Habitat for Humanity: How to Build a House: Revised and Updated

by Angela C. Johnson

The essential, single-volume resource from the world's leading authority on community home Learn to construct a durable, energy-efficient, quality house from foundation to finish.Whether you are a dedicated Habitat for Humanity volunteer, a first-time DIY homebuilder, or a professional looking for efficient construction methods, this comprehensive manual is your indispensable guide.Written by veteran carpenter and long-time Habitat volunteer Larry Haun, this book distills decades of on-the-job experience into simple, manageable tasks that anyone can follow.Aligning perfectly with Habitat's mission to provide safe, affordable housing, this book emphasizes quality craftsmanship and cost-saving techniques. It is the best single-volume resource to empower you to contribute to a building project or take on the monumental challenge of constructing your own home with confidence.This revised and updated edition features over 350 color photos and 100 diagrams to provide crystal-clear, step-by-step guidance on every critical phase of construction.Key Step-by-step guidance: Learn every stage of home building, from site preparation and laying the foundation to framing, roofing, siding, and finishing touches.Expert advice from a pro: Larry Haun, with decades of experience in construction and working with Habitat for Humanity, provides easy-to-understand instructions along with insider tips and best practices for quality workmanship.Illustrations and diagrams: Packed with detailed illustrations, photos, and diagrams, the book breaks down complex processes into simple, manageable tasks that anyone can follow.Updated methods and materials: Reflecting the latest in construction techniques and sustainable building practices, this updated edition includes information on energy-efficient materials and eco-friendly building methods.Perfect for volunteers and DIY builders: Whether you're volunteering with Habitat for Humanity or building your own home, this book is designed for those who want to learn how to construct a durable, affordable house with minimal experience.Pre-Construction Expert advice on site evaluation, understanding permits, handling residential codes, and choosing the righttools and materials for the job.

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, Construction, Architecture, Education, Woodwork

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Aaron Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, Larry Haun is a bad motherfucker. Secondly, this book is based on building a habitat home - a model called the Charlotte(?) - and illustrates very traditional building techniques. The book outlines the methods that Larry Haun and Habitat found to be the most efficient methods for building a house from start to end. The book is a textbook of information for understanding home building-construction, each chapter highlights different phases of development and it offers techniques, illustrations, and tips.

[Daniel Schulte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great pictures and good explanations.

[Katie Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know if this would help if you didn't already know how to build houses, but it was fun to read. For me.

[Cloay · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading this book, 2 things come to my mind:

(1) I won't plan to build a house;

(2) maybe someone can organized a "House Building Training Course", where there are several modules as per the book's section, each student will take turn to be a member of a module in the building process, when several houses are built, every student will have gone through the entire sequence of really building one house. I am keen to be one such student.

[Ti Griego · Rating 3 out of 5]

Welp, I’ve worked at habitat for 5 months now and I can proudly say I know how to build a house from foundation up, and although this book is a bit outdated and it’s not specific to how we necessarily build on each process in Austin Texas, it really is a must have when learning to build a house WITH VOLUNTEERS. as someone who has worked in construction for over 9 year, construction is one thing, habitat is anoth.

[Star Broadnax · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most helpful home builder book I've read.

[Nigella Blunt]

Qur’an: Chapter 2, Verse 74—
Even after that your hearts were hardened and became stony, and even harder yet, for there are some stones which rivers gush out of and there are others which water comes forth from when they split open, and there are still others which collapse out of awe for God. God is not oblivious of what you are doing.

[Asher · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are looking for a complete guide on how to build a house from the ground up, including site preparation, this book is not for you. The entirety of the "Prepare the site" section is some five or six paragraphs, and the book does not cover electrical, excavation, or plumbing whatsoever. Besides that, the information contained seems solid.

[M. Peter Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty good overview--but only an overview--of how to build a single-family residence.

[Eileen]

No star rating since I skimmed more than I read. This is in essence a textbook showing stages of construction on a conventional American-style houses.