From The Ground Up: Reading Blueprints

The initial volume in a projected four-tape series aimed at owner/builders, Reading Blueprints offers an excellent beginning for people who are planning to build their own houses. Host Jim Dillman begins with discussing the start-up costs involved (lot cost, closing costs, site preparation, permits, etc.) and then takes viewers through the arduous but important task of lot selection. Combining interviews with real estate professionals and visual footage of various examples, Dillman informs viewers of the good points and bad points to look for when choosing a prospective site for a home. The meat of the program consists of floorplans--knowing what they are, and what they mean. Dillman covers every floor of a variety of different home plans from the foundation to the attic, and points out many of the little details that owner/builders need to be familiar with about electrical outlets, doors, window casings, etc. Although stressing that viewers need not be familiar with all of the ways and means of architects and builders, the program points out that one does need to know basic symbols and terminology in order to avoid financial heartache down the road. "If it's not in your plans, it's not in your bids," saith Dillman. But if you don't have a comprehensive understanding of your floorplan, you won't know what's missing. An excellent guide for owner/builders, Reading Blueprints is very useful and highly recommended. [Note: the other volumes in the From the Ground Up series are presently in production, and will hopefully be released later this year.] (Available from: Video Learning Library, 7201 Haven Ave., Suite E-310, P.O. Box 8000, Alta Loma, CA 91701-9943; 1-800-383-8811.)