on Modern Construction For Carpenters-Joiners, Builders-Mechanics, and all Wood Workers.”

Do-It-Yourself Housebuilding: The Complete Handbook. by George Nash.

Also, Old This Old House and/or Ask This Old House episodes that cover framing may be valuable to you. JLC and FineHomeBuilding.com are likely to have some beneficial tid-bits of wisdom when you start formulating you're own queries.

Both of these have good ideas and plans, well worth $30:

Reinventing the Chicken Coop: 14 Original Designs

Backyard Chickens' Guide to Coops and Tractors

First of all congratulations!

second here is the free part of the list of resources i give my guys

Johnstone University - https://go.bluevolt.com/johnstonecontractor/Catalog/

GreyFurnaceMan - https://www.youtube.com/user/grayfurnaceman

HVAC-Talk.com http://www.hvac-talk.com

a very handy book
https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-Professional-Reference-Master-Enhance/dp/0977000389/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1493690012&sr=8-9&keywords=hvac

Ask your boss if he can sign you up for classes at your local supply house.


head over to /r/HVAC

In my limited experience, the better people are more matter of fact, willing to teach and not pushy. The detail on the quotes I've gotten weren't reflective of the experience, workmanship or honesty of the person involved.

If someone wants to take advantage of your (my) lack of knowledge, they will. I ended up going with the old school guy who emailed me his quote over the guy with the long pdf and gantt chart.

This book may be useful, though maybe more geared towards large projects with more formal requirements: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0979983800/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I just bought this book after reading a lot of good reviews, and I would agree that it's got a lot of good info:

Renovation

I am a contractor. I have only seen one book from tumbleweed and was not impressed. This was years ago, so perhaps later editions improved, but the one I saw had almost no detail and certainly not anywhere near what a novice needed.

If you have no experience building, I'd suggest The Visual Handbook of Building and Remodeling. It has detailed photos and drawing.

If you're still interested in some construction books, Renovation is written for remodeling, but it has some really interesting work-arounds.

https://www.amazon.com/Spanish-Construction-Trade-William-Harvey/dp/0764135880

You could also use Caterpillar App and upload a movie like En Construccion.

Hope that helps.

https://www.amazon.com/Renovation-4th-Completely-Revised-Updated/dp/1600854923/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=Renovation+4&qid=1563679474&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Has really in depth things but also relatively basic things. I love this book.

I would recommend that you purchase some DIY books to help you with jobs like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Yourself-Manual-Newly-Updated/dp/1621452018

https://www.amazon.com/Renovation-5th-Completely-Revised-Updated/dp/1631869590

https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Guide-Repair-Improvement-Updated/dp/158011783X

I found Renovation 4th Edition to be very informative. It's not necessarilly a step-by-step DIY guide, but it's gives a great overview of the steps and tools necessary to complete a job.

Chickens are a lot of fun. I was skeptical at first, but I'm really enjoying raising them.

This is the book I read for building the coop:
http://www.amazon.com/Reinventing-Chicken-Coop-Step-Step/dp/1603429808

Here's the book my wife read about raising them: http://www.amazon.com/Chicken-Every-Yard-Stores-Keeping/dp/1580085822/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1464051929&sr=1-4&keywords=raising+backyard+chickens

While not what you specifically asked for, in the same vein I would suggest keeping a copy of both the Pocket Reference and the Handymain In-your-pocket good books to have on hand for lots of different situations.

I have a similar set up with interior french drain to a sump pump. When I refinished my basement, I dryloked all of the block walls, then used foam board adhesive (make sure it is for foam board or it will burn the insulation) to adhere 2" rigid to the block wall. I notched out the bottom 1" for drain tile. Also, cutting 2" rigid is a pain, but what I found that worked very well was to use a stiff 2" drywall taping knife. I sharpened it on a table top belt sander, and just resharpened when it got dull.

​

The 2" rigid plus block wall gives approximately a 13 r-value, which is what code requires for a basement in most areas. Make sure you also insulate the rim joists, because that area sits above ground level and is more susceptible to heat loss.

​

I would definitely suggest picking up this book from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-Complete-Finishing-Basements/dp/1591865883/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1539206278&sr=8-1

It was very helpful, and provided some good tips when I got stuck trying to figure out how to do certain things, since finishing a basement is an entirely different animal than building above ground.

Does he have a toolkit that's in working order? Does he collect honey?

Perhaps something along the DIY/building theme. There are some good books like this that could be useful

1. Learn where all your shut-offs are. Make sure your shut-offs work. You don't want to learn the hard way that your main water shutoff doesn't work.
   
2. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1600854923/ is a book I've seen recommended often.
   
3. Learn to Google/Youtube.
   
   Things are going to break, and you're going to learn how to fix them. Each time you fix something, you're going to gain new knowledge.

if you want to earn yourself an A while doing whatever you want. check out this book. will be the best 20 bucks you spend all year
https://www.amazon.com/Graphic-Guide-Frame-Construction-Designers/dp/1600850235

if you live in the USA is the best guide I have found to learn from zero. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1600852467/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

also, any Books or Videos from Larry Haun, that guys is fantastic.

I really recommend the video series of how to frame a house. is 3 parts of one hour each but you will watch a master working and taking the time to describe what you as new, need to learn.

Mike Holt's exam prep, Dewalt Electrical Exam Prep, NEC Flashcards (app) and Leviton Captain Code - Code Changes (app) are great resources and a good starting point.


Stallcups Illustrated Code Changes 2017 can also be beneficial for test prep.

If your jurisdiction / testing center allows you to use your own book, inquire if they will allow for it to be tabbed, and if they allow tabbing, I highly recommend having it tabbed for quick reference.

Just my two cents.

Haven't taken my final written yet, as I'm short on hours, but I have finished all of my apprenticeship courses and am going to start preparing to take my final apprenticeship 'mock journeyman' test once I finish up my powerplant written & oral/practical exams in June.

Depends how deep you want to go, in my opinion. Personally I've got two of those Black and Decker books and I've used them for project ideas, but I always find them lacking when I actually dig into a project. I usually end up buying something very specific to what I'm doing. Here are a few of my favorites:

For Old Home Owners: Renovating Old Houses

Painting: Painting Houses: Inside & Out

Framing: Frame Construction: For Pros by Pros

A really great "all around" book is by Charlie Wing called The Visual Handbook of Building and Remodeling

This book gets good reviews and might be worth picking up? Spanish ForThe Construction Trade

This one is a great start: https://www.amazon.com/Renovation-5th-Completely-Revised-Updated/dp/1631869590/

This is the newest version. I have it and it's awesome

I recommend the For Pros by Pros book series for each trade. https://www.tauntonstore.com/for-pros-by-pros-series

I’d also recommend:

• Housebuilding: A Do-It-Yourself Guide, Revised & Expanded https://www.amazon.com/dp/1402743165/
  
• Renovation 5th Edition: Completely Revised and Updated https://www.amazon.com/dp/1631869590/

Renovation is the gold standard of books on improvement and repair, the editor is the guy who runs the Fine Homebuilding site, out of all the books I have none come close to the amount of subjects and details this book offers.

https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-Electrical-Licensing-Exam-Guide/dp/1337271381

I used this to pass my Journeyman test very recently. Did it over and over, front to back. Practiced the exams more frequently as the test date came closer. This should help you learn how to navigate the code quickly and accurately. Finding the keywords in the questions to look for in the index is very important.

> His county has building codes

Yes, his county enforces building codes. He has inspections.

Building codes are independent of government. In fact, where they are enforced, the law usually simply references the published building code.

Here, you can buy them yourself. Note, they are not restricted from sale in Idaho,.. HAHAHHHAHhhaha

https://www.amazon.com/International-Residential-Two-Family-Dwellings-Council/dp/1609837371/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1538376806&sr=8-4&keywords=building+code

It is really good. More than just tips it also goes into his thinking and his way of thinking about a project and planning it.https://www.amazon.com/Working-Alone-Pros-John-Carroll-ebook/dp/B003TXSRF0

Incredibly helpful book for dealing with contractors - written by a former construction manager:

What Your Contractor Can't Tell You: The Essential Guide to Building and Renovating

I wouldn't suggest looking in only one source for tips and how to's. However, I didn't really know where to start or what questions to ask. I've found the Black and Decker series are very informative and give me a good idea what areas I need to spend more time researching.

Black and Decker: Finishing Basements

>Renovation by Michael Litchfield

Looks like a new edition is going to be released May 7, 2019. https://www.amazon.com/Renovation-5th-Completely-Revised-Updated/dp/1631869590

I always recommend Renovation by Michael Litchfield.

The User's Manual for your home.

I like the Black & Decker series of DIY books. Aside from those, I've always found Pocket Reference and Handyman In Your Pocket essentials for any toolbox.

This is an excellent book, it's periodically updated and reissued but my version from college is still valid, so you could probably find a used copy: https://www.amazon.com/Graphic-Guide-Frame-Construction-Revised/dp/163186372X/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

I recently had an architect design a house and bid out to general contractors to build it. I read "What Your Contractor Can't Tell You" before the process and found it very helpful. It covers some of your options and steps through the process from start to finish (it is both remodeling, additions, and full house info which is not all relevant to a new build). The big first decision is design-build vs independent architect and traditional bid process. Design-build would probably be a more smooth process, but it can lock you in depending on how the firm works. Some design-build firms will let you leave after the design process with the plans, but you need to know all that up front in writing. One thing that became apparent to me during the build that it would probably cost more and take longer if I tried to GC it myself. That would also have been a 50 hour per week job. I don't begrudge paying the GC fee at all.

https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-Professional-Reference-Master-Enhance/dp/0977000389/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=dewalt+hvac+book&qid=1571893202&sprefix=dewalt+hvac&sr=8-3

This book helped me a lot when I was starting out. It has a troubleshooting section that will list the first things to check depending on what the system is or isn't doing.

You may find this helpful: How to Design and Build Your Own House

I've watched tons of youtube and I've started reading this book.
Renovation 5th Edition:... https://www.amazon.com/dp/1631869590?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Renovation 5th edition. Covers every single aspect of fixing/maintaining a house.

https://www.amazon.com/Renovation-5th-Completely-Revised-Updated/dp/1631869590/ref=nodl_

I don't think you will find a single book that covers both of those adequately.

FRAMING REFERENCE GUIDES:

Complete Book of Framing: An Illustrated Guide for Residential Construction

Graphic Guide to Frame Construction (For Pros By Pros


LOAD CALCULATIONS:

Carpenter's Calculations Manual

https://www.amazon.com/Renovation-5th-Completely-Revised-Updated/dp/1631869590/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=renovation&qid=1563980987&s=gateway&sr=8-3

Try this: Graphic Guide to Frame Construction

https://www.amazon.com/Well-Built-House-James-Locke/dp/0395629519

https://www.amazon.com/Graphic-Guide-Frame-Construction-Designers/dp/1600850235

Graphic Guide to Frame Construction: Fourth Edition, Revised and Updated (For Pros by Pros) https://www.amazon.com/dp/163186372X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ss0PybXCJ47XE

For Pros by Pros: Graphic Guide to Interior Details https://www.amazon.com/dp/1561583243/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ht0PybMDW6TPZ

https://www.amazon.com/What-Your-Contractor-Cant-Tell/dp/0979983800/

https://www.amazon.com/Wiring-1-2-3-Home-Depot/dp/069621184X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501101558&sr=8-1&keywords=wiring+1-2-3

This is a decent start.

This book, Renovation by Litchfield. I wish I knew about this book sooner. If something is fucked up in the house, this book shows how pros will fix it.

Edit: also if you want to really check your electricity you need both and outlet tester or multimeter to make sure that the outlet has the correct voltage/polarity and a circuit tracer to make sure that the wire goes where you think it goes. It took me two months to figure out where the hell my stove was getting power from, turns out I had a 2nd breaker box that was walled up ,I hope , unintentionally.

Not sure if these have been mentioned, but I saw the one Pocket Ref.

I also have these...

https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=geSZAwAAQBAJ&source=productsearch&utm_source=HA_Desktop_US&utm_medium=SEM&utm_campaign=PLA&pcampaignid=MKTAD0930BO1&gl=US&gclid=CMi438_3680CFZPgMgodqzMIEQ&gclsrc=ds

https://www.amazon.com/Electrical-Pal-Reference-Engineering-Publications/dp/0965217108/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1468258071&sr=1-1&keywords=electrical+pal

https://www.amazon.com/Handyman--Your-Pocket-Richard-Allen-Young/dp/1885071299/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1468258247&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=handman+in+your+pocket

I highly recommend THIS book.

Not so much to have on hand during the projects, but to browse and flip through while you're waiting in line, during TV commercials, using the toilet, etc.

More than anything it will help you realize how many things you don't know that you don't know. And once you realize "drainage friction coefficient" is a thing (it's not, I just made that up), then you know where to reference it to be sure you're not screwing up something you didn't even realize was a thing.

This is where a lot, if not most, home improvement projects go horribly wrong. Not because someone measured wrong, not because they didn't take their time, but because they didn't realize some key thing was even an issue.

It is very common for a do-it-yourself homebuilder, or a general contractor, to field out certain things to specialist tradesmen subcontractors. Plumbing and electrical are two of the top ones. The consequences for getting something wrong are ugly. Some learning experiences in electrical & plumbing will kill you, some will destroy the house. Mostly they'll just fail you inspections and cause expensive delays.

With that said:

https://www.amazon.com/Wiring-1-2-3-Home-Depot/dp/069621184X

https://www.amazon.com/Plumbing-1-2-3-Home-Depot/dp/0696211866

https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Guide-Installations-Step-Step/dp/1580117872/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=V2VSFZ9JMRW52TBPSD7H

https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Guide-Step-Step-Date/dp/1580117880/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=CK25R1N4EEQA5ANMTZ5Y

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-Complete-Wiring-Updated/dp/0760353573/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=V2VSFZ9JMRW52TBPSD7H

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-Complete-Guide-Plumbing/dp/1591866367/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1542590935&sr=1-1&keywords=black+decker+plumbing