Your first step regardless of which avenue you take regarding a g.c, owner/builder, or hiring a site supervisor is to absorb as much of your spare time researching and educating concerning the build process. Everything from the permitting, legalities, contracts, up to at least the basics of the various trades and what to look for involved with a build.It also helps to get familiar with processes of how suppliers operate if you will be dealing with them, but even at that, if they are builders suppiers, get to know their m.o anyhow.There are many variables with foresight being a hindsight often times, but by getting familiar with the in's and out's as much as possible can lessen delays/problems on the build.Their are many websites to educate such as building sciences, ask the builder,john bridge tile forum,drywall, electrical, plumbing, hvac,etc,etc to get you tuned into the basics which will help you know what you are looking at on your build.Now's the time to start, not when ground is being broke!You'll get a lot of great advise from many,many people on this and other forums in the garden web as well.Wecome and best of luck!

Believe me, I have been reading a lot lately, however I thought the crook GC problems of the 70s - 80s was gone. Maybe not. I will give everyone the benefit of the doubt, until I see or hear otherwise. I do have a pretty good grasp of what looks right, but looking right is not always correct. I do have a small benefit of a new development of semi-custom homes going in down the road from where I currently live. The pre sales office is open and I was thinking of asking to see some of the work before I decide to buy. In reality I would never be able to afford the homes, but I will at least be able to see some of the different stages.

The area we have been thinking about moving to has adopted the International Code Council 'codes' as there building code. Is there an online source for these codes, or will I have to buy the whole book set?

Rusty

Uh oh! Don't move to NE PA. We have enough New Yorkers moving in! I'm just kidding. Although this area is getting flooded with NY and NJ people. It was just a matter of time, I suppose. Just sad to see the farm fields turn into large housing devleopments. :( I'll make you a deal...you can move into our new house and I'll move to say...Montana! :)

Wait, hold on. I have heard the rants of residents native to the area, and I have no plans on building in a cramped subdivision with a wacko HOA or the like. I don't live in Metro NY, just work there. I am not anything like the stories you have heard about people from NY. When I moved to my hometown with my parents in the mid 70s. Our little town was peaceful, and quiet. Nothing like it is today :( Housing is going for more then 10X my yearly salary. I don't want to clear cut anything, give me 10 acres and 9.5 will probably stay un cleared. Just looking for some place quiet, but not in the middle of nowhere. A few quiet neighbors and I am good. :) NE PA is a nice place. I only hope the towns have measures in effect to limit the housing density. Unfortunately it is a reality that population is growing. People are living longer, Medical care is prolonging life, which I think is great, but we all have to live somewhere. It just happens to be NE PA for us (my DW is from PA, about an hour or so south of where we are looking). Hopefully we can all be friends. :)

Rusty

Rusty,

Come on upstate. We've got plenty of room and (shhhhh) affordable land. Plus...the area is really starting to grow so I'm sure you'll find employment.

Dresch
(Capital Region)

Yeah, upstate is nice, I lived just outside of Oswego for about 3 years. My DW is from PA, so she would like to move a little closer to familiy and friends. NE PA is about middle ground, and still within reach for some commutes. But I will probably transfer to the office closer to there, if/when a position opens up. The move is still some time off though.

Rusty