Exciting! The first meeting seems so long ago to me. Probably because it WAS so long ago. :-) Enjoy the process.

Terrific. How much input will the architect have?

Man. Congrats! We had our initial meeting 14 months ago. We broke ground yesterday!!! Good luck! You're in for a wild ride! Fun and in a good way but it's quite the experience.

cpartist hopefully not too much. I really would hate to impose of him. He did tell me to bring him the schematic design and elevations and the designer/draftsman mentioned that he would be in discussion with the architect as needed.

We visited the lot and then discussed my design ideas, budget information, and wants and likes. I had printed out floorplans and elevations I liked and discussed photos in my ideabooks, The next step is a written proposal. His fee structure is per sq ft, rather than hourly or percentage of the completed project. He did mention that at a minimum he puts in 80 hrs.

I do have another draftsman that was recommended so I may reach out to him as well.

This whole process reminds me of buying a car. I much prefer to have the price on the windshield. I guess that's why I wish I could have found a plan online I liked. I know the cost upfront, it fits my budget and I can see what I am getting. Doing it this way I have to rely on someone else understanding what I need (my vision), and then for them to be able to put it on paper. Quite daunting!

Poolroomcomesfirst - I don't like the sound of 3 architects/3 builders but I am glad you have finally broken ground.

Do you have a trusted contractor on board? If not, I'd start seeking one so he can keep an eye on the plans and budget expectations in check. It won't save you from going over budget but the sooner you catch it the less heartbreak you may feel down the road (and the less time wasted.)

Who is designing the house, the architect or the draftsman?

I do have a contractor working with me that will oversee construction of the house, as going over budget is a definite concern.

Who is designing the house, the architect or the draftsman?

The draftsman in consultation with the architect. At least that is the plan right now though I am interviewing other architects/designers this week. I am still waiting on the proposal but the numbers quoted by the draftsman were higher than I had expected and so I may be over budget on the design phase alone before I have even started on the build.