Reddit mentions of Handyman In-Your-Pocket

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.
   
   

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.

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

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 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.

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