diff --git a/osc/builder.py b/osc/builder.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d6e2ec2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/osc/builder.py
@@ -0,0 +1,173 @@
+"""This module provides a wrapper around the build script.
+
+It can be used to perform a local build.
+"""
+
+import subprocess
+
+
+def su_cmd(cmd, options):
+    """Constructs a new command str which invokes cmd with su.
+
+    The options are options for cmd.
+
+    """
+    l = ['su', '--shell', escape(cmd), 'root', '--']
+    return l + options
+
+
+def sudo_cmd(cmd, options):
+    """Constructs a new command list which invokes cmd with su.
+
+    The options are an options list for cmd.
+
+    """
+    l = ['sudo', escape(cmd)]
+    return l + options
+
+
+def escape(value):
+    """Escapes value.
+
+    This method simply puts double quotes around value (unless it is
+    an int).
+
+    """
+    try:
+        return str(int(value))
+    except ValueError:
+        pass
+    # ok it is a string
+    return '"' + value + '"'
+
+
+class ListDelegate(object):
+    """Delegete for a list.
+
+    It's sole purpose is to simplify the Builder interface
+    so that multiple options can be specified like this:
+    builder.foo = 'foo'
+    builder.foo += 'bar'
+
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        """Constructs a new ListDelegate object"""
+        self.clear()
+
+    def clear(self):
+        """Clears the list"""
+        self._list = []
+
+    def __iadd__(self, other):
+        if hasattr(other, 'extend'):
+            # treat other as list
+            self._list.extend(other)
+        else:
+            self._list.append(other)
+        return self
+
+    def __getattr__(self, name):
+        return getattr(self._list, name)
+
+    def __iter__(self):
+        return iter(self._list)
+
+
+class Builder(object):
+    """Wrapper around the build script."""
+
+    # constants for the suwrapper
+    SU = 'su'
+    SUDO = 'sudo'
+
+    def __init__(self, build_cmd='/usr/bin/build', su_cmd='su', **opts):
+        """Constructs a new Builder object.
+
+        Keyword arguments:
+        build_cmd -- name or path to the build script (default: /usr/bin/build)
+        su_cmd -- specifies which suwrapper should be used (if None is
+                  specified no suwrapper is used) (default: Builder.SU)
+        **opts -- options for the build script
+
+        """
+        super(Builder, self).__init__()
+        self.__dict__['_build_cmd'] = build_cmd
+        self.__dict__['_su_cmd'] = su_cmd
+        self.__dict__['_options'] = {}
+        for opt, val in opts.iteritems():
+            self.set(opt, val)
+
+    def set(self, opt, val, append=False):
+        """Sets option opt with value val.
+
+        If val is None the option is removed/unset. In case of a multiple
+        option val can also be a list of values.
+
+        Keyword arguments:
+        append -- do not overwrite old value(s) (default: False)
+
+        """
+        if not opt in self._options:
+            self._options[opt] = ListDelegate()
+        values = self._options[opt]
+        if val is None:
+            self._options.pop(opt, None)
+        elif hasattr(val, 'extend'):
+            # treat val as a list
+            values.extend(val)
+        elif append:
+            values.append(val)
+        else:
+            values.clear()
+            values.append(val)
+
+    def opts(self):
+        """Returns the option list.
+
+        Note all values except ints will be escaped with double
+        quotes.
+
+        """
+        l = []
+        for opt in sorted(self._options.keys()):
+#            print opt, self._options[opt]
+            for val in self._options[opt]:
+                l.append("--%s" % opt.replace('_', '-'))
+                if val != True:
+                    # option has a value
+                    l.append(escape(val))
+        return l
+
+    def cmd(self):
+        """Returns the complete cmd list."""
+        cmd = ''
+        if self._su_cmd == Builder.SU:
+            return su_cmd(self._build_cmd, self.opts())
+        elif self._su_cmd == Builder.SUDO:
+            return sudo_cmd(self._build_cmd, self.opts())
+        return [self._build_cmd] + self.opts()
+
+    def run(self, **kwargs):
+        """Executes the build script.
+
+        The retcode of the build script is returned.
+
+        Keyword arguments:
+        **kwargs -- optional arguments for the subprocess.call method
+
+        """
+        # make sure shell is disabled (for security reasons)
+        kwargs['shell'] = False
+        return subprocess.call(self.cmd(), **kwargs)
+
+    def __delattr__(self, name):
+        self.set(name, None)
+
+    def __getattr__(self, name):
+        return self._options[name]
+
+    def __setattr__(self, name, value):
+        if not hasattr(value, 'clear'):
+            # otherwise it's a ListDelegate
+            self.set(name, value)