| Once you have decided to build your own | | | | poor or indifferent planners as far as |
| house get someone to review your plans | | | | room arrangement, convenience, and |
| in case you draw your own plans, it is | | | | appearance are concerned. |
| usually a good idea to get some | | | | Although you might be wise to leave many |
| experienced builder to look them over to | | | | of the construction details to the |
| help you get most of the "bugs" out of | | | | judgment of the contractor, insist on |
| it before you start to build. | | | | the room arrangement you want and any |
| These could be wastespace, awkward | | | | special features you consider important. |
| corners, poor circulation through the | | | | If you want a screened porch, do not let |
| house, freakish features, unusual | | | | anyone talkyou out of it. You are |
| methods of building which increase the | | | | building the house to get what you want, |
| labor involved, crowded places, or | | | | not what someone else thinks you ought |
| inconsistencies. | | | | to want. |
| Getting an experienced house designer to | | | | Much depends on one's personal |
| double check your plans would usually be | | | | preference. Since you are building |
| a profitable investment, which might | | | | instead of buying because you want |
| keep you from making absurd mistakes. | | | | something that is not just run of the |
| After they are built, things do not | | | | mill and ordinary, because you want |
| always look the same as they do on | | | | something different from what everyone |
| paper. If you do not believe that people | | | | else has, plan your own house to suit |
| make many queer mistakes, drive up any | | | | you and your family. |
| residential street and take a critical | | | | In all your planning allow enough room, |
| look at the houses people have built in | | | | but do not waste any space. A common |
| the mistaken notion that they were | | | | mistake of the beginning planner is to |
| creating works of art. | | | | fail to allow enough room for the |
| There are many good planners who will | | | | thickness of the walls. |
| work for a modest fee. Although they | | | | Walls are usually 5V&" thick; if you |
| have not had the experience on large | | | | draw them 6" the plan will be about |
| buildings to qualify as architects, they | | | | right. Some people crowd things in the |
| are willing to take time to give | | | | mistaken notion that they are saving |
| careful, personal thought to your house | | | | money. The size of the house is just one |
| and to draw you a good plan. Since you | | | | of the many factors that enter into the |
| are the one who has to decide what you | | | | cost of the building. Some odd corner or |
| want anyway, find someone who can help | | | | peculiarity of construction will often |
| you and who is interested in seeing that | | | | cost more than an additional hundred |
| you get just the house you really want. | | | | square feet of floor space. |
| Some contractors and builders are good | | | | It is always a good idea to use a |
| at planning and some of them are not. | | | | mortgage calculator to help you save |
| Most contractors are good at the details | | | | money when you purchase land or a house |
| of construction, even though they may be | | | | with a mortgage. |