country with the aim to build a house using my own hands and materials from my land. This dream has succeeded for me, though I’ve learned lots along the way. Many of these lessons have to do with construction. I know now that building directly with raw materials is much, much more difficult and time consuming than it seems until you try it. I still use stone and timber that I collect myself, but since you’re starting out and in need of a good building, I’d recommend you use conventional framing methods. You’ll find this challenging enough, and you can still make a very beautiful building. When you’ve gained more experience, and have a comfortable place to live year-round, then you can tackle stackwall, timber framing and stonework.