I want to build the next Grover Haus. I'm only sort of joking.
First realize that land + materials will set you back as much as an existing house.
this
'sheds' (re: a single room thing that looks like a shed to avoid hoas and local laws) are better if thats your thing
These are basically the questions I'm asking myself, and I don't know where to start gaining this information - hence the thread
I think it's unlikely that I'll ever build a house from beginning to end, but I absolutely would like to have the knowledge to do so, even if I only apply that to smaller things, at the least. If I had the knowledge, maybe I could like, add another level to my existing house, or something? Either way, the beginning is to have the knowledge.
look at local construction regulations/standards. that should tell you a lot. what to make foundations out of, where to put reinforcement, etc.
The way most houses are built in the US is pretty idiot proof after the foundation is done. You follow the (rather basic and simple) rules of how you do the framing, and as long as you don't exceed the limits laid out by typical zoning laws for suburban houses, nothing is going to collapse.
There is expertise and education required to set the foundation in a safe and durable way, and there is the same required to do heating, cooling, wiring, etc, but the majority of how they are built is intentionally done so you can hire people who you can barely speak English and treat them like shit and they will still give you good enough results.
Building Construction Illustrated is a legit textbook-style resource thats actually useful to keep on hand. No doubt spans a wider context than what it sounds like you need, but it has tons of 3D diagarams and drawings to help you understand how shit comes together, and the material itself is basically a crash course in architectural construction. I saw used ones online for 30 bucks.
I really appreciate suggestions like this, even if the knowledge seems superfluous, I'd be interested in learning it.
I highly recommend it as someone who studied architecture and personally loves to build shit. Im not on this site a ton these days, but if you ever want feedback or need reliable resources feel free to shoot me a DM. Good luck with your project!
Alternative House Building by Mike McClintock
Has chapters on Log Houses, Timeber -Frame Houses, Pole Houses, Cordwood, Stone, Earth Masonry Houses, and Earth -Sheltered Houses.
Its a bit under 400 pages long with the index. The copy I've got is from 1984. Black and white photos with drawings/diagrams.
Build a yurt. https://rainieroutdoor.com/the-eagle-yurt/
My grandfather lived in his for 35 years.
You wanna do a tiny house project or a regular house project? A tiny house set up is probably doable
To be honest, I mostly just want to know where to find information on any aspect on home construction so that I can fix things or make alterations to my house. At most I want to build a workshop or maybe an addition, but I'd like it to be well-done. As it stands I don't know where to learn things like, laying foundation, or standard practices about deciding 2x4 placement, electrical, plumbing, etc.
Thats a broad range of topics. Billion youtube channels to gst you started. I saw put "how to concrete" in and go from there. I have gotten several nice projects done with just that method.
Problem for me is that I would like to be able to study a project end-to-end before starting on it so that I have better foresight about possible problems I'll run into
Ahh, then start watchiing tiny house building videos to get an overview. It is the same variety of skills to build a regular house but it is small enough in scope a person can youtube doccument the process.
Plus then you get cool stuff like aircrete and other alternative buding tech that a person wouldn't have picked on by osmosing general contracting.
Best bet might be to go to a trade school/community college and take some classes. I'd think homebuilding is one of those things that requires hands on experience to get it right. I think at least some cities have subsidized training for this, so you might be able to do classes for free, or get grants for it.
Youtube is a good starting spot but if you want to get really in-depth and do something properly you can pick up trade textbooks for fairly cheap on ebay. This Old House is a pretty good show if you want something more leisurely.
This is what I'm looking for - can you give me an example of said textbooks so that I have an idea of what I'm looking for?
I'm not sure how much you know, so I'd suggest making sure you have an idea what different trades do and are responsible for in construction. After that, I would either search google for textbooks for that trade. You can also try and see what local trade schools use. It is important to note that code books (ICC, UPC) are for people with knowledge of a trade, but if you end up building an addition or something to your home you will probably want to read and learn those. It also might be a good idea to start with a book aimed at homeowners or amateurs, as it will get you started faster and will be significantly easier to read and digest. If you do build something, don't be afraid to hand certain things over to a professional, there are cases where it can be cheaper, easier, and safer to let someone with the tools and experience take on a job instead of doing it yourself. The next time you have work done, you can also just ask your contractor. Most of them are very friendly and will be happy to let you know.
I went down a youtube rabbit hole last year because i wanted to know how houses were constructed. You can pull together some construction methods in a couple of hours, then it's up to you.
Pretty sure this guy did a series on literally building a house https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzr30osBdTmuFUS8IfXtXmg
YouTube and reddit. There are a few forums but I'm not sure if they're receptive to diy homeowners.
I hired someone to finish my basement, and was kinda astonished how quickly it came together. I'm not saying anyone could do it, but it didn't look super difficult.
I would never do electrical or plumbing myself.
Years later I had a crew build out my back yard, and that was way WAY more work than finishing a basement. In particular, it's a TON of work to date a dirt lot, level it, wait for it to settle, level it again, etc. The preparation of the building site is royal pain in the ass.
