Kit Houses

• Kit houses are available in a variety of styles. You can find dome houses, log cabins, timber frame houses, panelized homes and steel-frame kit homes. There are also prefab cubical structures that can be stacked together. For the complete do-it-yourselfer, you can buy blueprints and build the house entirely from scratch.
  
  Before embarking on building your own home, research the various makers of kit houses. Look over the plans and see how clearly the instructions are laid out. If the instructions don't make sense, chances are you'll make numerous mistakes in the construction of your home. Some kit homes are very basic, requiring board by board construction while others come with prefabricated sections that are put together. Decide which design is right for your project. Also make sure that the land you buy can have a kit home put on it.
  
  If you are not a licensed plumber or electrician, consider contracting out for those stages of your home's development. These are not areas you want to have difficulties in once the house is finished. Faulty wiring or wiring done with the wrong grade of wire can lead to fires. And faulty plumbing can lead to flooding and systems backing up.
  
  Also consider having professionals lay down your foundation as a bad foundation can lead to numerous (and sometimes catastrophic) issues down the line. If your foundation shifts or cracks, it can cause problems with your plumbing. At best, an uneven foundation leads to sloped floors that will make flooring difficult.
  
  Throughout the construction process, you will have to have inspectors view the work and give it a passing rating. Make sure all framing is up to code standards. Keep your walls and corners square while framing them and putting up sheet rock will go easier. Remember to measure twice and cut once.