Begin with how you want to live, not a floor area alone. Describe who will use the house, how often, which rooms need privacy and how daily life should connect to the garden. Separate essential requirements from preferences; this gives the architect a useful basis for comparing sites and layouts.
Test the site against the brief
Before committing to a purchase, ask the local team to test whether the proposed use and building fit the site. A first feasibility sketch should consider access, slope, orientation, neighbours and outdoor space. Read the site checklist alongside the legal review.
Define responsibilities
Agree who develops the concept, coordinates engineering, handles the local approval process and carries out the duties on site. Ask for named professionals, a list of deliverables and a schedule of client decisions. International collaboration works best when design leadership and local responsibilities are clear in the contract.
Budget the whole project
Separate land, studies, professional fees, construction, external works, taxes, connections and a contingency. Record what is excluded from each quotation. When comparing offers, also clarify how the floor area of the house has been measured.
Approve decisions in stages
Confirm the layout before developing details, and coordinate the technical package before requesting final construction offers. Keep a written record of changes to scope, cost and programme. The first meeting is most useful with a site reference, a short brief and your overall budget range.