Has anyone gone through the experience of building their own home? By that I mean, actually built the majority of it themselves, with help from family and some subcontracting of tricky or difficult tasks.

If you did build one, was it a one off design, or was it based on a kit or package? How much money (percentage wise) did you you save, if any?

Here's the deal. The wife and I are selling our business in the next few months and will be moving full time to the country place. There is a small vacation house on site now, but we want to build a nicer place,,,something that has HVAC, plumbing, size, ect. that's actually suitable for human habitation.

Now being karmakanics, our business is not worth a whole lot. But I think there might be enough (after paying off the bankers and the other hanger-ons) to acheive my life long ambition, that of being a semi-retired jack of all trades. But, to acheive that, I'll have to maxamize any opportunity. And I think it would be worth a year or two of my life if I spent it building a house that I wouldn't have to turn to the bankers to finance. I've paid those bloodsuckers enough already.

So,,,am I a fool? Is this one of those questions that if you have to ask, you can't do it. (We get a lot of those in our business). Could a hard working family unit build their own place and save 50% with a little artfull (& lawfull) scrounging of materials? We're not talking a mansion here, just a comfortable abode for two people, say 1500 sq. ft. The actual skills needed are mostly available, if a little rusty.

Any input is appreciated. Especially helpful are descriptions of what not to do. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

TIA
Dave