Vern Westfall

This guide is for owners. It offers a new approach to managing the cooperative effort required in all custom home and home addition projects by preparing the owner for a more active oversight role and by substituting a Project Advisor for the General Contractor. The guide is not about pouring footers, framing, or applying shingles. There is an army of experienced tradesmen available in the yellow pages, through TV offerings or in local newspapers that can provide these skills. Planning and building a new home or major addition, unless one chooses to be passive and surprised by the cost and the results, requires a great deal of owner participation. This guide prepares the owner to participate more effectively in all phases of the project by preparing them for the experience and by providing guidance and references. The simple process outlined avoids problems, simplifies oversight, makes the process more enjoyable, and saves money by making the process more efficient. With the help of an experienced Construction Advisor, owners can save as much as 20% by actively participating in the planning and management of a custom home or home addition project.

Where one comes from and when one lived all frame the circumstances that shape one's character and determine one's future. Kenneth Irving Cleveland began life on a farm in Charlton Massachusetts but larger circumstances shaped his future. Ken was born into troubled times and a failing economy. His early career choices were limited, but as post war markets recovered, Ken took advantage of unplanned opportunities and became successful in an unwanted profession. Through quirks of history and a twists of fate, Ken' surname, Cleveland, prefaced his future, determined his career, and the place where it would begin.