Rating: 
Summary: Do your own contracting
Review: This book gives an excellent overview and detail of the issues that owner-builders are presented with. Full of useful hints, guides and processes, as well as the opportunity to get the various spreadsheets used for just the cost of postage. A must have to get going as an owner-builder if you have no experience.
Rating:
Summary: If you're serious about building a house... this is the book
Review: This book is incredible! Mark really knows his stuff. (Even if you're not planning on building a house, this book teaches you the art of saving money.) Great read!
Rating: 
Summary: A Worthless Smithco Marketing Piece
Review: This book was extremely disappointing...it is nothing more than a "puff-piece" brochure for the many products that the authors sell. There is very lttle of any substantive use ....some teasers and lot's of testimonials for their tapes, CD's etc. People building their own home will find that "The Complete Guide To Contracting Your Home" is an infinitely better investment.
Rating: 
Summary: The Owner-Builder Book
Review: This book was incredibly helpful, and exactly what I was looking for when I decided to build my own home. The budget worksheet helped me to figure out what I needed to bid first, and made sure that I didn't forget anything. The star that I left off was for the repetition of several points. Although, when learnind something new repetition is key. The list of resellable features in a home was excellent as well.
Rating:
Summary: Very Helpful Guidance * Practical Advice to PLAN, PLAN, PLAN
Review: This is an excellent book to read during the PLANNING stages of your building project. The book is written in an easy-to-read format and had insightful suggestions on cost savings, tax avoidance, quality construction and more.
Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: Very Helpful Guidance * Practical Advice to PLAN, PLAN, PLAN
Review: This is an excellent book to read during the PLANNING stages of your building project. The book is written in an easy-to-read format and had insightful suggestions on cost savings, tax avoidance, quality construction and more.
Highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: FLUFF!
Review: This is by far the worst book I have read on this subject. Lots of pep-talk (You too can save $100,000!!!) --and little substance. It advices readers to "beat the systen" by for example paying sub-contractors cash (i.e. let them cheat on taxes) and to obtain estimates from contractors whoose services they have no intentions of using (basically abusing their "free" labor.)
Rating:
Summary: Exactly what I was looking for!
Review: When it came down to owner-building my house, I purchased a whole slew of books hoping that all of them together would help. I found the Owner-builder Book to be the only book that did. I carried it with me everywhere and it came through for me time and time again. I learned many valuable lessons that I've carried on into my everyday life as well- one of which is "Plan, Plan, Plan". I've found that what he says is true, that for "every hour you spend planning, saves 4 hours in execution". This book is everything I was looking for and more!
Rating: 
Summary: Author Comments on The Owner-Builder Book
Review: When we built our own home, a general contractor estimated the cost of construction at $90 a square foot. It was more than we could afford. We had two choices: shrink the house we had planned, or build it ourselves. We decided to build it ourselves, and completed the house for $49 a square foot. The amazing thing was that we didn't sacrifice anything in the original plan. In fact, we included dozens and dozens of upgrades on which we found great bargains along the way. We found very little published help on the key issue - saving money - when we were building. So we decided to make it easier for others by writing The Owner-Builder Book. We began by going to the Library of Congress and reading all the books out there on the subject. They were almost all written by general contractors. Believe me, they don't try to help you save money. Next we conducted 200 interviews with subcontractors, generals, lenders, inspectors, and many other owner-builders. We found answers to all the sticking points like: "Where can I get a construction loan?" We found that the average owner-builder saved 35% on the cost of construction against contractor estimate or appraised value. I also drew on my experience as a former construction industry executive and consultant. We provided templates for the reader to the three key tools needed for success: Written Budget, Written Schedule, and Written List of Features. These tools were almost nonexistent in the literature. We have been honored by reviews or mentions in 150 newspapers and 15 magazines and newsletters to date. People tell us that our book is enjoyable and gives them confidence to build. At a recent workshop we conducted for Owner-Builders, one of our very first readers, Joan Landes of Utah, stood up and said: "I read the Owner-Builder Book and followed it to the letter. People can't believe that I was the contractor on our new 7,000 square foot all brick home. It has 65 glass doors and windows, interior columns, and many extras. I built it for $50 a square foot. They thought I was just a ditzy blonde housewife."
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