Are you ready to starting building your dream home. House plan designs are abundant and easy to customize. Just getting started can sometimes be quite confusing.

There's nothing more exciting than building your dream home. Take a look at your living area now. What would you change? The floor plan for more open space, the flooring or maybe add more windows.

1. Settle on your dream house
The first thing you'll have to do is settle on is what your dream house should be. How big should it be? How many bedrooms and baths? Is your style contemporary or traditional? Once you decide on the basics, you can start designing your dream house.

2. DIY (design it yourself)
You don't have to pay for an architect. There are plenty of Web sites and software packages available that can help you design your dream house yourself.

3. Make it happen
Unless you're an experienced builder, you'll need someone to execute your plans. Whether you choose an architect to head up the project or you look to a general contractor, you'll want to find someone with experience and a good reputation.

4. Consider new materials
Have you always loved the look of hardwood floors, granite countertops and Italian tile? Well, you don't have to spend a ton of money to get the look you want in your home. There are new, affordable and low maintenance materials that will allow you to get a luxe looking home for less.

5. Look it over
Naturally, you'll want to have the builder in to fix items on his last minute punch list before he leaves the site. Have the contractor put together his own list first.

Experienced builders have a better eye for things that need to be corrected. Develop your own list as well. Before the builder leaves for the last time, you'll want to do a final walk through and make sure everything is as you wanted it to be.