Building a new home is a complex undertaking that requires detailed planning. To help you with this process, members of Home Artisans of Indiana share their expert advice:

TAKE THE TIME TO PLAN WELL: New construction starts with making a plan that creates a home you will be happy with for years to come.  Do your homework and take your time on design. Think about how you will live in the space—mentally picture yourself doing normal activities like cooking, coming home from work, and relaxing with your family. Understand what functionality and style you are looking for and how you will achieve them. Creating a plan in the beginning of the process helps ensure the rest of the project will go smoothly. HAOI Member David Decker, The Affordable Companies

PLAN FOR STORAGE: It is never too early in the design process to plan for your custom closets. You can start as early as the blueprint stage. Building around your storage needs can alleviate stress when you start moving in. You will arrive with a place for everything! HAOI Member Erin Moore, California Closets

FIND EXAMPLES: Collecting pictures for design ideas will help you and your builder plan your perfect home. For instance, whenever you see a lighting scene or a light fixture that you like in a magazine or on a website, keep it. Then, when you start picking out your lighting, your builder can see what styles you like. HAOI Member Tracy Leeper King, Indiana Lighting Center

AGING-IN-PLACE PLANNING: Consider designing your home for accessibility so you can live comfortably as you age. There are so many products that will look beautiful now and will be functional later. For example, barrier-free showers and European wet rooms are today’s stylish trends, yet they are also very accessible and safe. For safety features such as grab bars, block out space for them in the bathroom or shower so you can install them whenever you need to without remodeling the bathroom later. HAOI Member Kent McCool, Home Safe Homes

CAREFUL WITH STAIRS: Stairs are meant to be constructed so they can be easily dismantled and repaired if needed. However, unskilled workers will often construct the staircase in a more permanent fashion, being generous with adhesives and nail guns. Consequently any repairs, upgrades or maintenance will be very costly. Knowing how your staircase is constructed can payoff big in the future. HAOI Member Doug Marvel, Marvelous Woodworking

CONSIDER HEATING & COOLING SYSTEMS EARLY: Take the time to research and learn about your best options for heating and cooling. These systems will have a huge impact on the comfort of your home, and will constitute the majority of your energy costs. Be sure to design your new home with adequate heating and cooling support by bringing in a reputable HVAC company early in the planning process. HAOI Member Brian Schutt, Home Sense Heating & Cooling

PLAN FOR FRAMELESS SHOWER ENCLOSURES: Many homeowners like the clean lines of a frameless shower enclosure. If you would like to include one in your design, make sure you plan for it. The door must be hung off a wall that has studs to anchor the hinges. Your contractor will need to ensure that the framer installs the studs in the right place. HAOI Member Donna Moulder, Mirror Concepts

Questions about planning for your new construction project? Check out our Members page for more home improvement resources.