"The Design/Build process is an artistic endeavor as well as requiring technical know-how. Tom provides information in a simple, easy to understand, and sometimes humorous manner." -Jason Paulsen

Whether you're hiring a GENERAL CONTRACTOR, using a CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANT or managing your job as an OWNER/BUILDER, you can use the resources at ownerbuilder.com to get the home you want.

Tom Landis encourages collaboration throughout the home building and remodeling process. As a journalist, educator and builder, Tom just wants folks to avoid the glitches and meet the challenges of the residential Design/Build process. Tom's seminar on how to "Better Manage Your Project," his weekly "Down Home Radio Show," and his free, online "Consumer's Guide" are dedicated to those individuals with the tenacity to develop healthy relationships through cooperation between the entire building community.

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The Home Building Consumer's Guide is specifically produced for individuals who want to personally get involved in the Design/Build process for a home building or remodeling project. It takes a very integrated approach to the construction industry, and professionals and consumers alike are provided with a very practical, 200+ page guide to enhance how to work well within the construction industry.

Participants in the Design/Build process are empowered to become better collaborators. This is not another "How To" approach which leads you through the hands-on labor of residential construction. Rather, it allows you to better understand the decision making process whether you work with a construction consultant, general contractor, or act as an owner/builder.

The checklists, models, forms, and guidelines act as a prompt to help you analyze the unique circumstances of your project. To further assist in your planning and organizing efforts, the resources at "Related Links" and "News" and "Subs/Vendors" are to be used in conjunction with the Home Building Consumer's Guide as a means to fully investigate home design and construction resources. You need to develop a working relationship within the building community as a whole.

The Consumer's Guide is the result of 25 years experience in building construction. I have opened my personal files to Owners because consumer advocacy in Design/Build process is my primary concern. This guide represents many hours of painstaking effort to record what I consider the basic elements of residential architecture and construction. Please respect that this guide has great proprietary value to Owner Builder Services and should only be copied or reproduced for your construction project. The information presented symbolizes the headaches, sleepless nights, sweat, blisters, successful project completions, and countless little victories in a variety of construction settings, and my hope is you'll be able to avoid "doing it the hard way."

The Consumer's Guide has been written to provide valid and reliable information for managing residential architecture and construction. It is produced with the understanding that the author is not offering professional architectural, engineering, legal or accounting services. Given individual differences and unique conditions, every situation should be given the respect it deserves by consulting a Construction Manager, Architect, Engineer, Lawyer or Accountant for specialized advice required by your project.

The Consumer's Guide is for people who want to be closely involved in residential architecture and construction. All parts of the guide are interdependent and the document should be read in its entirety before proceeding with any single section. The contents attempt to bring order to the complexity of the Design/Build process. As a management tool, it offers a systems approach to residential architecture and construction taking into consideration both home design details and building methods. Rather than delve into esoteric theory, you'll find the information to be very practical and immediately useful.

The Consumer's Guide assists individuals in planning and organizing a home building project whether remodel or new construction. With the proper orientation, a motivated person is able to make application at their own pace, in their own space. This allows for different learning rates among individuals …and you take control of managing residential architecture and construction.

The Owner is the linking pin for the entire organization. You must contend effectively with the many decisions that'll be made during the design and construction phases of your home building or remodeling endeavor. You'll establish the relationship between ideas and events.

You must remain a creative problem solver!