If you're interested construction experience first hand, you can volunteer with your local Habitat for Humanity.

Also don't forget your nonprofits like Habitat for Humanity that build houses.  

I'm only on my first flip but the first thing I did was to go to Habitat for Humanity (restore) and look for a vanity that fit the style and design I was going for.

See if you can stock up on them at the Restore Store (Habitat for Humanity secondhand home improvement store. )  The faux wood doors are easy to paint in place and do not leave brush marks. 

Habitat for Humanity built a nice new house next door a few years ago that still has excellent curb appeal.Tenants in the larger unit were evicted for not paying.

If you want a high end custom house, you have to pay for it.A few points of reference:1) Affordable housing as built by Habitat for Humanity, with donated labor and many donated materials generally costs about $75/sf to build (excluding land).2) Our medium range non-custom houses cost between $125-$150/sf to build.

Find deals on hardwood at your local habitat for humanity or building materials auction and have your crazy but handy uncle put them in for you. 

Profit follows performance but creating habitat is one of our fundamental human needs, desires and greatest accomplishments.

If he does not have a mortgage on it, I suggest donating it to Habitat for Humanity.  

By affordable housing I mean that besides making profits from REI, I also want to work with groups such as Habitat For Humanity to use my skills to also give back to the community.