How To Learn To Build A House is a skill obtainable through a structured educational process. With LEARNS.EDU.VN’s comprehensive guide, you’ll discover the concepts, necessary skills, and valuable resources to effectively construct your own home. By understanding architectural designs and construction management, you’ll gain expertise in building methods, home construction, and DIY home construction techniques.
Table of Contents
- Get an Introductory Book on DIY House Building
- Start Watching Home Building YouTube Channels
- Choose a House Style & Study it
- Teach Yourself the Basics of Home Design
- Educate Yourself on Home Construction Budgeting
- Learn About Local Building Codes & Permits
- Understand the Stages of House Construction
- Start Doing Smaller Building Projects
- Enroll in an In-Person Home Construction Course
- Build a Tiny House, Shed, or Log Cabin
- Volunteer With Habitat for Humanity
- Finally: Build Your Custom Dream House
- FAQ
1. Get an Introductory Book on DIY House Building
To kickstart your journey into home construction, an introductory book is invaluable. “The Complete Guide to Contracting Your Home” is highly recommended. It provides insights into managing the entire construction process, from initial planning to final landscaping. This resource is packed with checklists and worksheets that help you master the skills required for effective home construction management.
The book’s comprehensiveness makes it suitable for beginners, yet it delves into advanced topics as well. Matt K. suggests, “If I were a beginner, I’d buy this book and read it twice before attempting to build your own home… The investment and time putting into this book will payoff a huge amount of return on investment. Follow the book and it’s worksheets.”
To maximize the book’s utility, initially skim it to grasp the overall scope of home building, then refer back to specific sections as needed during your construction project. LEARNS.EDU.VN offers additional resources to complement your reading, ensuring a well-rounded understanding.
2. Start Watching Home Building YouTube Channels
YouTube is a goldmine of practical knowledge for aspiring home builders. Channels like Armchair Builder focus on teaching essential concepts and skills for owner-builders. Watching these videos can provide visual demonstrations and real-world examples that books alone cannot offer.
For example, Armchair Builder has videos detailing the cost of building a new small designer home on your own. Additionally, many channels document entire home construction journeys, offering inspiration and practical advice as you watch owner-builders tackle challenges and execute their plans. The “Building a House by Myself” series is one such example.
Furthermore, if you are particularly interested in specific aspects of home building like framing or design, you can find dedicated YouTube channels that cover these topics in detail. Incorporating these videos into your daily routine can provide a valuable primer and motivator for your home-building project. LEARNS.EDU.VN also curates video resources to streamline your learning experience.
3. Choose a House Style & Study It
Selecting a specific architectural housing style is a critical step. Options range from farmhouse and Cape Cod to colonial, craftsman, Mediterranean, and ranch-style houses. Each style has unique advantages and challenges, making it essential to research thoroughly.
“A Field Guide to American Houses” is an excellent resource for understanding various housing styles. It surveys popular styles and includes numerous photos and line drawings to help you visualize each option. When considering which style to build, factor in difficulty level, cost, and potential for future add-ons.
Once you choose a style, immerse yourself in learning its nuances. Read extensively about the style, take tours of houses built in that style, and watch relevant YouTube videos. First-time owner-builders often opt for easier-to-build styles, but don’t let the challenge deter you from your dream home.
Most Affordable House Style for Beginner Owner-Builders?
Ranch-style and colonial-style homes are generally the most affordable for beginner owner-builders. Ranch-style homes typically feature a simple rectangular shape, while colonial-style homes are symmetrical and boxy. Simpler, boxier designs are more cost-efficient. LEARNS.EDU.VN provides resources comparing different house styles to help you make an informed decision.
4. Teach Yourself the Basics of Home Design
Learning home design basics is crucial. You can learn to use software and apps to design your home, ranging from cooperating with an architect to becoming a home architect yourself. Many owner-builders use pre-designed floor plans to save time, but designing yourself gives more control over the home’s look.
Affordable design software like SketchUp makes this possible:
Even if an architect needs to tweak your plan for permit approval, they’ll be editing a base you created. Plus, these tools are fun to use. The steps to designing your own home include:
- Write Down Your Essentials: List must-have features, such as the number of bedrooms or a deck.
- Learn About Your Lot: Review the lot’s plat map to understand property lines, easements, and regulations.
- Use a 3-D Design Tool: Utilize software like SketchUp for easy home design.
- Show Your Design to an Architect: Consult a licensed professional to assess feasibility and suggest edits.
Bob Vila’s article on how to get started designing your own home offers greater detail. If this seems overwhelming, “The Forever Home: How to Work With An Architect to Design the Home of Your Dreams” teaches you enough about home architecture to collaborate effectively with an architect. LEARNS.EDU.VN offers design courses for further education.
5. Educate Yourself on Home Construction Budgeting
Creating a preliminary home construction budget is a critical financial planning step. It ensures you don’t overspend or design an unaffordable house. This process forces you to confront the real costs of home building, promoting efficient operations.
A simple preliminary budget involves multiplying the average square foot cost in your area by the square footage of each part of your home. Local builders can provide this square foot cost based on your home’s specifications and style. This calculation gives you the total estimated cost of building your house.
After estimating the total project cost, divide it into the estimated costs of each construction phase. Doing some phases yourself can drastically undercut those costs. Many online house budget templates exist, some specifying the percentage of your total budget each aspect of home building should cost.
Owner Builder’s in-depth guide on creating a budget estimate provides more details. Remember, your budget will evolve as you learn more about your construction needs. LEARNS.EDU.VN offers budgeting tools and courses to help you manage your project finances effectively.
6. Learn About Local Building Codes & Permits
If you’re planning to build your own house, you’ll have to learn about local building codes and acquire necessary permits before you start working. These depend on your location and can change dramatically. Sometimes you won’t need any permits, but you’ll have to build a house that’s up to code.
Having permits and code in order will ensure that you get insurance and financing for your project.
For some reading, this article from Accidental Hippies is a good starting place to learn the ins and outs of staying in compliance with local building codes.
LEARNS.EDU.VN offers legal and regulatory resources, including guides on obtaining permits and understanding local building codes.
7. Understand the Stages of House Construction
Knowing the overall process for building a house is crucial. The home building process typically includes site prep, foundation, framing, electrical and plumbing, insulation, drywall, and interior and exterior finishes.
Even if you hire contractors, knowing the work in each stage is important.
Site Preparation
This stage involves acquiring permits and ensuring the ground is safe to dig. Call 811, the Safe to Dig hotline, to check for electrical lines and hazards.
Next, level the site with a bulldozer and backhoe, removing rocks, roots, and debris. Dig for the septic system and basement, if applicable. Hiring an excavator crew is common, but you can learn bulldozer grading to save money.
Foundation
In this stage, create the home’s base, often concrete. It separates the house from the earth and anchors them together, protecting against natural disasters.
Laying the foundation is complicated and depends on your soil, climate, and local codes. Jay Cork from The Family Handyman recommends outsourcing this:
“We don’t suggest pouring your own foundation. It’s expensive, time consuming and can be dangerous for DIYers. This is one project that you should hire a professional to do.”
— Jay Cork, The Family Handyman
Learn about the foundation laying process with a helpful guide.
Framing
Framing involves erecting the walls and creating the roof and floor, building the “shell” of your house.
Learn to frame a house by reading The Complete Book of Framing. It teaches basic carpentry for framing and installing walls, roofs, floors, doors, windows, and stairs.
Electrical, Plumbing, & HVAC
After framing, install the house’s plumbing, AC, and heating items, including bath and shower fixtures, HVAC vent pipes, ducts, and water supply lines. An electrician then installs electrical wiring, outlets, and switches.
Owner-builders often hire specialists for these tasks. If you do any of them yourself, your work must pass inspections to ensure safety and code compliance.
Insulation
Insulation keeps the indoor climate comfortable and improves energy efficiency. Proper insulation lowers home energy costs.
Different types of insulation material exist, not just the pink fluffy kind.
Here’s a video on the two major types of insulation material: mineral wool and fiberglass:
Many DIYers choose to do this themselves to reduce costs. According to the Insulation Institute, “insulating fiberglass or mineral wool are simple DIY projects.”
For more complicated insulation material, such as spray foam, hire a professional.
Learn how to do home insulation yourself with The Family Handyman’s article How to Insulate a House.
Drywall
In the drywall stage, install drywall, the construction material used for ceilings and interior walls.
Here is a great video series that teaches you how to install dry-wall on your own.
After drywall is in, your house will start to look like something you could actually live in. The house construction process is nearing its close.
Interior & Exterior Finishes
During this stage, the house will start to look like a finished product. You’ll install cabinets and hardwood flooring, carpeting and all the other finishing touches. You might also handle landscaping in your yard or manage other exterior finishes.
After you’ve completed this stage, and you do a final inspection with a certified inspector, you’ll be able to move your stuff in and enjoy your dream home. LEARNS.EDU.VN provides detailed guides and courses for each stage of construction, along with expert advice and support.
8. Start Doing Smaller Building Projects
A practical approach to learning basic house building skills is to undertake smaller, low-cost DIY home improvement projects. These might include installing a closet, building a shelf, or expanding a deck.
Such projects provide hands-on experience and teach you new construction skills and concepts that will be valuable when you decide to build your own house. If you don’t currently own a home, offer your skills to friends or family members. Another option is to buy and renovate fixer-uppers, gaining experience with each project.
9. Enroll in an In-Person Home Construction Course
Consider enrolling in an in-person home building course. The interactive environment allows you to get hands-on experience under the guidance of a professional.
One popular school is called the Shelter Institute, praised for its teaching methods:
“I want to give you a yardstick, a gold standard, by which to measure good schooling. The Shelter Institute in Bath, Maine will teach you how to build a three thousand square-foot, multi-level Cape Cod home in three weeks’ time, whatever your age. If you stay another week, it will show you how to make your own posts and beams; you’ll actually cut them out and set them up. You’ll learn wiring, plumbing, insulation, the works. Twenty thousand people have learned how to build a house there for about the cost of one month’s tuition in public school.”
– John Taylor Gatto
Unfortunately, they’re up in Maine, and they don’t seem to franchise. But people do travel from all around the country to attend, staying in the area during the course. If you can’t travel, they offer online courses, which are more affordable:
There also might be other businesses in your area teaching people how to build houses. Googling “in person home construction classes near me” is a good first step.
10. Build a Tiny House, Shed, or Log Cabin
Tiny houses, sheds, and small log cabins offer excellent practice for building a full dream home.
Requiring fewer materials and less money, they provide opportunities to practice and hone your skills without taking on too much risk. Plus, they’re pretty cool to have on your property and can easily be converted into a home office, cozy getaway, barroom, or something else fun. If not, they can always be used for storage.
Here’s a cool video about how to build a shed in your yard (w/o sheeting or foundation):
Even though they’re small projects, still be sure to check with building code and land regulations whenever constructing something on your property. If it’s small enough, you probably won’t need a permit.
11. Volunteer With Habitat for Humanity
The non-profit Habitat for Humanity focuses on building and restoring shelters and homes for those in need.
By volunteering on a build site, you’ll not only give people a safe and comfortable place to live but also gain building skills that you can then apply to your own projects. Working alongside skilled homebuilders, learning from them, observing them, and asking questions will help you grow as a builder while giving back to your community.
Find a local Habitat near you.
12. Finally: Build Your Custom Dream House
The aspiring artist learns more from the act of painting than they do from reading books about painting.
Through action, they identify their knowledge gaps and weaknesses, and they bump up against problems that they need to solve.
These findings guide their self education. They know which questions to ask professionals, which masters to study, and which books to read.
Plus, after they learn whatever they needed to solve their problem, they can apply that technique, which makes the knowledge of it stick in their memory.
This same dynamic applies to teaching yourself homebuilding as well.
The best way to force yourself to truly learn the art and craft of building houses is by doing it and learning as you go.
So get out there, start the homebuilding process, and go try to choose a house style. You’ll learn a bunch in just that first step.
Ready to take the next step in building your dream home? LEARNS.EDU.VN provides a wealth of resources, expert guidance, and detailed courses to support your journey. Whether you’re looking for in-depth construction techniques or financial planning tools, we have everything you need. Visit LEARNS.EDU.VN today to explore our courses and start building the home you’ve always dreamed of. Contact us at 123 Education Way, Learnville, CA 90210, United States. WhatsApp: +1 555-555-1212. Website: learns.edu.vn.
13. FAQ
- How long does it take to learn to build a house?
- The time varies depending on your learning approach and dedication. Some people learn the basics in a few months, while others take a few years to become proficient.
- Is it cheaper to build or buy a house?
- Building can be cheaper, but it depends on factors like land cost, materials, labor, and your ability to do some work yourself.
- What are the first steps in building a house?
- The first steps include planning, budgeting, acquiring land, and obtaining necessary permits.
- Can I build a house with no experience?
- Yes, but it’s advisable to gain some experience through smaller projects, courses, or volunteering.
- What skills do I need to build a house?
- Essential skills include carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, and construction management.
- How do I get a construction loan?
- Research different lenders, prepare a detailed budget, and present your building plans.
- What are the common mistakes to avoid when building a house?
- Common mistakes include underestimating costs, neglecting permits, and poor planning.
- How do I find reliable contractors?
- Seek referrals, check reviews, and verify licenses and insurance.
- What are the latest trends in home building?
- Latest trends include sustainable building, smart home technology, and energy efficiency.
- How do I ensure my house is energy efficient?
- Use proper insulation, energy-efficient windows and appliances, and consider solar power.
