Building a house is exhilarating – the smell of freshly cut wood, the sounds of construction. The transformation of a site from a big hole in the ground and piles of materials to a finished house is one of life’s most satisfying experiences.

Getting to the point where you’re ready to start digging the hole, though, may take longer than you expect. Coming up with a workable floor plan – the part that you may have thought a lot about already – is just the first step.

You’ll be making decisions large and small for months. Where are you going to build your house? What kind of handles for your kitchen cabinets? This can become overwhelming, so give yourself plenty of time as you work through the planning process. And take heart. You don’t have to become an expert – you just need to know enough to make good decisions and have confidence in your choices.