1. Hiring an architect:
We discussed previously the idea of choosing an architect that specializes inhigh-performance Eco-friendly home designand can co-ordinate the work. They should be able to help you find general contractors and subcontractors that can help you carry out your work according to plan.
对于没有经验的人来说，这条路线可能是压力最小的，但也可能是最昂贵的。预计要额外支付总建筑成本的10%。如果你的项目是翻新或真正中等大小的房子，这可能不是你现有资金的最佳用途。
2. Finding a general contractor:
Sadly there are not a ton of general contractors that are truly committed and specialize in ecological home construction, but that is changing. Even if you have no intention to certify your home toLEEDorPassive House standards，寻找曾经参与过这类项目的承包商。
If you are unsuccessful in finding experienced green builders, find some you trust that show an interest in learning. You can present it as a great business opportunity for them to break into this quickly growing market, and see about getting a discount in the process, as you will likely have to be involved in ensuring your project truly stays on a green track.
Many builders would like to build smarter homes, but they need the clientele to get experience, and oftentimes clients are apprehensive about breaking from the norm, making it a catch 22 situation for the industry as a whole. If you go this route, pat yourself on the back for bringing one more contractor into the folds of green building.
3. Choosing a prefab home:
Prefab home manufacturers are beginning to pick up ongreen building trendsand are starting to incorporate the principles of eco-design into their products.
Though they were late getting into the game, Prefabs are now credible competitors in the housing market with some really great new designs and innovations.
If you are going this route look into a home that is at least Novoclimat certified (minimum 25% energy savings compared to conventional housing), you can even findLEEDand Passive House pre-fab kit homes.
There are two significant environmental benefits with prefab houses: their components have never been exposed to the elements, and all their cuts are made at the factory where everything iscalculated to minimize losses. So right here you are reducing the waste generated by your project.
这种选择不一定比承包商在现场建造的房子便宜，但交货时间表可能更现实。这对计划是有益的，并帮助你更快地过渡到你的新家。If anaffordable prefab Rancher style eco homes on one level are most suitable, see herefor the Abri range - ideal for retirement or reduced mobility families.
It can be a bit of a juggling act to purchase property and finance a building project while continuing to pay for housing through rentals or mortgages. In this way, a Prefab home can save you some money, simply by not carrying two properties for the year or so during a building project.
4. Building a house yourself:
不要因为你认为你可以省下一大笔钱而选择这个选项，因为很多原因并不一定是这样。根据你的经验，可能会有一个巨大的学习曲线，在这个过程中你可能会犯错误。也要给你的时间赋予价值;你要么放弃余生的周末生活，要么就需要从小件工厂的工作岗位上请假。
This is not meant to talk you out of it, but to help you realize what you are getting into. You will need a place to live during the build, which means carrying two mortgages, renting, or finding other living arrangements.
Moving into the home before it is completed is a tempting option, and for some the only option. This will undoubtedly lead to a later completion date, and a whole host of unfinished components, as you rush to make it liveable and tell yourself “I’ll get to that later.”
One option to investigate if you have the available funds, is purchasing a trailer to live in. They tend to hold their value well if not abused or driven, so you can live on site and sell it afterwards.
5. Prefab homes and kit homes:
You can purchase a shell (four walls and a roof), and finish the inside yourself. This can be an interesting option for the beginner who wants to build their own home but is intimidated by the idea of taking on an entire building project.
Manufacturers of prefabricated homescan help you with this, as well as many general contractors — simply make your contract raising and closing the home, keeping interior finishing work for yourself.
It’s not a great idea to leave your home exposed to the elements for too long and this route protects your investment by having it raised and protected from rain in a time frame that you couldn’t do on your own.
无论你是全部还是部分自己做，如果有一个方面你真的不熟悉，你总是可以自己找到分包商来克服令人生畏的障碍。
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