Your picture size isn't bad, but you really need to darken up your lines. As I discovered, when using pencil, it just doesn't photograph/scan well enough to show on this site. So, take a black ink pen or marker and darken things up. PLUS, this will help you realize that walls have a thickness dimension too--they take up actual space.

Graph paper works fine, really. If you really need software, there are some expensive programs out there. Others use paint, some use excel (somehow), some use the kitchen design software from Ikea, and Sketchup (a google product) is also popular.

My only thought is on his comment about having everything you want ready to draw. I leaned on my architect to solve problems I couldn't figure. He has done this for a long time and has the skill set to take what I say, make adjustments and put it on paper. So although you might seem like you are getting good deal, I hope your design doesn't suffer because you going for free at the beginning.

That being said, you may know exactly what you want and be able to get it right with out the experience of the architect. Please don't take this the wrong way, it is just I know would of not come close to being able to design the house that our architect was able to create for us.

Good luck with your build!

Find an architect or a designer you can work with.

There is more to house design than just room sizes and arrangement.

You have to account for mechanical (HVAC) and DWV.

Water supply and electric are usually small enough to be run without major impact (they fit in a 2x4 wall).

There are so many threads and so many good answers to this situation here in this forum. You really should search and read. You'll find all the information that you need.

Good luck with your project.

As has already been suggested, the most difficult part of designing a house is the part your uncle's friend isn't willing to help you with.

Where is the project located?

SketchUp was introduced in 2000 by @ Last Software of Boulder, CO. It was sold to Google in 2006 and then sold to Trimble Navigation in 2012.

Here is a link that might be useful: SketchUp downloads

Renovator8 - Thank you for that link, I'm going to try it out. The house will be located in the Triad, NC.

Also, he is a really good person, he's going to help us, but it will be like I said on his personal time, so we're going to try to get as much done at one meeting as can, because me and my fiance are trying not to take up too much of his personal time. When he told us to have everything like we want it, he meant that way after he drew it, maybe we wouldn't be inclined to change it 3 or 4 more times, because we really spent time pouring over things picking them out. That's the reason I was asking what did you provide for your architect at your meetings so I can try to get a lot of this taken care of in the first meeting.

I've also been reading and reading on this site all the links that I can find in the building a house section that may help us. The only thing I really can't find is detailed break-down of when to start picking things out, i.e lights, flooring, etc., I was hoping somebody could give me some of their timelines when they picked things out.

The best time to pick finishes, fixtures, equipment, etc., is when the design is complete (and owner-approved) and before construction drawings and specifications are finished. Get as much of this as you can into the construction drawings and specifications so that the bidding and construction cost will include them, and minimize allowances, omissions and errors.

Good luck on your project.

The Preliminary Design phase comes first and involves basic design concepts, ideas, layout and form. When that is done the Design Development phase begins. That's when you would choose materials but not necessarily colors. Then the Construction Documents phase begins. Then the drawings are put out for bid with many contractors or negotiated with one. Many color choices and final decisions occur during construction if they don't affect the contract price.

Now is the time to be making a list of rooms, their functions and relationships and finding things you like in magazines (be sure to note what it is you like about the photos).

Your early sketches should look more like diagrams rather than floor plans and should note relationships especially with the outdoors.