| Do not be in too big a hurry to begin the finish | | | | buy one, there are several ways to go about it. |
| work. Wait until the plaster is thoroughly dry; two | | | | You can get an architect to plan the house and |
| or three weeks should elapse from the time the | | | | get a contractor to build it; this should result in |
| plaster is completed before the finish lumber, | | | | just the "perfect" house for you, but can be |
| flooring, doors, and cabinets are even brought into | | | | expensive unless you are more than careful. Hire |
| the house. Otherwise, the moisture from the | | | | the plans drawn and be your own contractor, |
| plastering will swell the wood and damage the | | | | letting the work out to sub-contractors, as |
| surface of the finish lumber. An extra few days' | | | | concrete men, carpenters, electricians, plasterers, |
| waiting will result in a much better job of finishing. | | | | etc. Do this only if you have had considerable |
| An accurate account of the cost of a building | | | | business experience and have plenty of time to |
| should be kept as the work progresses. This is | | | | devote to it, as the supervision of these |
| not too difficult if one is careful to keep all bills, | | | | workmen is what you pay the general contractor |
| vouchers, receipts, check stubs, and all other | | | | to do. You might get plans out of a magazine and |
| papers involved in buying the materials, getting | | | | proceed as suggested above; or get some |
| the permits, and paying the labor. It is also a good | | | | experienced person to help you with the plans |
| idea to keep an account of the hours you spend | | | | and build part of the house yourself, hiring |
| in the building work. Keep a separate account of | | | | professional help only where necessary. Of you |
| the time spent in actual labor on the job really | | | | could buy a lot, draw your own plans, and do the |
| building and the work spent in buying, negotiating | | | | whole job yourself, with the help of your family, |
| with contractors, subcontractors, and building | | | | hiring specialized skills only where absolutely |
| officials. It makes an interesting record if a note is | | | | necessary. This is the most work, but can' also be |
| made of the exact kind of work done each day, | | | | the most fun and the least expensive. Much |
| to see how the various kinds of work consume | | | | depends on your experience, your skill, and the |
| time. A very young man may wish to hire help | | | | time you can afford to devote to the work. If |
| for the more skilled types of work and do the | | | | you decide to hire a general contractor to build |
| more strenuous physical work himself, while a | | | | for you, select him with care. There are several |
| man in his fifties or sixties might prefer to hire | | | | criteria by which to judge a contractor's ability and |
| the heavy work done and do the skilled and more | | | | competence. Ask to see several houses that he |
| puttering kinds of work himself. This will vary with | | | | has built; let him show you the houses, which he |
| the individual, and the type of help he can get. A | | | | should be proud to do, and look them over |
| person should usually plan on hiring some help in | | | | carefully. If you do decide to purchase a house |
| building a house, as it is rare to find a person who | | | | always use a mortgage calculator to help you get |
| can do skillfully all kinds of work necessary to do | | | | the best mortgage. |
| in a building. If you would rather build a house than | | | | |