From the Back Cover:
Rediscover the secrets of affordable housing that modern builders have all but forgotten! Through centuries of human history, people in every part of the world have practiced the art of building their own homes--homes that turned out to be remarkably practical, sustainable,and affordable...Today, we have homes built by "professionals." And we also have homes built of synthetic materials, a coast-to-coast homogenization of style, prodigious, wastefulness of natural resources, and ever sky-rocketing prices--even for the most modest housing. This timely, much-needed book offers a practical and workable approach to building affordable, sustainable, environmentally sensitive housing BY HAVING PEOPLE BUILD IT THEMSELVES! Illuminating case studies show how such housing can be constructed for one-third the cost of custom-built housing. The author shows architects, contractors, planners, and would-be homeowners how to: CHOOSE MATERIALS that are locally available, cost-effective, and sustainable; DESIGN HOUSING that's suitable to an area's climate, topography, and other shelter requirements; LAUNCH THE PROJECT on a shoestring and add on incrementally as finances permit; CREATE HOMES that bring individuality and variety back to today's homogenized landscape...AND MUCH MORE!
About the Author:
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