Building a House? Here’s Exactly Where to Start
- Dani
- Jul 15
- 4 min read
This is probably the question I get asked most often.
Not what flooring we used. Not how much our house cost. Not even what paint colors are on the walls.
It’s simply:
“We want to build a house someday. Where do we even start???”
Honestly, I remember feeling the exact same way.
Building a home feels overwhelming when you’re looking at the entire process at once.
There are loans, house plans, contractors, permits, utilities, septic systems… and somehow you’re supposed to know what order all of this happens in.
The good news? You don’t have to figure it all out at once.
Here’s the general order I’d recommend based on our experience.
Step 1: Find Your Land
For most people, this is where the journey begins.
The land ends up determining so much more than people realize:
Whether you can have a basement
What type of septic system you’ll need
Where your house can sit
Utility costs
Driveway costs
Drainage and grading requirements
In other words, the land helps shape the plan.
How do you find the land?
Also another question I get asked a lot.
Our story is a little unconventional. It was more word of mouth that the nearby farmers were selling pieces off, and they specifically didn't want to go to market with it. This isn't common, but I'm full transparency here!
Before this though, we were looking online just like everyone else. Zillow, Realtor, Facebook Marketplace, etc. You must be persistent! This is one of the hardest parts.
Step 2: Learn What You’re Working With
Before closing on a piece of property, it’s worth understanding a few important things.
Can the property pass a soil test for septic?
Will it need extensive grading?
Are electric and water nearby?
Will you need a well?
None of these things mean a property is good or bad—they just help you understand what costs might be coming down the road.
This is one of those steps that can save you from expensive surprises later.
Step 3: Buy the Land
Once you’ve found a property you love and understand what it’ll take to build on it, it’s time to make it yours.
This is where things start to feel real.
Step 4: Create (or Finalize) Your House Plans
Now comes the fun part!!
Some people wait until after they buy land to design their house.
Others purchase stock plans or start working with an architect before they ever own property.
Neither approach is wrong.
That said, if you design a house before knowing exactly what land you’re building on, there’s a chance you’ll need revisions later to accommodate grading, septic requirements, setbacks, utility locations, or other site-specific details.
Those revisions can add time and cost, which is why many people choose to wait until they’ve secured the land first.
Step 5: Get Bids
Once you have plans in hand, you can start pricing everything out. This is if you are general contracting yourself. If you have a general contractor, they will do all of this for you.
And this is where you’ll move from guessing what your home might cost to actually knowing (if you're general contracting it yourselves like we did, otherwise your general contractor will do this for you).
You’ll gather bids from contractors and suppliers for things like:
Excavation
Foundation
Framing
Roofing
HVAC
Plumbing
Electrical
Septic
Well
Cabinets
Flooring
Concrete
And about a hundred other things you never knew went into building a house.
This is also where having a budget tracker becomes incredibly helpful because you’ll quickly accumulate a lot of numbers from a lot of different people.
(If you need one, I’ve linked the same budget tracker we used throughout our build.)
Step 6: Build Your Budget
Once the bids come in, you can start putting together a realistic budget.
This is the step where you figure out:
What’s a must-have
What’s a nice-to-have
Where you may want to splurge
Where you may want to save
Step 7: Meet With Your Bank
With plans and bids in hand, you’ll have what most lenders need for a construction loan.
(For an in depth look at the construction loan part, see this blog post).
Every bank is a little different, but generally they’ll want to see:
House plans
Contractor bids
Construction budget
Land information
This helps them determine how much they’ll lend for the project.
Step 8: Permits & Pre-Construction Details
With your plans complete and financing in place, you’ll need to secure any required permits and approvals before construction can begin.
Depending on your location, this may include building permits through your county or city, septic approval through your local health department, driveway permits, and utility coordination.
If you’re working with a builder, they’ll often help guide you through this process. Once everything is approved, you’re ready to break ground.
I also have an in-depth blog post around this topic if needed!
Step 9: Break Ground
The day you’ve been waiting for.
The excavator shows up. The foundation gets poured. The framing starts.
And all of those months of planning finally begin turning into a home!!!
My Biggest Piece of Advice
If you’re feeling overwhelmed right now, don’t focus on Step 9.
Focus on Step 1.
Every person who has built a home started exactly where you are—wondering where to begin.
Just take the next step in front of you.
The rest will come together one decision at a time!
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