Your Green Dream Home: First Things To Consider

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If you cant find a project similar to what you have in mind, then build a small version of your house — perhaps a workshop or playhouse. Make sure it has all of the elements that your real house will need, such as doors, windows, heating and good ventilation. Either way you do it, the hands-on experience will teach you invaluable lessons: either that you don't want to build your own house, or specific things you'll need to do better to make the real house work.

Though I'm a professional builder and consultant now, my interest in housing started with the desire to build a house for myself. I began with a lot of book learning, then I eventually quit my job to become a construction worker. I spent several years learning by making a living in the building trades. Still, when I started building my house, I was overwhelmed by the task. It took about four times longer and cost much more than I had anticipated. It all turned out fine in the end, but I wouldn't want to do it again. On the other hand, my house is my biggest achievement. I know how everything goes together, its strengths and weaknesses. Building my own home has given me skills, muscles and a perspective that I didn't have before. From that point of view, I really recommend it. I'll add this: No matter how much you prepare, in the end you won't think you prepared too much.

If You Don't Want to Build It

You've done your research and you know what you want, but you don't want to build it yourself. What do you do? This is a difficult question because you aren't going to be the typical client — you want to be very involved in the decision-making process. There are things you definitely want to try; there are other things you want to discuss before making a final decision. Many contractors will balk at this level of involvement, often for good reason. Professional builders are paid not only to build, but also to spend large amounts of their clients money. The fact that clients employ contractors to spend their money is often forgotten — nearly every builder has a handful of stories about bad clients. Approaching someone with such a history and saying you want your house to be a team effort can be complicated. But if you do your homework, this problem should solve itself. You'll be able to explain the theories behind different aspects of the design and why they are important. Introduce your project with enthusiasm and honesty, and it will be obvious that you're an important member of the team.

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