“Ariane Roesch takes the reader on a fabulous personal journey through her astutely written and effectively strategized book, How to Build: a House, a Life, a Future. She illuminates a guided pathway to home ownership by sharing her concept sketches about the possibility of temporarily living off-the-grid, her methodology for envisioning positive financial outcomes, and her intelligent determination to literally build her dream house from the ground up. The engaging and informative narrative serves as a blueprint that reveals the true dimensionality of complex human endeavor. Each chapter presents successful intellectual and creative problem-solving processes in order to resolve expected/unexpected expenses, delays, and changes in official codes. The friendly and experienced advice that is presented in the book from start to finish will prepare the reader to set out on their own quest to build a house, a life, a future.”
–– Harry Gamboa Jr., artist and educator
“Roesch has written a warm, intimate and eminently readable book about a major life decision. By telling her own story of homesteading in the big city — and including the good, bad, and gnarly details of the process — she inspires others to find their agency and the means to pursue the dream of homeownership.”
— Christina Rees, editor of Glasstire
“Roesch’s refreshingly transparent reflection on DIY home construction offers a practical and creative path to self-reliance and community building, especially for younger generations seeking their own meanings of home. While celebrating moments that are uniquely Houston, this personal case study demystifies the bureaucracies of home construction and encourages both owners and renters to learn more about the physical and conceptual intricacies of where and how we live.”
— Kelly Johnson, Houston artworker, curator and writer