I built my own kiln this last winter, and a potter friend suggested I send you my blog link. www.susansnewkiln.blogspot.com is where I posted my building experience as the project went along.
Just had the first firing, this one was gas (propane) only, as I needed to dry out the mortar in the hard-brick face. Am looking forward to the first wood-fire!! Ok, it will start with propane overnight, will reach between 500 - 1000 degrees F, then can stoke with wood til cone 10 is reached. Want to do the wood fire within 18 hours (it's as long as I can stay up anymore. My kiln is about 30 cu ft, built on the same foundation & under the same kiln roof (using the same chimney hole) as my previous kiln. Those were my criteria to keep expenses under control.
The purpose in building this new kiln (besides the bottom starting to fall out of the old kiln) was to have my own wood-fired kiln. I had fired with others, and wanted to cut out the driving back & forth to the kiln and having to go by the schedule of others. I will probably want to invite at least one other person to join me in the fire, just to help with wood stoking. But the kiln can be fired by one person - me. And I can fire on my schedule, and add wood at my decision.