Section 01 — Feasibility
Should you build it yourself?
Four honest checks — temperament, money, time, and your state’s law — before you commit a dollar to an owner-built house.
Sheets04
StageWeek 1–2
Comes beforePlanning
CostFree
Feasibility checks
Four questions to answer first
FS-01 — FS-04
Owner-building saves real money, but not for everyone and not in every state. These four checks are the ones worth running before you spend anything — a weekend here is what keeps a bad fit from costing you a year.
FS-01Is Owner-Building Right for You?An honest self-assessment from a retired GC — the financial, skill, and temperament questions that decide whether you should do this at all.self-assessmentFS-02Cost Savings CalculatorPut a number on it. Factors in typical GC markup, the value of your own labor, and material costs to estimate what you would actually keep.savings estimateFS-03Time CommitmentRealistic weekly hours and total duration, phase by phase, from someone who has actually run the schedule instead of guessing at it.12–18 monthsFS-04Owner-Builder Laws by StateWhat your state actually lets you do — permit access, licensing thresholds, insurance requirements, and how soon you can sell.state rules