Design and Build Your New House
Find step-by-step instructions and cost-saving advice for designing and building your dream house. These articles and resources will help you as you purchase your building lot, choose a floor plan, select architectural features, hire pros, and budget your finances.
Plan for Hidden Costs
Before you get far into the planning process, be sure you know how much you can safely spend when you build your new home. Watch out for these hidden home construction costs.
Before you get far into the planning process, be sure you know how much you can safely spend when you build your new home. Watch out for these hidden home construction costs.
Before You Build
Building a new home begins long before the foundation is poured. Here are the five most important steps you must take to avoid costly mistakes during the construction process.
Building a new home begins long before the foundation is poured. Here are the five most important steps you must take to avoid costly mistakes during the construction process.
Add More Storage to Your Home
Sure, you can increase the storage in your home by adding shelves, installing cabinets, and purchasing wardrobes and armoires. But the best time to think about storage is before you build. Here are tips.
Sure, you can increase the storage in your home by adding shelves, installing cabinets, and purchasing wardrobes and armoires. But the best time to think about storage is before you build. Here are tips.
Build an Energy-Efficient, Earth-Friendly House
Australian architect and Pritzker Prize Laureate Glenn Murcutt is known for designing energy-efficient, earth-friendly homes. Even if you live far from the "land down under," you can apply Glenn Murcutt's ideas to your own home-building project.
Australian architect and Pritzker Prize Laureate Glenn Murcutt is known for designing energy-efficient, earth-friendly homes. Even if you live far from the "land down under," you can apply Glenn Murcutt's ideas to your own home-building project.
Build on a Budget
You can cut costs without compromising comfort and beauty.
You can cut costs without compromising comfort and beauty.
Build Your House the Murcutt Way
Most of us will never own a home designed by a world renown architect. But even on a budget, you can apply the ideas of Pritzker Prize winner, Glenn Murcutt. Here's how.
Most of us will never own a home designed by a world renown architect. But even on a budget, you can apply the ideas of Pritzker Prize winner, Glenn Murcutt. Here's how.
Building Your New Home
A builder may pour the foundation and raise the roof, but only you can make your new house a home. A seasoned architect offers tips to help you avoid costly and heartbreaking mistakes.
A builder may pour the foundation and raise the roof, but only you can make your new house a home. A seasoned architect offers tips to help you avoid costly and heartbreaking mistakes.
Do You Need An Architect?
Is an architect really necessary? Or, can you build your dream home using stock plans? Here are guidelines to help you decide.
Is an architect really necessary? Or, can you build your dream home using stock plans? Here are guidelines to help you decide.
Exterior Siding Options
Nothing will impact the appearance of your home more dramatically than the type of siding you choose. As you shop for exterior siding, look for a material that suits the style of your house and also fits your lifestyle. Listed here are the most popular materials for exterior siding, along with links to resources that will help you with your decision.
Nothing will impact the appearance of your home more dramatically than the type of siding you choose. As you shop for exterior siding, look for a material that suits the style of your house and also fits your lifestyle. Listed here are the most popular materials for exterior siding, along with links to resources that will help you with your decision.
Find Stock House Plans
Browse the Web and you'll find hundreds of building plan publishers. How do you select your dream house plan? Find answers here.
Browse the Web and you'll find hundreds of building plan publishers. How do you select your dream house plan? Find answers here.
Four Months To Build A New House: A Photo Tour
The construction of a new home begins with preparing the empty lot. Forms laid in the ground suggest what the finished home might look like. These photos show the process of new home construction.
The construction of a new home begins with preparing the empty lot. Forms laid in the ground suggest what the finished home might look like. These photos show the process of new home construction.
House Horror Tales
From the House of Mirth to The House of Seven Gables, writers have put architecture on front stage. Did your dream house turn into a nightmare? Tell us your own house horror tales.
From the House of Mirth to The House of Seven Gables, writers have put architecture on front stage. Did your dream house turn into a nightmare? Tell us your own house horror tales.
How Much Will It Cost?
Knowing how much your dream house will cost can help you modify your plans to meet your budget. Here are handy tips plus links to easy building cost estimators.
Knowing how much your dream house will cost can help you modify your plans to meet your budget. Here are handy tips plus links to easy building cost estimators.
Top Home Design Programs For Beginners
Anyone with a dream and a computer can draw detailed floor plans and create stunning 3D views using these software programs. Here are our top picks, along with handy price comparisons.
Anyone with a dream and a computer can draw detailed floor plans and create stunning 3D views using these software programs. Here are our top picks, along with handy price comparisons.
Top Ten Trends in Home Design
Tomorrow's homes are on the drawing board and they are nothing like the places you may recall from your childhood. Watch for these important trends in home design.
Tomorrow's homes are on the drawing board and they are nothing like the places you may recall from your childhood. Watch for these important trends in home design.
Villages of Loreto Bay, Mexico: Photo Gallery
The Villages of Loreto Bay is an eco-friendly, New Urbanist community now under construction along the Sea of Cortez in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Explore our photo gallery for home designs and neighborhood views.
The Villages of Loreto Bay is an eco-friendly, New Urbanist community now under construction along the Sea of Cortez in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Explore our photo gallery for home designs and neighborhood views.
What Is "Domotics"?
Definition of the term 'domotics' with a discussion of smart home technologies and home automation systems.
Definition of the term 'domotics' with a discussion of smart home technologies and home automation systems.
What is a "Smart House"?
Definition of the term 'smart house' with a discussion of smart home technologies and home automation systems.
Definition of the term 'smart house' with a discussion of smart home technologies and home automation systems.
Where to Build?
The land you build on will shape your new house in surprising ways. These tips will help you choose the best building lot for your new house.
The land you build on will shape your new house in surprising ways. These tips will help you choose the best building lot for your new house.