When you make the decision to ad a wind turbine to your home you cans save substantial money by building it yourself. There are many commercially manufactured models available starting at about $500. These are very good for someone with a limited budget and no technical skills. If you are the type who likes to build things around the house and you have some experience with home improvement projects; you may be a great fit for a DIY wind turbine. You can build one in your yard or on your property for about $200-$300. These cost less than the least expensive commercial modes and they produce about twice as much power. Even better is if you live in a place where the power company will buy back your excess power, there will be no need for a storage battery.
There are some things you will need. The basic wind turbine components are turbine blades, motor, turbine hub, body assembly and a tower. Many people are tempted to make the turbine blades themselves to save money, but this is a bad idea. The blades can be purchased from a professional for about $60. PVC is not meant to be in the sun and will require frequent painting to keep it from weathering. It can also break in winds as low as 30mph. These blades are also not aerodynamic and can eat away at the power that you are supposed to be producing. In the end it is better to purchase the blades.
Making a DIY wind turbine will also require that you purchase a motor. You can make a turbine hub, but a professional machined one can be purchased pre-drilled for about $20. The tower can either be your own design or you can purchase kits. When you make your own, there are many safety concerns and you should plan for the safety of property and people who may be around the wind turbine.