Building your first home is an exciting milestone — and while the process comes with a learning curve, it’s completely manageable when you know what to expect. One of the smartest ways to simplify the experience is by starting with a well-designed home plan.
This first-time home building checklist is here to walk you through each step, from choosing the perfect architectural home plan to moving into your finished home.
☐ Step 1: Understand the Process Before You Build
Before you start shopping for floor plans or meeting with builders, it’s helpful to understand the basic structure of a new home build. A typical process includes:
◻ Finalizing your financing
◻ Selecting & purchasing a home plan
◻ Obtaining permits and approvals
◻ Hiring a builder and trade professionals
◻ Managing the construction from site prep to final finishes
Getting familiar with this sequence upfront makes the rest of your decisions clearer and more strategic.
☐ Step 2: Choose the Right Home Plan for Your Lot and Lifestyle
Your home plan is the foundation of your build — both figuratively and literally. When browsing architectural home plans, be sure to consider your lot’s size, shape, topography, and local regulations. Your City's or County's land use department can provide the local regulations for your lot. Here are some of those regulations to be aware of when looking for home plans that work with your lot:
◻ Understand your lot front, side, and rear setbacks. These determine the available width and length you can build in. You'll want to ensure the home plan you choose can fit within these dimensions.
◻ Determine if you have any setbacks on your lot from nearby streams, lakes, or steep slopes.
◻ Check the allowable height limit and make sure the home plans you're looking at are under this limit.
◻ Some jurisdictions have lot coverage maximums, meaning the footprint of your house has to be within a certain percentage of your lot's square footage.
◻ If you're building in a neighborhood, check if there are specific HOA requirements for the design of your home.
It’s important to choose a plan that not only fits your land, but your day-to-day lifestyle as well. One of the advantages of buying a pre-designed home plan with Nested is the ability to personalize it without starting from scratch. Nested Home Plans offers customizable home plans, allowing you to adjust room layouts, interior and exterior materials, or add architectural features that better suit your needs. Remember: fixtures and furniture can be swapped out, but your home's layout is forever!
☐ Step 3: Secure Permits and Plan Approvals
After selecting your architectural home plan, you’ll need to prepare for permitting. An approved building permit is required in most jurisdictions before construction can begin, so this is a critical step.
Most cities or counties will require:
◻ An Architectural Plan Set
◻ A Site Plan showing where the house will be located on your lot
◻ Structural Engineering
◻ Energy Code Compliance Reports (in some cases)
When you purchase a plan from Nested Home Plans, you’ll receive a complete architectural plan set with all the drawings typically required for a permit application. This takes the guesswork out of what you’ll need to submit and ensures you have the necessary documents for permit.
☐ Step 4: Get Bids and Select a Builder
Once your plans are ready, it’s time to start assembling your build team.
◻ Request at least three bids from licensed builders. Getting multiple bids allows you to compare cost, estimated timelines, and the quality of materials and craftsmanship each builder offers.
When you purchase a plan set from Nested Home Plans, it includes not only the drawings needed for your building permit, but also the essential information, dimensions, and construction details your builder needs to price and build your home — a two-in-one resource that streamlines the process.
☐ Step 5: Break Ground and Stay Involved
With your builder and permits in place, it’s time to start construction!
◻ Stay actively involved by visiting the site regularly and keeping communication open with your builder.
◻ Track progress against your plan, budget, and timeline.
◻ Be prepared to make lots of small decisions along the way, like selecting finishes or addressing site-specific changes.
The more engaged you are, the smoother your first home build will go.
Final Thoughts
Building a new home for the first time is a big undertaking, but it’s entirely doable with the right tools and a clear plan. Starting with a thoughtfully designed architectural home plan helps reduce uncertainty, and choosing customizable home plans from resources like Nested Home Plans makes it easy to tailor your design to your family’s lifestyle and your property.
With this checklist in hand, you’ll be ready to tackle the home building process with clarity and confidence — from dream to move-in day.
