Most of the people, who have the intention and resources to build their own homes, are unaware how to plan, design and construct their dream houses. Let us understand the steps that we need to take sequentially to translate our dream house into a reality.

Before you commence construction, you must apply and obtain a Building Permit from the local Building Department. The Department will demand a complete set of plans that should typically include eight to twelve sheets of drawings along with structural performance calculations provided by an engineer and an energy performance report for the proposed building. The plans are usually produced by an architect or a qualified designer.

Your proposed construction is subject to Zoning Restrictions and Building Codes. The Zoning Department will obviously be concerned whether your project will affect the surroundings in any way before clearing your project. The Building Department will examine whether your house is securely built and will it withstand an earthquake. They will also look into the safety of electrical wiring.

Design of a house is the drawing on paper of the way you want to construct your house using a set of drawing conventions, symbols and terms that are understood by all the professionals in the construction business. The design reveals the size of your house, the number of bedrooms, special access, the kitchen size, toilet facilities etc.

Several designer-client meetings take place during the design development stage when most of these details are worked out

Then you prepare the construction documents which comprise of the basic design drawings, the site plan, the floor plans and elevations and also contain several sheets of detailed drawings that show how the house will be built. The drawings are accompanied by a set of engineer's calculations showing that the proposed structure is sound and will resist earthquake and wind forces. To get a Building Permit, your plans must conform to both the local zoning requirements and the building codes.

Building Department typically takes three to six weeks to approve plans. When you are granted your Building Permit, you are also given several documents. The law requires that your Building Permit should be posted prominently on your property.

Then you have the crucial task of selecting a contractor. Some contractors work with a small crew and do one job at a time. Some own big companies and run several jobs at the same time. Some work on a time and materials basis while others offer you fixed bids for the entire project.

The best way to select a contractor is to obtain bids from a few of them. This will help determine the likely market for cost for your job. Inordinately high bids could indicate that the contractor is really not interested in your project. Excessively low bids could indicate that a contractor is inexperienced or desperate for work. Mid-priced contractors whose bids are in line with your initial budget should be your choice.

You should arrange for a meeting between your to ensure that the plans are completely understood by the contractor and there are no communication gaps. You will have to do quite a bit of shopping for items like kitchen cabinets, lights and plumbing fixtures and they must be purchased in time to be on the site when the contractor needs them.

Normally it takes four months to a year to build a house, depending on its size and complexity. Please remember that your construction will need periodic inspections by the authorities and it is your job to satisfy him about the plumbing and wiring within the walls. After all the construction work is complete, you will need a Final Inspection Report before the Building Department issues the occupancy certificate that allows you to move into your dream house.