Family Websites, Family Resources

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Build a House, Self - Sufficiency (Alternative Home - Building Ideas, Homesteading, Living Off the Land)

Build a House, Self - Sufficiency

(Alternative Home - Building Ideas, Homesteading, Living Off the Land)

Home Introduction

Beyond the real estate business, there is a phenomena that exists everywhere on the planet except for the western world, that of building your own home with your own two hands.

Homesteading is where you live out in the country doing a lot of your own stuff, basically self-sufficient, living off the land.

I'm interested in alternative homes (log homes, straw homes, underground homes, etc.) and alternative energy away from the grid because I house a back-to-the-woods, self-sufficiency streak within me.

Get the free Consumer's Resource Handbook and the Publications Catalog from the federal government's Consumer Information Center, Pueblo, Co 81009, 202-208-7679, 888-8pueblo, pueblo.gsa.gov. It contains listings of consumer protection agencies, major corporations, trade organizations plus the addresses of many state government agencies.

For information about home insurance, refer to my money book.

For information on the web about any state government department, use the following formula:

state.two letter abbreviation.us, for example:

state.al.us for Alabama.

Nolo Press Legal Books

950 Parker St.

Berkeley, Ca 94710

800-992-Nolo

800-846-9455

800-445-Nolo, Ca

Fax: 800-645-0895

nolobriefs@nolo.com

nolo.com

Many legal publications for all manner of situations.

Getting A Home Built

If you've got some money, you can hire someone to build a house for you. You can either hire an architect, get a builder to build a home based on home plans you buy, get for free or design yourself or go to any of the many companies which offer custom homes.

You can find house plans everywhere, particularly in the many home type magazines out there. Go to a periodical directory at the library, get a few of the magazines in the home magazines section and look them over.

Check out #643-645 at the library for home improvements and #690-699 for home building, particularly #690.87, #694.2 and #728, specifically #728.37 for house plans.

Try typing the following terms into your library computer and on search engines:

Architecture, Domestic

Cottages

Home Plans

Log Homes

Second Homes

Summer Homes

Vacation Homes

Whether you hire a general contractor or a custom home-builder company, don't pay it all upfront.

Make sure they're bonded.

There have been many home-building companies which lured people with glossy looking brochures and then took the money and ran.

Although some home-builders are good, I must caution you to beware by first checking them out with the Better Business Bureau, bbb.org and other local consumer protection agencies.

Don't pay more than 20% upfront. I've seen cases where the builder tells the naïve home buyer that he needs the money to buy material so he gets 80% or more upfront then he does a little bit of work so that he can't be accused of criminal fraud. He abandons the project, they try to sue him civilly but even if they win, he's gone and operating under a new name. He simply starts a business as a limited liability company then when it folds, he is not personally responsible.

Tons of contractors shortchange the building codes. Watch the TV shows where an honest contractor goes in to fix what the inferior contractor did. It's a disgrace. It's even dangerous in some cases.

There are several shows on TV that deal with fixing the mistakes and intentional frauds of home builders and contractors. It's pretty common and atrocious what people will do if they think they can get away with it.

Go visit the house while it's being built so that you can see if there's shoddy work like splitting insulation sheets in two or using chipboard instead of plywood.

I would rather pay a little more to have an established company that's been around for twenty years or so than to hire somebody out of a tiny, little ad in the newspaper because he's offering to save me a few bucks. In this business, with so much shoddy work, I wouldn't take that risk.

Your best bet is to ask the contractor for a list of addresses of the past dozen homes he's built then walk up, knock on the door, ask them if Contractor Jim built the house. If they say no, it means he's lying. If they say yes and they have complaints, you can rest assured they'll tell you.

Home builders are barely regulated, cover most of their inferior work with walls, the warranty may be worded with loophoes, they may be fly-by-nighters, the house may not look like the model house, they may screw you on things like lights and if you sue them and win, you may never collect.

builder.nh.net/special/bseller

homebuilder.com

hometeam.com

ipr.com/interpro/pagestor/products, construction products manufacturers.

maestro.biz, homebuilder software

National Assn. of Home Builders

15th & M Sts. Nw

Washington, Dc 20005

800-368-5242

nahb.com

Many books.

Build-It-Yourself Home Kits

Buy a lot and build your house. There are companies out there that sell you build-it-yourself kits that they will finance. Some of the companies in the Home Building Companies section offer build-it-yourself kits.

You get the foundation professionally made then get the kit and put it up yourself.

firstdaycottage.com

nmhelpubuild.com, new mexico.

kitguy.com

shelter-kit.com

ubuildit.com, free kit.

lazarusloghomes.com

builders.meine-hp.net/i-builders/build-it-yourself-home-kit.html

customforestproductsinc.com/build_it_your_self_kits.html

endeavorhomes.net, northern california.

Degeorge

800-790-3842

Custom homes, easy financing.

Miles-Lagrange Home Plan

800-758-4292

Free ownership kit of easy build your own homes.

Miles Homes

800-265-4240

ownerbuilderconcepts.com

800-808-7643

Manage Your Home Construction

nta.ie/general/building.html, comprehensive step-by-step guide to supervising your own building and renovation projects.

sayplanning.com/ownmyhome/home_building/contractor-project.html, home construction project management use this project planning guide for managing your home construction.

Home Building Ideas Websites

homebuildingmanual.com

homebuildingmanual.com/glossary.htm

garfieldlibraries.org/gcld/info/buildingupdates.aspx

homebuildingremodeling.com

repair-home.com/project/home-building

b4ubuild.com

house-n-home-building.com

homeadditionplus.com

yaulee.com/home.htm, holdings limited building consultancy and building materials trading firm.includes information on services rendered and current projects.

francishomeimprovement.com, a full-service building and contracting firm specializing in residential projects-includes photos of sample projects.

ownerbuilder.com

finehomebuilding.com

homebuildingprojectplan.com

saybuild.com

building4less.com

architecture.about.com/od/buildyourhouse/design_and_build.htm

diynetwork.com/diy/home_building

Home Builder Websites/ Home Building Companies

Every city has a number of home building companies.

These companies will send you basic information about their home plans. Many of these companies sell the plans as well as the home kits which they can either build for you or sell you the kit which you build yourself.

For more listings, look up Home Builders, Homes, Custom Built in your local phone book, tollfree directory websites and search engines.

builderonline.com

builders-contractors.com

ebuild.com

owenscorning.com

psa-publishers.com, list of architects.

homebuilders.buyerzone.com

Lists of home builders and contractors.

newenergyworks.com, timber frame homes.

homeswithlegacy.com, legacy homes granger, indiana.

bluetangerinesolutions.com, builds websites for home builders.

biycustomhomes.com

creekstone-homes.com/

adirondack-homes.com

tollbrothers.com

mitchellhomesinc.com

vtbuilders.com, home builders and remodelers association of northern vermont.

floridabuild.com

borderoak.com

deckhouse.com

greenbuilder.com, eco-homes.

greendesign.net

griffnerhomes.com

homesteaddesign.com

huf-haus.de

interhabs.ns.ca

leep.com, aluminum type material to build home.

maestro.biz, homebuilder software.

masonhomes.ca

nwbuildnet.com

oikos.com

potton.co.uk

sbicouncil.org

shelterkit.com

swedishhouses.com

tierraconcretehomes.com

Home Builder Bookstore

Washington, Dc

800-223-2665

Aa Yankee Barn Homes

800-258-9786

acorns.com

800-727-3325

Alta Industries, Ltd.

Pob 88

Halcottsville, Ny 12438

800-926-2582

American Elite Homes

Pob 1160

Kannapolis, Nc 28082

800-792-3443

American Landmark

E. Stroudsburg, Pa

800-328-9872

Anderson Construction

Wrightwood, Ca

800-742-4621

Apex Homes

Plano, Tx

800-440-7240

Artistic Homes

Florida

800-226-0503

Beamery

Heiskell, Tn 37754

800-Beamery

Timber frame home.

Better Built

Ocala, Fl

800-872-3732

Burnt Store

Punta Gorda, Fl

800-445-0943

Carlisle Restoration Lumber

Hcr 32, Box 566

Stoddard, Nh 03464

800-595-9663

Cedar Forest

Polo, Il

800-552-9495

Cedar Ridge

Punkin Center, Az

800-871-8001

Classic Colonial Homes

Pob 31

Deerfield, Ma 01342

800-413-9111

Classic Post & Beam

Pob 546

York, Me 03909

800-872-Beam

Classic Steel Frame Homes

7301 Fairview

Houston,Tx 77041

800-Nci-Home

concretehomes.com

888-333-4840

Cooper

Loudon, Tn

800-443-9698

Countrywide Homes

Georgia

800-438-8317

Creative Heavy Timber Homes

800-533-5776

Crystal Creek

Prescott, Az

800-553-0542

Curtis Homes

2201 Florida Ave.

S. Minneapolis, Mn 55426

612-542-4300

Build it yourself home.

Deck House

930 Main St.

Acton, Ma 01720

800-727-3325

800-225-5755

deckhouse.com

Degeorge

800-343-2884

Deltec Homes

604 College St.

Asheville, Nc 28801

800-642-2508

deltichomes.com

Design

Murray, Ky

800-831-3953

Dickinson

Kingsford, Mi

800-241-0215

Dovetail, Ltd.

Pob 1496

Boulder, Co 80306

303-449-2681

Timber frame and solar homes.

Eagle's Nest Homes

205 Eagle's Nest Dr.

Canton, Ga 30114

800-579-1079

Forrest

Palm Coast, Fl

800-942-2221

Fox Maple Post &

Beam Houses & Tools

Rr 1, Box 583

Nowville Rd.

W. Brownfield, Me 04010

207-935-3720

Future Steel Bldgs.

800-668-7121

Garland Homes

Pob 12

Victor, Mt 59875

800-642-3837

Garlinghouse Co.

320 Sw 33rd St.

Pob 299

Topeka, Ks 66601

913-267-2490

grecohomes.com

800-933-Room

Green Mtn. Homes

Royalton, Vt 05068

802-763-8384

Solar design homes.

Habitat Post & Beam

21 Elm St.S. Deerfield, Ma 01373

800-992-0121

habitatpostandbeam.com

Hahn

Bath, Me

800-640-4246

Hamlet

Miami, Fl

800-413-2173

Headwaters

Bozeman, Mt

800-933-7706

Helikon

Harpers Ferry, Wv

800-323-7863

Help U Build

Brick, Nj

800-992-0386

Home Building Plan Service, Inc.

2235 Ne Sandy Blvd.

Portland, Or 97232

800-547-5570

Home Planners, Inc.

23761 Research Dr.

Farmington Hills, Mi 48024

800-521-6797

Home Planners

Tucson, Az

800-322-6797

Homecraft Corp.

Pob 359

South Hill, Va 23970

804-447-3186

Ranch style homes.

Homes For The Future

Estes Pk., Co

800-572-0117

Homestyles

Minnesota

800-547-5570

7000 house plans.

Honestabe.com

800-231-3695

Timber homes.

House Carpenters

N. Leverett Rd.

Montague, Ma 01351

413-367-2673

Timber frame houses.

I.M. Brunier & Associates, Inc.

1304 Sw Bertha Blvd.

Portland, Or 97219

503-246-3022

International Homes of Cedar

Pob 886

Woodinville, Wa 98072

800-767-7674

ihoc.com

J & S

Tannersville, Pa

800-544-8258

Justus Cedar Homes

Pob 98300

Tacoma, Wa 98499

206-582-3404

kloterfarms.com

800-289-3463

Sheds.

Lindal Cedar Homes

Pob 24426

Seattle, Wa 98178

800-426-0536

lindal.com

Lindal Cedar Homes

California

800-6-Lindal

lindal.com

Linwood Homes

Pob 20090

Barrie, On L4m 6e9

800-668-6896

800-663-2558

Post and beam kits.

Lts

Stroudsburg, Pa

800-942-7450

Malcolm Wells

Pob 1149

Brewster, Ma 02631

Plans for solar and earth sheltered homes.

Midland

Des Moines, Ia

800-426-7177

Miles

800-842-1063

Ms

Delray Beach, Fl

800-252-0494

Muncy

Ellenboro, Nc

800-225-7140

National Plan Service

435 W. Fullerton Ave.

Elmhurst, Il 60126

312-833-0640

Neatherlin

Bryan, Tx

800-318-8727

Pan Abode Inc.

4350 Lake Washington Blvd.

Renton, Wa 98056

800-782-2633

panabodehomes.com

Cedar homes.

Performa High Tech Homes

317 Hwy. 620 S.

2nd Fl.

Austin, Tx 78734

800-94house

Planhouse Catalog

800-321-7553

Portafab Modular Buildings

18080 Chesterfield Airport Rd.

Chesterfield, Mo 63005

800-325-3781

Post & Beam

800-992-0121

Pre-Cut International Homes

Pob 97

Woodinville, Wa 98072

206-668-8511

Timber and glass homes.

Profile

Berlin, Md

800-531-1151

Quonset Bldgs.

800-465-1544

Rapid River Rustic, Inc.

Pob 8

Rapid River, Mi 49878

800-422-3327

Cedar homes.

Rogers

Sanford, Nc

800-952-2606

Ruttenberg

Palm Hbr., Fl

800-754-9119

Scholz Homes

3103 Executive Pkwy.

Toledo, Oh 43606

419-531-1601

Colonial, traditional homes.

Solar Northern

Box 64

Mansfield, Pa 16933

717-549-6232

Post and beam packages.

South Bay

Calabash, Fl

800-548-1817

Southern Energy Homes

Pob 390

Addison, Al 35540

205-747-8589

Summerlin

Winter Gardens, Fl

800-648-0797

Timberland

Mt. Airy, Nc

800-882-2552

Timberpeg Timber Frame Homes

Pob 1500

Claremont, Nh 03743

603-542-7762

Town & Country Cedar Homes

4772 Us 131 South

Petoskey, Mi 49770

800-968-3178

tri-steel.com

888-252-6654

800-Tristeel

Houses with steel frames.

United Structures

800-332-6430

usmb.com

Steel buildings.

Wick Buildings

800-356-9682

wickbuildings.com

Suburban structures.

Woodhouse Post & Beam Inc.

Pob 219

Mansfield, Pa 16933

800-227-4311

Xl

Altamonte Springs, Fl

800-707-1388

Zia

Roswell, Nm

800-898-0681

Steel Homes For Sale

kodiaksteelhomes.com

daleincor.com, steel house frames.

Chapter 2. Prefab/ Factory-Built Homes

Manufactured Homes/ Mobile Homes 1

The terms mobile home and manufactured home sometimes mean the same thing but a manufactured home can also mean a home that's built in a factory and put up at a location permanently. In the past, before June 15, 1976, they were called mobile homes and after June 15, 1976, they were called manufactured homes.

A manufactured home is simply a factory built home built to meet federal Manufactured Home Construction And Safety Standards, also known as the HUD Code.

Manufactured homes are not necessarily mobile homes, they're any homes built by home building companies either in the factory itself and transported almost whole or made in pieces and assembled onsite.

Most are quite small, ranging in size from 900 to 3000 sq. ft. They can usually be customized to meet the buyer's desires. They have computer programs where you can see what it all looks like in advance and pick the features you want.

If you're vying for a manufactured home, consider anything over a tin mobile home because they depreciate almost immediately in value and the way they're constructed with poor insulation makes them very expensive to heat and cool.

You can either buy the house for total payment upfront, find a mortgage lender or get financing from the building company itself. You could buy the house and get it installed on your own land, put it into a rental community/ mobile home park where you pay rent for use of the land or buy a new house in a subdivision.

The implied warranty asserts that the home should be fit to be lived in. All manufacturers offer a written warranty that should cover;

Structural workmanship.

Factory installed plumbing, heating and electrical systems.

Factory installed appliances which may also be covered by the manufacturer.

Ask what warranty the seller offers for the delivery and installation of the house and get it in writing.

Some areas prohibit manufactured homes. Check with local zoning laws. You're responsible for building your own foundation if the home requires one. To help minimize damage from earthquakes and high winds, there are codes about anchoring the home to concrete footers or to the ground if there's no basement or sound foundation.

Do a complete inspection according to the seller's checklist before you move in. Your home retailer, the middleman between the factory and you, can usually help you with things like foundation, sewage hook up, water hook up, utilities hook up, etc.

Whether you hire a general contractor or a custom home builder company, don't pay it all upfront, make sure they're bonded and check them out with your local consumer protection agencies.

There've been more than several house companies which lured people with glossy looking brochures and then took the money and ran.

Manufactured Homes/ Mobile Homes 2

Mobile homes can be good deals but the problem is that people want up to $200 a month for lot rental so your savings are gone.

If you have land, buying a used mobile home may be a good deal. Look in the newspaper ads.

Although mobile homes can be taken to a person's property and set up there if it is allowed by county zoning standards, many are set up in mobile home parks sometimes called mobile home or manufactured home communities.

Typically, a park owner rents lot space monthly for the mobile homes there. The parks range from great places with great amenities to basic dumps. The nicer the park, the higher the rent.

There are deals there just like with normal real estate and even better, if the economy goes south, mobile homes become more popular because people are poorer so you'll do better.

Examine a mobile home as you would examine a house except examine the wheels and axles too if you ever plan to move the home.

Repairing a mobile home is different from fixing a normal home. You need special parts for the windows and doors from the mobile homes manufacturer or mobile homes parts store.

There are professional mobile home appraisers on the market.

There are single-wide, double-wide and triple-wide mobile homes.

Because mobile homes are technically not real estate, they don't go through foreclosure procedures. They can be repossessed like a defaulted car loan.

Look for mobile home retail companies. They are usually located on the outskirts of town because they need lots of space to show their mobile homes, trailers, RVs, etc. Some sell the new mobile homes of several manufacturers, some are sponsored only by one manufacturer. Virtually all of them sell used mobile homes and take trade-ins just like buying a new car.

Visit these retail sales centers and ask for their

financing guy. Ask him if he's got any repossessed mobile homes for sale. If you buy one on his lot, you'll have to move it to another site.

When double-wides and triple-wides are moved, they are separated then when they are relocated, they have to be reattached.

When you want to get a loan to buy a mobile home, it's not real estate so you don't get a mortgage. You get a loan like a car loan either from your bank or from the mobile home dealer but the thing is, with respect to banks, mobile homes, especially used ones are a headache if they have to be repossessed so banks shy away from mobile home loans.

Many mobile home sellers realize the difficulty in getting a mobile home loan so they are willing to work with the buyer and provide a private arrangement.

The ownership title papers for mobile homes are similar to title papers for a car or boat. If you want to permanently affix a mobile home to a piece of property as real estate rather than as a vehicle, you first go to your state motor vehicle department and have the title eliminated.

Then you go to the county property/ tax office and tell them your mobile home is now a permanent structure at the address. If you want to move the mobile home again, you need a title to get a permit to haul it.

Once you eliminate the title to a mobile home, it becomes classified as real estate along with the land so you can get a conventional mortgage on it.

A mobile home has relevant information imbedded into it at various locations. The trade names (year and make) are by the front door or at the bottom right-hand corner of the towing side of the home.

Red HUD (federal government) labels are on the siding at the rear of the home.

Identification serial numbers are on the front metal cross member, on the tow bar or both.

The data plate is on an outline of the United States map. It could be in the closet, on the closet doors, inside a kitchen cabinet or near the electrical box inside the home.

Manufactured Homes/ Mobile Homes Websites

hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/mhs/mhshome.cfm

ehow.com, how to buy land for a manufactured home.

hud.gov/pls/portal/url/page/fha/manufactured_index

kmhi.org/howtobuy.htm, how to buy a manufactured home

factorybuilthousing.com

riderhomes.com

MobileHomeAdvantage.com

fmo.org, manufactured homes.

mobilehomeparkstore.com, mobile home business.

nadaguides.com, The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) resale book deals with mobile homes.

manufacturedhomesource.com

realtor.com/basics/allabout/bookshelf/manufactured.asp, purchase guide for manufactured

homes

factorybuilthousing.com

mobilehome.com, how to buy a manufactured home

mfdhousing.com/how_to_buy/index.php

pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/housing/manuhome/manuhome.htm

homebuying.about.com/od/manufacturedhomes/bb/manufactured.htm

ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/homes/rea06.shtm

pages.ebay.com/buy/guides/manufactured-homes-buying-guide

factorybuilthousing.com

fmo.org, manufactured homes.

Manufactured Housing Institute

2101 Wilson Blvd.

#610

Arlington, Va 22201

703-558-0400

Fax: 703-558-0401

mfg.home.org

This organization of manufacturers and suppliers of factory built homes provides information about manufactured home safety and construction standards, zoning and land development. Free booklet How To Buy A Manufactured Home.

Mobile Home Complaint Line

800-927-2891

hud.gov

Property Improvement & Mobile Homes Division

House Production & Mortgage Credit/ Fha

Hud

Washington, Dc 20410

hud.gov

Free booklets.

Mobile Homes For Sale Websites

mhbo.com, mobile homes for sale by owner.

factorybuilthousing.com

riderhomes.com

eaglehomes.ca

wncmodular.com, western nc modular homes

buyamanufacturedhome.com, lake charles, louisiana.

mygreathome.com/buying_and_selling/buying_new.htm

kmhi.org

jandmhomes.com

jandmhomes.rtrk.com, oregon city, or.

nyhomes.org

bestbuyhomesinc.com, arizona.

palmharbor.com/our-homes/certified_pre_owned

championhomes.net

solitairehomes.com

manufacturedhomesite.com

washingtonhomepark.com, moses lake, washington.

fleetwoodhomes.com

new-building-system.com

Modular Home Info

The term modular home applies to factory-built housing that is designed to be permanently installed at a site.

modulartoday.com/prosandconsofbuyingmodularhome.html

bestbuy-homecenter.com

bestbuymodularhomes.com

bobshowto.com/buy-modular-home-quality.htm

yourmodular.com, minnesota.

buymodular.com, new england, long island.

championhomes.net

connecticuthomedesign.com/modular_ custom_design.htm

modulardirect.com

discountmodularhomes.com, licensed to sell modular and manufactured houses in co, wy, ia, ks, mn, mo, mt, ne, nd, sd, ok, ut.1-866-828-0200

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/modular_home

freemodularhomes.com

freemodularhomes.com

havenhomes.com, in ct, ny, ri, pa, sc, nc, ga, nj, fl, va, de, tn, al, la, oh, ms, ma, ky

homebuying.about.com/cs/modulareducation/a/modular_homes.htm

modularhomesinc.com

homesight.org/reference/modularhomes-in-nc.html, north carolina.

mfdhousing.com

housesunderfiftythousand.com, book for sale, free chapter.

keisermaine.com, manufacturer of custom homes

mainesource.com, maine.

manufacturedhousing.org

manufacturedhousing.org/consumer_center

mobilehome.com

modularcenter.com

modularconnection.com

modularhomebook.com, book for sale.

modularhomesnetwork.com

modulars.com

mygreathome.com

nadaguides.com, mobile and manufactured home pricing information

newmodularinfo.com

nickferraro.com/why_modular.html, florida.

northarrowloghomes.com/log-modular-homes.php

palmharbor.com/our-homes/certified_pre_owned

riverviewhomesinc.com

squidoo.com/modular-home, how to avoid these 4 pitfalls! learn the real deal about buying a modular home.

the-homestore.com/modular/whymodular.html, new england, hudson valley.

themodularhomecenter.com

youtube.com, modular home.

zncustombuilding.com

Chapter 3. Building Codes/ Building Laws

Construction Law/ Building Law/ Building Codes

Buildings laws exist at every level of government (city, county, state, federal) and some government departments handle different aspects of building codes like energy, sewage, etc.

You have to follow all the laws. You not only have to follow local laws but states and the federal government have a building code too.

If you don't, it's no sweat for them to deny you a building permit or condemn your building.

buildersplanet.com/marketplace/resources/buildcodes.asp

reedconstructiondata.com/building-codes

abajournal.com/blawgs/home_contractor_vs_homeowner/

adlerbuilding.com/html/law_legal.html

b4ubuild.com/books/law.shtml, construction law books, building contracts.

bcap-energy.org, energy codes.

bfcacademy.com, building & fire code academy, illinois.

buildinglaw.com, seattle, wa.

buildinglaw.org

caselaw.lp.findlaw.com

constructionrisk.com/articles

southcarolinaconstructionlawyer.com

constructionweblinks.com

contractorcity.com, current building, construction and electrical codes.

dcat.net/resources/

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/building_code

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/model_building_code

energycodes.gov

fmc-law.com/construction, construction law firm.

ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/services/homeimpv.htm, home improvement laws.

iccsafe.org, the international code council.

i-law.com

informalaw.com/blm, building law monthly

informalaw.com/cill, construction industry law

law.com

lawguru.com

lib.berkeley.edu/envi/codes.html

lisawillslaw.com, commercial real estate law, construction law, offices in lafayette and pleasanton.

naffainc.com, building code resources

natresnet.org

nwbuildnet.com/nwbn/buildingcodes.html

pcg.org.uk/investigations, professional contractors group in england.

resourcecenter.pnl.gov/cocoon/morf/resourcecenter, building energy codes resource center.

sitepoint.com/article/legalissuesdevelopers

ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/guides/standards.html

wordpress.com/category/building-law/

Green Building Law

There are special building codes for people who try to build "alternative" houses.

bcap-energy.org, energy codes.

energycodes.gov

greenbuildinglawupdate.com

greenbuildingsnyc.com/category/green-building-law/

greenhomebuilding.com

greenlaw.blogspot.com

lib.berkeley.edu/envi/codes.html

sustainableconnections.org/greenbuilding/resources/codes

Chapter 4. Planning to Build a New House

Home Plan Websites/ Home Plan Software

Home Plan books are at #728.37 of the library. Architectural books are at #721. The following websites either sell plans or give them away for free.

abetterhouseplan.com/home-building-free-plans.html

houseblueprint.net

allhouseplans.com

amazingplans.com

homeplanpro.com, home plan pro software that makes it easy and fun to draw a bird house or your dream home.

architecturaldesigns.com

architecturalhouseplans.com adbs.booksonline.com

artifice.com/dw.html, architecture software.

artifice.com/dw_lite.html, software for home design and architecture.

atmdesignanddrafting.com

concretenetwork.com/concrete/homes/plans.htm

coolhouseplans.com

luxury-housing-plan.info

cottageandlogcabinplans.blogspot.com

countryplans.com

detail360.com

dongardner.com

downloadtopshareware.com/3d-home-plans/downloads/1.htm

eplans.com

expresshouseplans.com

familyhomeplans.com

finehomedesigns.com

freegreen.com, green house plans.

girouxpublishing.com

globalhouseplans.com

hearthstonehomes.com/html/plans.html

home-building-plans.it

home-building-software.surokbobruisk.net

homeconcepts.ca

homedesigncompany.com

homedesigndirectory.com

homeplanfinder.com

homeplanner.com

homeplans.com

homeplansforfree.com

homeplansoftware.com

homeplansplanet.com/free-home-plans

homeportfolio.com

house-floor-plans.com

houseplangallery.com

houseplanguys.com

houseplans.bhg.com

houseplans.com

houseplansxpress.com

houseplanz.com

houseplanz.com

housingguild.com

lindal.com

loghomebuilders.org/free-log-home-plans

loghomeslogcabins.com/free-log-home-plans.html

newhomeplans.net

orderhomeplans.com

plan3d.com, home design software.

plan3d.com/housedesigntool, easy house design software

plansnow.com

saybuild.com, providing step-by-step guides for building your new home.

sketchup.google.com, free.

smartdraw.com, building layout software

stockhomeplans.com

summerwood.com

summerwood.com/cabins

tandmhomes.com/design, company in sussex, nb.

thehousedesigners.com

theplancollection.com

townandcountryplans.com

ultimateplans.com

vhdesign.com

westhomeplanners.com, canadian magazine.

Ashland Barns

990 Butler Creek

Ashland, Or 97520

541-488-1541

Barn plans.

Better Homes &

Gardens Home Plan Ideas

1716 Locust St.

Des Moines, Ia 50336

800-678-2872

bhg.com

Brick House Book Co.

4 Limbo Ln.

Amherst Ln.

Amherst, Nh 03031

800-446-8642

Country Designs

Box 774

Essex, Ct 06426

203-767-1046

Country Journal Magazine

6405 Flank Dr.

Pob 8200

Harrisburg, Pa 17105

717-657-9555

800-435-9610

dongardner.com

800-338-7580

Energetic Designs

Pob 4446

Greensboro, Nc 27404

910-852-9131

eplans.com

888-846-8188

hdsplans.com

800-771-5444

Home Planners Books

3275 West Ina Rd.

#110

Tucson, Az 86741

800-531-2555

800-848-2550

Home improvement books.

Hud User

Pob 6091

Rockville, Md 20849

800-245-2691

hud.gov

Some home plans.

Lifestyle Solar Plans

3001 Grand Ave.

Des Moines, Ia 50312

800-Plans2u

North Carolina Solar Center

Campus Box 7401

Nc State University

Raleigh, Nc 27695

800-33nc-Sun, Nc.

919-515-3480

Plans and blueprints.

Tennessee Valley Authority

400 W. Summit Hill Dr.

Knoxville, Tn 37902

615-632-6000

tva.gov

Usda Rural House Department.

14th & Independence Ave.

Washington, Dc 20250

usda.gov

Hire an Architect to Design Your Home

If you're building your own home, you might think it's cheaper to use a generic home plan but a good architect will not only design a home that'll be worth more for the same cost but he can save you a lot of money in construction.

Architectural books are at #721. Also try #720-729 at the library, NA272 of the Library of Congress system and #744-745 for architectural drawing.

architecture.library.nd.edu/services/career.shtml

accsct.org, accrediting commission of career schools and colleges of technology.

acohen.com, architecture firm.

adam.ac.uk

adobe.com/products/acrobat/aec.html, solutions for architecture, engineering, and construction.

aecinfo.com

aecnet.com, architects-engineering-construction network.

aejobsaz.net, arizona architectural and engineering careers.

afalib.uflib.ufl.edu/afa

aia.org, the american institute of architects.

aia.org/ed_careers

aiaaaccess.com, american institute of architects.

aiaonline.com

aiaonline.com, institute of architects.

aoc.gov, u.s. capitol.

arch.buffalo.edu/pairc

arch.ced.berkeley.edu/resources/archslides.htm

arch.columbia.edu