Let's begin by discussing what you as the home owner can do during the design process-the very beginning of the home building process-in order to ensure that you keep home construction on track and on cost. When you are working with your architect, you can lay the foundation that will ensure that your home construction stays on cost and on track.

When you are drawing up your contract with your architect, you need to include clear guidance on what you as the home owner are responsible for. As the owner, you need to participate in deciding on and defining your design objectives and your design constraints. You also need to define what your design criteria are: what do you want in your home and how do you want it? As the home owner, you also need to ensure that all of your space requirements are clearly spelled out, how much flexibility you want and how you want it, how much expandability you need, any requirements that are related to your site, and any special equipment that you need included in your home design. Getting all of these issues out on the table right away will help you ensure that you don't have to make any major changes to design later on in the construction process, thus resulting in longer time and higher prices.

As the owner of the home, you also need to be very clear about what your budget for your home construction is. This preliminary budget must include worked in contingencies for bidding and any changes in the work that are done during the construction process. Include a list of other costs that will be your responsibility as an owner, such as license costs and permit costs. Also, you need to ensure that you have a legal description and survey of the site along with any professional recommendations related to foundation work and utilities.

You also need to be clear with your architect what your schedule is. Be very clear what your schedule and your budget are, so that your architect can ensure that the design includes and meets these needs. You need to be sure that you make your needs and your desires known very clearly to your architect and to your contractor, so that as issues arise during construction and during the later stages of the design process for your new home, your contractor and your architect will be able to make necessary changes that still ensure that the home building project meets your needs, fits your schedule, and stays within your budget.