Building an Affordable House : Trade Secrets for High-Value, Low-Cost Construction

Rating:
Summary: Easy to Understand, Conveniently Organized
Review: As a builder, I have often looked at a set of drawings, or a budget versus job cost report, and thought to myself, "There has got to be a better way." I could only wonder how much time and money the inevitable scheduling problems, subcontractor conflicts, and ever-growing trash pile was costing me. I knew that our practices were wasting time, money, materials, and resources, and that ultimately we would all pay for it. But understanding that there is a problem is a long way from knowing what to do about it. Earlier in my career, I would have paid dearly for the knowledge contained in this book. Come to think of it, I did.

Architect, designer, builder, subcontractor, or prospective homeowner -- you owe it to yourself to read Building An Affordable House. The modest price of this book is the only way I know of in construction that you can easily get a 100 to 1 return on your investment.

Although this book is easy to understand and conveniently organized, it is not just a collection of tips and tricks. It is a comprehensive examination of the residential construction process from foundation to roof, with practical techniques that you can take to work with you tomorrow, and philosophy you can consider for the rest of your career.

It is the unusual builder who can simultaneously cut the price while improving quality, but Fernando Pages Ruiz shares decades of diligent study and hard-won professional experience to teach anyone how to do just that. I have used many of the ideas and techniques described in this book, and many more were new to me. Every one of them contributes to the process of building a comfortable, durable, and more enjoyable home at a lower cost. The importance of high-quality affordable housing for the health and happiness of families and communities cannot be overestimated, and this book makes a significant contribution toward that goal.

Dave Crosby builds affordable, green-built houses in New Mexico and writes for the Taunton Press and Hanely-Wood