diff --git a/creator/livecd-creator b/creator/livecd-creator
index bcef946..a591eac 100755
--- a/creator/livecd-creator
+++ b/creator/livecd-creator
@@ -133,8 +133,17 @@ class InstallationTarget:
         
         return True
 
+    def check_free_space(self, scratch_space_dir):
+        """Check for space on defined build directory."""
+        self.scratch_space_dir = scratch_space_dir
+        varspace = os.statvfs(scratch_space_dir)
+
+        """Based on the default block size, calculate free space, and hand it back to the caller."""
+        calcfreevar = varspace[0]*varspace[4]
+        return calcfreevar
+
+    def setup(self, image_size, fs_label, base_on, scratch_space_dir):
 
-    def setup(self, image_size, fs_label, base_on):
         """setup target ext3 file system in preparation for an install"""
 
         # global variables needed
@@ -143,9 +152,10 @@ class InstallationTarget:
         self.loop_device = ""
 
         # setup temporary build dirs
-        self.build_dir = "/var/tmp/livecd-creator/build-" + os.path.basename(tempfile.mktemp())
+        appended_dir = scratch_space_dir + "build-" + os.path.basename(tempfile.mktemp())
+        self.build_dir = appended_dir
         try:
-            os.makedirs(self.build_dir)
+            os.mkdir(self.build_dir)
         except OSError:
             print "Cannot create build directory at %s"
             return False
@@ -315,7 +325,8 @@ class InstallationTarget:
         except OSError:
             pass
         os.system("/bin/rm -rf %s/out"%(self.build_dir))
-        if "/var/tmp/livecd-creator/build-" in self.build_dir:
+        #if "/var/tmp/livecd-creator/build-" in self.build_dir:
+        if self.build_dir + "build-" in self.build_dir:
             os.system("/bin/rm -rf %s"%self.build_dir)
 
     def addRepository(self, name, url):
@@ -459,6 +470,7 @@ def usage():
     print "                      [--exclude-package=<e1>] --exclude-package=<e2> ...]"
     print "                      [--base-on=<path-to-iso-file>]"
     print "                      [--fslabel=<label>]"
+    print "                      [--build-dir=<scratch-directory>]"
     print ""
     print " --help             : Print usage and exit"
     print " --repo             : Path to yum repository"
@@ -466,6 +478,7 @@ def usage():
     print " --exclude-package  : Exclude this package"
     print " --base-on          : Add packages to an existing live CD iso9660 image"
     print " --fslabel          : File system label (default: livecd-YYYYMMDD-HHMI)"
+    print " --build-dir        : Scratch Directory (default: /var/tmp/livecd-creator/)"
     print ""
 
 def main():
@@ -475,11 +488,14 @@ def main():
     epackages = []
     fs_label = "livecd-" + time.strftime("%Y%m%d-%H%M")
     base_on = ""
+    scratch_space_dir = ""
 
     try:
-        opts, args = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[1:], "hr:b:p:e:f:",
-                                   ["help", "repo=", "base-on=", "package=", "exclude-package=", "fslabel="])
+        opts, args = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[1:], "hr:b:p:e:f:d:",
+                                   ["help", "repo=", "base-on=", "package=", "exclude-package=", "fslabel=","build-dir="])
     except getopt.GetoptError:
+        print "Error..."
+        print ""
         usage()
         sys.exit(2)
     output = None
@@ -508,9 +524,18 @@ def main():
         if o in ("-b", "--base-on"):
             base_on = a
             continue
+        if o in ("-d","--build-dir"):
+            scratch_space_dir = a
+            continue
         print "Unknown option %s"%o
         sys.exit(2)
 
+    if not scratch_space_dir:
+        print "No scratch directory specified.  Using default directory: /var/tmp/livecd-creator/."
+        print ""
+        scratch_space_dir = "/var/tmp/livecd-creator/"
+        os.mkdir(scratch_space_dir)
+
     if len(packages) == 0:
         print "No packages specified."
         print ""
@@ -525,7 +550,13 @@ def main():
 
     target = InstallationTarget()
 
-    if not target.setup(3*1024*1024*1024, fs_label, base_on):
+    if target.check_free_space(scratch_space_dir) < 3000000:
+        print "Error...  Please allocate at least 3 gigabytes of free space to " + scratch_space_dir + " then retry."
+        sys.exit(1)
+    else:
+        print "There is adequate space to build a livecd in " + scratch_space_dir + ".  Continuing with the build..."
+
+    if not target.setup(3*1024*1024*1024, fs_label, base_on, scratch_space_dir):
         print "Cannot setup installation target. Aborting."
         sys.exit(1)