Synopses & Reviews
Low-Cost Wood Homes Construction Manual
by the USDA Forest Service
Less than two generations ago, it was common for people to build their own homes and cottages. Now people who undertake something as simple as a garden shed are considered radically self-sufficient. No government organization did more to encourage self-sufficiency than the USDA with its pamphlets on home canning, home industries, equipment repair, etc. Almost everything it printed instilled confidence by clear explanation of process.
This small book on low-cost homes is a typical example. The project is analyzed step by step. Anyone having basic competence with hand tools could build a structure with this guide. A modern home is more complex than the examples used here, but this will serve admirably for summer cottages and small outbuildings.
There is still great satisfaction in building something that keeps you dry, warm and out of the elements. This book gives you the basic information you need to do it.