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If I could only design and build my own home, it would be exactly what I want it to be. Many of us would probably love to design and build a dream home, but is it something only the affluent can afford or can you make your dreams come true?

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Since WWII the federal government has had its hand in promoting and supporting affordable housing through GI Bills and low-interest financing. These policies and subsidies were very effective in helping returning GIs and other first-time homebuyers get into their first homes.

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This first stage, called programming, is probably the most valuable time you will spend with your architect. It is at this time you discuss the requirements for your building: how many rooms, what function the structure will have, who will use it and how.

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Foundations rest on soil, soil pushes against their sides, and wet soil pushes water and humidity against them, so it's hard to plan for a foundation without a basic understanding of soils. The average person thinks of soil as dirt. For engineers, soil is a complex material worthy of a lot of study.

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In your mind you've got a dream house, but in reality you have a building lot. Before you get locked into a building plan, research your site, because site conditions affect your design and the cost to build it.

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The design of the house was selected from over 175 entries received from architects across North America. The challenge of the competition was to design an affordable home which was simple to construct but offered many unexpected amenities. Constraints included working with a 25 x 100 ft.

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Architect Paul Pacella of Maine Post and Beam of Cape Cod drew up these wonderful plans for Bob's Dream Garage.

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