This is a great how to book, mainly for those who have at least some prior building experience, [although with a little help anyone with an able body and willing mind can learn!] Great ideas, very educational. We're using it to help us plan our own timberframe home, along with a couple knowledgeable friends and some natural building books, dvds. This is not a pretty coffee table book; it's got genuine nuts and bolts information that you can use, although it is lacking newer information on natural building techniques. [Which can be easily remedied by investing in a book or dvd with that information.] Has a wealth of great timberframing info.