It is all in the planning

Those who know me will know I am seafarer and not a builder however I have always asked and listened to how builders weave their magic and when you look at people doing basic jobs you soon  realise that most of it is not rocket science. The trick is in the experience builders have of  putting all the skills and knowledge together to form a coherent plan of action that doesn't leave you later on thinking "Oh No! if I had put the plumbing in then or done the floor that way I wouldn't now have to dig up a big chunk of it". 
It is all in the planning. 
In case any one missed that and is considering or soon to be starting a project like this I say again  "It is all in the planning" 
Plan it, then project forward in time to where you think you would be and then check that your plans wont "hang you up" and cause you to undo what you have already done. 
In some ways it is a bit like a game of snooker whereby in order to make a big break you have to be thinking two, three, or four shots ahead of yourself whilst making sure the ball you are on goes in the right pocket.

I often asked advice from builder mates who were only to happy to explain how to do something in exchange for a pint or two. 

I am from a practical problem solving background and just apply logic and some occasional sideways thinking to the tasks to be done. 
Often my seafarers tendency to "over engineer" causes Chris my building guru to pull his hair out, as in the day I explained to him why I used massive timbers to build some stud wall and explained that I didn't want them to rock if the house moved a bit "He raised one eyebrow and said "Bentley houses don't roll, ships do. Gravity works downwards on dry land"
(What can you say!!!

I bounce the ideas (the practical ones) off of Mrs B. On many occasions she has said "Yeah that's great but what about when we come to do such and such, wont that wall or beam or whatever be causing an obstruction then" 

I think you have to have a sounding board who is as into the whole project as you are. It would be a lonely and tough "one man show" although it might suit some people to do it like that. 

Since we have passed the bounds of my original knowledge base I have had to up my game and make sure I research the next move thoroughly before proceeding. 
I am fortunate in that I have a good mate who lives here full time and is a wonderful, skilled, and imaginative builder who I pass all my ideas by before implementing them. He is called Chris and is my building guru.
I cannot stress how invaluable t it is to have someone who you can ask advice form who knows his stuff and isn't hustling you for work out of it. The best people like that tend not to need your work because the best builders are always "busy".

It must be understood that this is a labour of love, the fullfillment of a dream that we both share and as such we have no interest in the monetary value of the home we are building. 
Of course we have a budget and so far I am in that budget but keeping the cost down in the hope of turning a few quid is not the reason we are doing it. That said because it is "us" who are doing the vast bulk of the work our build costs are very low and when I do need something doing beyond my capabilities Chris will always get that work.

I hope the information we impart along the way is of use to others thinking of doing the same thing and if I miss anything or fail to explain a method correctly then please feel free to ask me to go into more detail.

Next is getting the floor down.