Self-contracting brings demands and changes in lifestyle that aren't for everyone. The information in these tapes is intended to help you make an informed decision about whether or not you want to self-contract. Contracting your own home can provide a tremendous amount of satisfaction: You may save an average of 20 percent off the total construction bill and you get to make all the decisions that determine how the house is built. However, for as long as it takes to plan and build the house you will be tackling what amounts to a very stressful full-time job on top of whatever job you already have.

In the first DVD we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of self-contracting; site selection and house placement; how to read blueprints; hiring subcontractors and scheduling work; getting insurance, mechanical liens, contracts, and change orders; and managing construction steps from excavating for the foundation through electrical rough-ins.

In the second DVD we cover windows and doors, roofing, siding, brick work, drywall, finish surfaces, and fixtures. The tape wraps up with a final construction cost analysis.