  or many people, building their own home is a lifelong dream. They plan for years for the day when they will have the time and resources to begin their "project of a lifetime."
Building your own home is an enormous undertaking that can be very rewarding IF you possess the three critical components to a successful owner builder project:
• TIME • EXPERIENCE • TEMPERAMENT •
TIME
 If you are working full time (or even part time) it's not realistic to think that you can also build your own home. During a construction project, things happen every hour of every work day. To really stay on top of the project, you should plan to be there full time. If you aren't, things can get out of hand quickly. Once a mistake is made and covered up, it can be costly or impossible to fix. Being on site and available full time is the best way to solve this problem.
Professional General contractors aren't always on site, it's true, but they often have a lead carpenter keeping watch while they are away. Understanding the building process as they do, they know when the critical inspections need to take place and they are there to inspect at those times. They also usually know their subcontractors, have worked with them many times before and know their work. An owner builder may not have that degree of experience, so being there all the time is the next best thing.
EXPERIENCE
 Having experience with construction is also imperative. What does a well built interior frame wall look like? How should the plumbing and electrical work look when it's done right? (Can you spot problems before they get covered up?) How should the rebar be laid before the concrete is poured? At what stage does the plumber do the rough-in and when should you call for the top-out? How do you keep a project moving so that the subcontractors show up at the right time and the project proceeds smoothly? How do you know when a subcontractor is doing what's easiest for them or what's best for your project? When do you pay the subs and how do you verify that they are insured? You should be confident about the answers to these questions and many more before you take on your own project.
There is a reason why General Contracting is a profession. There is a LOT to know and if you attempt to build your home yourself without this knowledge, you'll very likely be setting yourself up for a very frustrating experience.
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