Home Building — Quickstart (30 minutes)¶

If you have 30 minutes today, do exactly these three things. You will not be designing a house in 30 minutes. This is orientation only.

1. Write a one-page program brief (15 min)¶

Open a blank document. Answer:

• Who lives here. Permanent occupants now; expected changes in 5/10 years.
• One adjective that describes the house. "Compact." "Light-filled." "Off-grid." Just one.
• Three deal-breakers. Things you can't accept (e.g., "no carpet anywhere," "must have a wood shop," "south-facing main living").
• Three nice-to-haves. Things you'd love but can compromise on.
• Budget envelope. A range, not a number. Land + soft costs + hard costs + 20% contingency.
• Schedule. When you want to be in. Be honest — custom builds take 18–36 months realistically.

Print it. Stick it on the wall above your desk. Re-read whenever you're tempted to add scope.

2. Read the IRC table of contents (10 min)¶

Don't read the IRC. Read its table of contents — chapter titles only.

• Free copy at codes.iccsafe.org (account required, free read-only).
• Or UpCodes free tier.

The TOC alone tells you the conceptual map of residential construction:

Chapter 1: Administration
Chapter 2: Definitions
Chapter 3: Building Planning (siting, occupancy, light, air, egress)
Chapter 4: Foundations
Chapter 5: Floors
Chapter 6: Wall Construction
Chapter 7: Wall Covering
Chapter 8: Roof-Ceiling Construction
Chapter 9: Roof Assemblies
Chapter 10: Chimneys and Fireplaces
Chapter 11: Energy Efficiency
Chapters 12-23: Mechanical
Chapters 24-25: Fuel Gas
Chapters 26-33: Plumbing
Chapters 34-43: Electrical
...

Don't try to memorize. The point is knowing what exists. The future-you searching for a specific topic will know which chapter to open.

3. Find your AHJ and verify zoning (5 min)¶

• Search "[your city/county] building department" or "permit center" or "development services."
• Bookmark the page. Note the address and phone.
• If you have a property in mind: enter the parcel number or address into your county's GIS / property record system. Note its zoning designation (e.g., R-1, RA-2).
• Search the zoning designation in the local zoning ordinance. Find: setbacks, height limit, max coverage.

You now know whether the lot is buildable in concept. Don't make an offer on land before doing this.

What's next¶

• This week: read Tutorial Level 1 and start the 12-week schedule. Phase 0 ("self-education") of the Mechanical Engineer's plan covers the next 6 months.
• Anki users: import home-building.csv — code section numbers, design loads, energy values worth memorizing.
• First major commitment: a survey + geotech BEFORE buying land if not already owned. ~$5–10k that prevents seven-figure surprises.