Building your own home, rather than hiring a general contractor, makes you the boss and gives you control over the two most important aspects of building a home: keeping costs down by managing funds and monitoring the process of construction.

Save money. Probably the number one reason to own-builder is to save money. You can save 15% to 30% or more on the construction price. That means for a $200,000 home, you can save between $30,000 and $60,000.

Exactly how much you can save depends on what the market is in your area and how well you do at hiring subcontractors and purchasing materials. That doesn’t mean you should take the lowest bids with your subcontractors.

Quality is more important than price, but you may be able to get a real “gem” from a subcontractor who does quality work and can offer you a good price.

When it comes to shopping for materials, taking the time to shop around to see what’s on sale, like tile or hardwood flooring, can save you a lot of money.

Control of funds. One of the main benefits of building your house yourself is that you pay subcontractors and suppliers directly, so you know you’re getting paid and bypass the middleman. Plus, you don’t have to deal with the contractor’s markup.

Building control. Acting as your own contractor will mean that you are the boss. You control the progress of the build. What’s really cool is that you don’t have to know everything about construction and you don’t have to do any physical work. Their subcontractors provide the experience and knowledge to get the job done in a timely and professional manner for you.

Networks. The hard part of being an owner-builder might be selecting and managing your subcontractors. However, it doesn’t have to be because you can choose the ones you like that you can easily communicate with. To find them, you have to be patient and take the time to shop around and ask everyone, even strangers, for the names of good subcontractors.

Ask friends, real estate agents, building inspectors, homeowners, and even drive through neighborhoods looking for houses under construction. It won’t hurt to stop, go out and talk to the construction crews during your lunch hour.

You can start by asking who are the best excavators, concrete contractors and framers. Before you know it, you’ll have a selective number of subcontractors to start with. What a great way to get to know your community!

Consultant. The good news is that you don’t have to build your house all by yourself. You can hire a construction expert on a part-time basis. Even with the money you pay him, you can still save money.

To build a house on your own, you need some kind of guide so you can plan ahead. This means at least buying the right kind of book on building your own home. Although it points the way, it does not solve the problems you will encounter. That’s where a home building expert can come in. He can help smooth out the wrinkle.