This book has been on my reading list for years since I read Tracy Kidder's 'House', which features the author of this book and his co-workers. Locke's 'Well-Built House' is a great look at the process, pain, and decisions associated with building a custom single family home. It's a great read if that process is in your future and you don't have a construction background. It's a little suburban/rural focused (lots of talk early on about long driveways, site selection, orientation, culverts, etc. - less useful if you're in an urban or built-up suburban environment) and the specific product recommendations are pretty out of date now, but the lessons on how to work with contractors, and the importance of making firm decisions/writing full specifications is timeless. ( )