Shop by situation
The shop
A bookstore for prepared neighbors.
Everything you really need is free. Paid Editions and Bundles package what's already free into a binder you can take to the hearing — or a paperback you can put on a shelf.
Now liveDigital editions are now available. They're delivered by email after checkout. What's new
Free foreverEvidence basedPrint ready
Shop by collection
Browse by series.
Shop by format
Pick a format.
Need help today
Start Here — free.
The essentials. Read in fifteen minutes. Print in one page.
- Community GuideFree
Your situation, on three printable pages.
- First StepsFree
An orientation for anyone who just learned about a project nearby.
- Notice DecoderFree
Paste the notice you received. We'll tell you what it means and what to do.
- Prepared Neighbor ChecklistFree
The five-line checklist that lives inside every binder cover.
Long-term reference
Cards & printables — free.
Pocket-sized printables. Wallet, fridge, binder cover.
- Hearing Survival CardFree
An adaptable podium outline, in your shirt pocket.
- Permit Response CardFree
What to do when a permit notice appears on the fence next door.
- Wallet CardsFree
Calls, deadlines, key questions — sized for your wallet.
- Binder MapFree
The frontispiece for any community binder. Tabs A–F.
Everything free
Community tools.
The same tools we use to build the handbook. Yours to use without an account.
- Evidence worksheetFree
A blank record sheet for the kitchen table.
- Complaint trackerFree
Keep a complaint moving through the right office.
- Public Records Request PacketFree
What to request, from whom, on what timeline.
- GlossaryFree
The civic words in every notice, explained in one sentence each.
Compare
What's the difference?
Paid editions add organization and convenient formats while the core civic information stays free.
| Free | Hearing Pack | Digital | Library | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core civic information | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Printable at home | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hearing toolkit (speech, timeline, questions) | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Organized binder (single PDF) | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Complete handbook set | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bound paperback for the shelf | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Price | Free | $9 | $14.95 | $29.95 |
Still not sure? Start with a free handbook. You can always upgrade later.
Need help this week
Preparedness Kits.
Hand-organized editions for a specific situation. They organize the same core civic information into a more convenient format.
Hearing Preparedness Pack
Keeps the working materials for one hearing in one organized file.
$9
Community Preparedness Kit — Digital Edition
Puts the handbook and printable field tools into one organized, ready-to-use file.
$14.95
Library Edition — Volume I
A printed reference edition designed for shelf use and repeated consultation.
$29.95
Bundles
Six editorial collections.
Neighborhood Starter Bundle
Coming soonEverything a first-time neighbor needs.
$19
Open →
Public Hearing Bundle
Coming soonWalk into the room prepared.
$24
Open →
Public Records Bundle
Coming soonFrom request to appeal — in one folder.
$19
Open →
Organizer Bundle
Coming soonFor the neighbor who calls the first meeting.
$29
Open →
Reporter Bundle
Coming soonSource-reliable, on deadline.
$39
Open →
Library Collection
Coming soonThe full reference shelf, shipped as a set.
$59
Open →
Editor's picks
What the editor reaches for first.
A short shelf, hand-picked each edition.
Community Preparedness Kit — Digital Edition
A professionally organized civic preparedness publication, ready to print.
$14.95
Open →
Public Hearing Pack
A working file for one local hearing.
$9
Open →
Neighborhood Starter Bundle
Coming soonEverything a first-time neighbor needs.
$19
Open →
Public Hearing Bundle
Coming soonWalk into the room prepared.
$24
Open →
New this month
Recently added or revised.
For institutions
A door for every reader.
For Librarians
MARC, PO, complimentary review copies.
Open →
For Teachers
Lesson plan, semester reading list, classroom kit.
Open →
For Reporters
Press kit, source-reliability cards, fact sheet.
Open →
For Churches
For congregations preparing on a local decision.
Open →
For Neighborhood Groups
Block edition, meeting packets, civic toolkit.
Open →
Choose the help you need
What would you like help with today?
First readers
We do not publish quotes we did not earn.
Reader testimonials will appear here once neighbors have used Before They Build in real hearings, records requests, and community meetings. We will never publish a quote that was not offered by a real reader who used a real edition. In the meantime, three slots wait.
Reserved for a first reader.
Reserved for a first reader.
Reserved for a first reader.