Owning a home is part of the American dream. Almost everyone would like to be able to say that they own their own home. For many part of that dream is building their own new home, built to their own tastes and needs. Most people would be better off hiring a general contractor to oversee the building of a new home but it is possible; however time consuming, to be your own general contractor. This paper will explain the 5 general steps of building a new home. These steps include organizing the build, building the foundation, framing, exterior finishing, and interior finishing.
             The organizing of a build can be the most important step in building a new home. This is the time when financing is secured, the site is selected, plans are chosen, necessary permits are applied for, subcontractors submit bids, and the building schedule is established.
             Financing is definitely the first step in the process because the amount of financing available to the builder can be the deciding factor in where the house is built, what type of house is built, and how the house will be finished.
             Site selection is another major decision in building a new home. Many subdivisions have code which new homes must conform to which limits the builder in choosing plans for the home, this could cost the builder more money than they were planning to spend or force them to build their home in a style that they do not like. For this reason it is very important to find out what the codes call for in potential subdivisions or choose a lot that does not have these restrictions. Once a site is chosen plans should be agreed upon. The plans should conform to available space, local code, and budget as well as being to the liking of the builder.
             Once all of these decisions are made it is time to find subcontractors. Most of the time subcontractors bid the jobs they would like to be involved in. Once bids have been received the builder must decide whom the job will be awar...