Much of the information in this book is how to make a house affordable by eliminating desireable features. There is some useful information.

I have read the critical reviews, and they state in general terms that the advice given in my book helps builders save building costs at the expense of energy efficiency and durability. This puzzles me, given the emphasis I place stressing the difference between cheap housing and housing that achieves a high value in relationship to its cost. This book was not written by a journalist, but a builder. A builder in a small community where a people know you by name, and can find you at home. If I built low quality homes, my business would end within a year. Instead, I win awards, municipal contracts to build high profile projects and enjoy an excellent reputation. All my houses qualify for Energy Star certification. Because of my reputation and track record, HUD chose my company to build the 2006 Concept House--a house that showcases the best in modern construction methods. In fact, I live in one of my own homes and in one of my own neighborhoods. How many developers can face their buyers on a daily basis? Having practiced the trade of affordable homebuilding for most of my life, my book simply offers a trade memoir of my experience along with information gathered among the best builders in the nation--the kind that set the standards. The approach I outline in the book certainly applies to affordable housing, but it works at any price point. It is a method to achieve the best value for each dollar spent. You, the reader, set the "value" standard. For example, as a homeowner, I used the methods prescribed build my house at a cost of about 75-percent of its value, allowing me to afford a much nicer home than my income would suggest--affordable to me. And in an extreme climate, my utility costs remain negligible. My book will not help you build a cheap house, but it will help you save money while building an energy efficient, durable home.

Fernando Pagés
Brighton Construction Company
1941 K Street
Lincoln, NE 68510
402-434-2456
Fax-434-2458

There seems to be a bit of a difference in opinion in the reviews listed here as to whether or not this book is mainly of benefit to contractors, or to homeowners and do-it-yourselfers. My impression of the book is that it is aimed largely at the contractor who wishes to cut as many corners as possible in order to get-in the lowest bid or come-in under budget.

With that said, I will not argue that any of these cost-cutting measures actually results in a weaker structure or building of lesser quality. I am simply not qualified to give an opinion, as I am not a structural engineer. However, focus here seems to be on the minimum allowable standards that will get the job done.

Probably the most important single thing worth mentioning here is the fact that many of the cost-cutting tips mentioned are not in the best long-term interest of the homeowner. It might save the contractor money, but the homeowner will ultimately end-up paying the price through increased energy usage, a shorter building life-expectancy, and decreased resale value. Let's face it, a neighborhood with well-built homes in it is going to attract a different type of buyer (with more money), as opposed to a neighborhood full of cheaply-built, small "affordable housing". In real estate, it's all about "location", and I wouldn't want my home in the same neighborhood as someone with a cheaply built house.

The author occasionally delves into issues involving the real cost of the methods suggested, which I would equate with Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Unfortunately, the TCO concept is not mentioned at all for most of his tips. Just for example, he suggests reducing the number of windows in a home, because it initially costs more money to install windows than walls. Sounds great, but the amount of energy that could be saved over the lifetime of the home by careful placement of windows that provide a home with passive heat from the sun make this a penny-wise, pound foolish proposition. Besides that, if you happen to be building in an area with a great view, a lack of windows will greatly reduce the home's resale value. Of course, none of the above is of any concern to the professional contractor, who just wants to build a house as cheaply and quickly as possible.

There were some really good tips in this book. It is unfortunate that most of them were only based upon initial building costs and not TCO. This conflict of interest between the contractor and the homeowner really makes it of limited use for the latter group.

This is the best book for an owner/builder with no construction experience I've read. It clearly explains a lot about construction, and when and how cutting costs will impact only the bottom line, not the quality of the finished product. I feel that I've gained a great deal of knowledge that helps me make decisions on what's important to me, and I know this knowledge will be invaluable in my home design and acting as general contractor for my home.

The author has many significantly valuable insights that are usable if you are considering building or building your own house. His information is up-to-date and the book offers plenty of illustrations. I plan to use many of his ideas in the home that I am planning on building this spring.