EARTH GARDEN BUILDING BOOK - Design and Build Your Own Home
by Robert Rich and Keith Smith

At a time when housing costs and interest rates have put the Australian dream of owning a house beyond the reach of many people, Bob Rich and Keith Smith show how even the most impractical person can learn to build their own home.

The authors were not originally skilled craftsmen and they use their personal experiences, successes and failures to explain the building and design processes to beginners. Their approach is practical and analytical, but their language is straightforward and dynamic. The book covers a wide range of topics including:

• how to be your own architect and create energy efficient housing designs
• safeguarding the house from bushfires, cyclones and floods
• footings, floors, roofs, doors and windows
• mudbrick, rammed earth, stone and weatherboard walls
• building skills such as measuring, sawing, hammering, bricklaying and glass cutting
• information, advice and personal experiences from a variety of other builders.