Hey guys, posted for the first time this morning. Been in the building trade off and on here in LA. for 25 yrs. Was offered to go to FL. in 1976 with my contractor but decided to stay here. (It's hard to move a Cajun but not hard for a Cajun to move!) After a few jobs to keep my family fed, three years ago I went full time into general repair, decks, fencing, sheds, small remodels, etc. Jumped in with both feet recently and bought a lot for our first spec home. Not scared to build it but with my tastes, I hope I can afford to build it. My Dad always said, "If you are gonna build a house on spec., be prepared to live in it." That is where I need to define the difference between building as a contractor and building it for yourself. Time will take care of the answer I am sure, it just would be nice to get a few pointers along the way to nudge me down the right path.