| Chapter 1 You Can Save $100,000 1 -- Amazing Cost Savings 1 -- Best Tax-free Way to Make Money 2 -- "Cold Sweat" Equity 4 -- Lowering the Threshold 4 -- Other Benefits 5 -- Myths and Propaganda 7 -- Owner-Builder Misconceptions 12 -- Qualifications of an Owner-Builder 14 -- Chapter 2 Learn The Wealth-Building Secret 17 -- People in Construction Know the Secret 17 -- Free and Clear Step-up Strategy 18 -- Retirement Plan 22 -- Owner-Builder Exclusive 21 -- "Open Up Your Veins" 23 -- D.S.D.E. 23 -- Rock Star Wages 25 -- Guerilla Economics 26 -- Chapter 3 General Contractors Aren't What You Think They Are 29 -- Contractor Games 29 -- You'll Shop Better 33 -- You'll Be More Organized 34 -- You'll Give It More Attention 35 -- You'll Keep Your Savings 36 -- How Much Can You Save? 36 -- When is 10% Not 10%? 37 -- Contractors Mark Up Their Costs to You 39 -- Get Bids from Three Generals 40 -- Chapter 4 You Can Manage Better Than a Contractor 43 -- Management Concept One: "People Often Ingest M&M's" 43 -- Management Concept Two: "Plan Hard, Work Easy" 45 -- Why Plan 46 -- I Want a Thousand Hours! 47 -- Planning Steps 50 -- Act Like You're a Business 60 -- Chapter 5 You Will Profit By Building a True Custom Home 63 -- Starter, Step Up, Custom, Dream House 63 -- Four Ways to Make Money 64 -- Your Dream Home Notebook 66 -- You or the Market? 67 -- Real Estate Survey 71 -- Sub and Supplier Input 73 -- Features of a Custom Home 74 -- A House that Works 75 -- Quality Considerations 77 -- Comfort and Convenience Considerations 79 -- Energy Saving Features 81 -- Chapter 6 Conquer Details Room By Room and Save 20% 83 -- Change Orders Are Costly 83 -- How Specs Save You Money and Get You a Better House 86 -- How to Develop Room by Room Specifications 87 -- Architect vs. Designer 93 -- You Are Ready to See Your Designer 96 -- Good Design Saves Money in Four Ways 97 -- Chapter 7 How to Get the Subs on Your Side 103 -- How to Find Good Subs 103 -- How to Interview Subs 106 -- Detailed, Accurate Bidding 107 -- Get Three Bids from Subs on Each Item 110 -- How to Get Bids 112 -- Follow Up Your Bids 113 -- Chapter 8 How to Build a Budget That Is a Powerful Miracle Tool 117 -- Start with Your Bids from General Contractors 117 -- Spreadsheet Budgeting 118 -- Riverbottoms House Budget 121 -- Budget Worksheet 128 -- "Shop" Your Budget for a While 140 -- Chapter 9 Commando Shopping Techniques 143 -- Price of Marshmallows 143 -- Bargains 145 -- Identify Your Suppliers 149 -- When You Pay for Materials Separately You Save 150 -- How to Use a Computer to Save 152 -- Construction Bargain Strategies 155 -- Chapter 10 How to Schedule the Work at a Savings 165 -- Another Miracle Tool 165 -- Picking the Right People is Half the Battle 167 -- Computer Scheduling 168 -- Live in Your Schedule for a While 169 -- Sample Construction Work Schedule 170 -- Schedule Worksheet 172 -- Back-up Plans to Keep the Work Going 177 -- Schedule Reinforcement Program 178 -- Chapter 11 How to Make Your Lender Swoon 183 -- Your Next Thousand Hour Payoff 183 -- What the Lenders Want 184 -- Your Loan Proposal Book 185 -- Lenders Want to Put a Copy of the License in the File 188 -- Don't Budget Self-Work 189 -- Your Loan Presentation 191 -- Shop for the Right Terms 191 -- Chapter 12 Paperwork Before You Begin 197 -- Anatomy of a Lawsuit 197 -- Get Good Protection 199 -- Lien Waiver 200 -- Write Good Contracts 203 -- City Permits 206 -- Chapter 13 Six Months to Victory 207 -- "Integrate" 207 -- Step One 208 -- How to Get Subs to Show Up 209 -- Rules of Work 210 -- Running the Job 211 -- Cost Accounting 212 -- Daily Record 213 -- Your Video Camera and Other Unlikely Tools 214 -- Emotional Roller Coaster 216 -- Chapter 14 Smooth Execution Saves Money and Improves Quality 219 -- Other Daily Duties 219 -- Why You Need to Be On-Site 222 -- Consensus Breeds Creativity 225 -- Clean Job Saves Five Percent 226 -- Inspector Is Your Friend 227 -- You Can Get Independent Inspections 229 -- Inspections Checklist 230 -- Staying on Schedule 232 -- If You Do Self-Work -- Control It 233 -- Rules of Self-Work 237 -- Sub Recognition 239 -- Chapter 15 Mistakes You Can Avoid And Successes You Can Achieve 243 -- Mistakes 243 -- Disasters 244 -- Successes 246 -- How to Score Yourself 248 -- If You are Married 249 -- Ten Commandments of Owner-Building 251 -- Owner-Builder Savings Secrets 252 -- Chapter 16 If You Decide to Use a Contractor 255 -- There are a Lot of Reasons to Use a General 255 -- How to Hire a General 256 -- Who's Got the Risk? 258 -- You Know What You are Getting Into 261 -- Afterword: Once You're In... 263 -- Minimize Punchlist 263 -- Lower Your Property Taxes 268 -- Better than Wall Street 268 -- Help Someone Else 269. |
