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Build Your House Yourself University

Wish you knew more about the biggest investment you will most likely ever make? Build Your House Yourself University (byhyu) will teach you to save money and make smart decisions about the construction of the place you and your family will call HOME. We will help you understand residential construction— simplify and demystify the design build process. You’ll come away with successful strategies for building your own house, with or without a general contractor. Become an educated consumer, even if you prefer to buy, rather than build a new house. Complex construction jargon and best practices will be explained in easy to understand terms. It’s not the typical DIY (do it yourself) show. You will learn how to MANAGE the labor, not DO the labor for your new house. Join me, Michelle Nelson, host and fellow informal residential construction student. I’ll share the research I find on home design and building as I prepare to build my home. Together, our community of future home builders, will learn the tips, tricks and trends of experienced contractors and industry experts. I’ll interview owner-builders and construction professionals. During our mini lessons, I’ll inform you about framing, flooring, windows, insulation, kitchen cabinets and countertops…almost anything having to do with new construction homes. You’ll hear about energy efficiency and green building too. There will be product reviews in which you will be introduced to cutting edge, as well as, tried and true products and services. And in keeping with the university theme, episodes will end with short, fun quizzes. If we do our due diligence BEFORE we start construction, we will actually start construction with the most difficult part of the project behind us. Let’s put in the time, effort, preparation and research BEFORE we break ground and building our homes will be much easier and more enjoyable.
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Now displaying: October, 2016
Oct 26, 2016

Windows are one the few features that affect the appearance of both the inside and outside of your home.  They also majorly affect your home’s overall comfort and energy efficiency.   Windows provide natural light, ventilation, and views of your surroundings. Choosing the right windows for your new home is one of the most important decisions you’ll make.  This week’s mini lesson will be the first of a short series we’ll do on windows.  Today we’ll cover the different window styles and some quick tips to help you with your home’s window design.

Show notes at BYHYU.com

Oct 19, 2016

Because we go over so much information from week to week, it’s important to review that information to increase our chances of retaining it.  So, this week we have a semester exam. I’ll ask questions based on the mini lessons and interviews from episodes 21 to 39.  The questions and answers will serve as a review of some important points that you should have learned from each episode.

Show notes at BYHYU.com

Oct 12, 2016

A couple of weeks ago, I was interviewed by someone who was writing an article for realtor.com.  She wanted me to talk about what I call practical luxury. What I mean by practical luxury is something that’s an indulgence, not a necessity, but that you and your family will actually use on a pretty regular basis.  Gone are the days when the typical homeowners are adding luxurious features to their homes simply for bragging rights, or to keep up with the Jones.

This week we’ll talk about 2 practical indulgences for your master bathroom that, for most people, are totally  worth the splurge. We’ll cover radiant heated floors and bidet toilet seats.  These features will not  only make your bathroom more luxurious, but they can add value to your home and make it stand out among other homes on the market, if you ever decide to sell. Practical luxury is a current trend that I believe will continue to be important in new homes for many years to come.

Show notes at BYHYU.com

Oct 5, 2016

Do you assume that a traditional wood framed house is what’s best for you?  Granted, stick built houses with traditional wood framing assembled completely on site are by far the most popular type of homes built in the United States.  More than 82% of new homes built in the US are stick built.  But there are other types of construction that can result in a quality built home.  And some of those alternatives can give you a stronger, more energy efficient house that’s quicker to build than a traditional stick built house. 

In this week’s mini lesson, I’ll talk about stick framing, plus go over some the most popular alternatives.   They include panelized homes, steel framed houses, modular homes, and concrete houses.  I’ll give a brief overview of each type of construction.  You’ll probably be surprised by some of the advantages of the alternative building methods.

Show notes at BYHYU.com

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