Why I Decided to Build My Own Home in Nova Scotia This is the introduction post to the blog. It explains why I'm building my own house in rural Nova Scotia, what "eco home" actually means in a Zone 6 cold-marine climate, what I'm trying to do differently from a standard build, and what you can expect from the posts that follow. If you're considering an owner-builder eco-home, the most important thing I can tell you up front is this: the decision to build yourself is mostly a decision about what you want to learn. Whether it saves you money depends on what you value your time at, how much you're willing to learn from mistakes, and how stubborn you are. I'll be honest about all of that as I go. The Dream of Self-Built Shelter For a long time I've wanted to build my own house. It's one of those things that just feels deeply human — creating a space that's truly your own. I've been inspired by writers like Michael Pollan in Building a Room of My Own and Thoreau in Walden, with their storie...