Why can't I just gather materials and build my own house? In the US, you certainly can, as long as you use approved materials and get the necessary permits and

Why can't I just gather materials and build my own house? In the US, you certainly can, as long as you use approved materials and get the necessary permits and inspections. If you want to fell trees and gather rocks to build your home, you can also do that, but it becomes much harder to get it registered as a homestead. In either case (assuming you are living outside city limits), you will probably need an approved septic plan. You can build something that doesn't meet the local building codes, but it may be difficult or impossible to sell it later.