A practical manual addresses planning, designing, and economically building small homes, aimed at prospective owners and builders. It situates construction choices within postwar economic pressures and cost fluctuations, offering ways to estimate budgets and finance projects. Detailed chapters survey materials and construction types—wood framing, masonry, roofing, concrete—and identify essential quality standards and common poor practices to avoid. Systems-level guidance covers plumbing, heating, lighting and electrical work, fire safeguards, trim, painting, and labor-saving devices around the house. The book also treats architectural motifs, traditions in door and window construction, site planning, and selecting materials from advertisements to achieve economical, durable results.