More recently I've been considering cost effective options and looked into some strange alternative building techniques to save on cost. This led me back to adobe-style homes which I've always been fond of, and since adobe itself is just mud brick it dawned on me that the majority of the cost must be in labor.
After reviewing a few DIY channels who broke down their cost estimates, it seems a few took a concrete-hybrid route to cut costs, and of course they saved a ton by doing most or all of the work themselves. But considering processes and manufacturers are out there so that you could do something like use prefab concrete modules, with insulating qualities similar to adobe, I would think you could build an adobe-styled home using more modern materials. For someone like me that would mean finding a builder and/or someone to help design a home. Question is, how do you even get started finding someone willing to help you to cut costs here?