Depending on the reason, I recommend no basement if you can get around it. They leak, mold, dark, humid etc. more economical to get another story up. of course if land is sparse or your in a major city you may need one and it may be worth the hassle regardless.
hire out a reputable builder for the structure. and perhaps polish the floors. get a proper rough in for electrical and plumbing. order cabinets and such for kitchen and 1 full washroom.
things like flooring, paining and other small finishing work are learnable skills. be prepared to take extra time or redo work as part of the learning curve. Keep the design very simple, reduce or remove finishing as possible. if you can get a livable structure built in short order you can spend the months or years building it to your needs and tastes over time.
I just went through the exact same thing with my team...makes me look unreliable as well as them. of course we are all understanding in the long run. but at the time...kills morale
hire out a reputable builder for the structure. and perhaps polish the floors. get a proper rough in for electrical and plumbing. order cabinets and such for kitchen and 1 full washroom.
things like flooring, paining and other small finishing work are learnable skills. be prepared to take extra time or redo work as part of the learning curve. Keep the design very simple, reduce or remove finishing as possible. if you can get a livable structure built in short order you can spend the months or years building it to your needs and tastes over time.