The House That Jill Built: A Woman's Guide to Home Building

Homeowners interested in home building and construction have two different, intriguing books to choose from. Judy Ostrow's The House That Jill Built: A Woman's Guide To Home Building will appeal to females who wish to either renovate or build their own homes, offering a woman's perspective to the entire process, from choosing tools to stories of female builders and designers who were ahead of their times. Vignettes profiling both selected female builders and their projects accompany practical do-it-yourself details to blend both inspiration and tips.

It is a honor and privilege to be associated with Judy's project; it has been a project of perseverance for all those involved, including myself. Judy's book highlights the triumph of overcoming seemingly unsurmountable situations....essentially, it salutes the spirit within each of us. My original intention was to build an environmentally-friendly, energy-efficient home in the middle of the woods. I spent three years researching 'green' building materials and found that I couldn't go 100% green because of the prohibitive cost of some materials, but I did the best I could with the funds I had available. I hope that women - and men - who want some advice on building their dream home, don't hesitate to contact me, especially those folks in NH. I am an advocate of strawbale homes and have a list of resources available for those who are interested. Keep this in mind, I am not an expert, but I can share what I have learned from the process. With Blessings, Kathe Higgins