How to Build

What had seemed like a straightforward next step in adulthood turned into a complicated and emotional rollercoaster for twenty-nine-year-old artist Ariane Roesch when she and her (now) husband decided to build their home in Houston, Texas. To make the venture financially feasible, they moved into a 20 ft. shipping container on their property without electricity, water, sewer, or even a fence. Over the course of two years, they managed or assisted in all aspects of the construction and built their new life, slowly regaining standard comforts such as running water and continuous electricity.

Roesch guides readers through her journey to homeownership, listing documents needed to apply for a construction loan, items necessary to file for a building permit, and how to calculate debt-to-income ratio--weaving a practical how-to guide into an enticing narrative. Her story is a meditation on affordable housing, the student loan crisis, and what happens when a generation can't afford to invest in their community.

"How to Build: a House, a Life, a Future" exposes the self-sufficiency and resourcefulness that explains why many are still able to call Houston their home.