You will need an architect anyway. He/she needs to make the plans and get them approved.

GC?

I've posted similar thoughts here before but for yourself and the lurkers I'll do so again.

As with any other profession/occupation the design profession has people that are outstanding and others less so. Some FAR less so. And having a license has very little bearing on creative thinking and design competency. I know some architects whom I wouldn't trust to design a house for my dog. I also know some designers who are outstanding. I also know other designers who think all design is is being proficient in a CAD program.

Same goes for design build firms. For some "design" really means something but for others it's just a six letter marketing word painted on the side of their pick up truck that some people buy into.

My suggestion is to talk to a few/several. Look at what they've done, talk to their past clients. Find out how they work.

GC = General Contractor The guy (or gal) who has the team that actually does the construction. He is an extremely important part of the process ... he supervises and coordinates all of the various tradesmen and ensures that it's all done to code and according to the architect's plans. You should make sure you use a licensed and highly recommended General Contractor ... unless you can do this yourself.

When it comes to these "nothing but land and a dream" projects, it is good to remember your ABC's:
Architect
Before
Contractor

Architects (as architectrunnerguy points out) come in many different forms and preferences. Interview the one's whose designs you admire (that means you have to drive to their office with an appointment). An Architect may have a rather agressive up front price, but they can "pay for themselves" during the build/competion stage. They can keep everyone on track and keep the decisions flowing. At the end of the build an architect can turn out to be "free".

They may have a percentage to be paid up front (10-15% of total build costs is normal...depending on the scope). They are then able to save 10-15% on the build because they keep things moving quickly without disruptions due to "changes". That means your $450,000 home gets built for $450,000 (includes his/her upfront fee).

Consider that most cost over runs come from homeowners changing their minds "midstream". These over runs are what push your project over by 15-30% of "budget". Achitects can stop this "midstream" chaos from happening. Thus "paying" for themselves at the end of the day.

Again, it comes down to the professional. Choose the person who fits best with your vision/goal and work hard to stay away from the "Oh! What about this? Can we add it on?" things that always add more to your project.

The most successful projects are when there is a great team including an architect, contractor and interior designer from the get go. You will save money in the long run by avoiding disappointment and expensive mistakes. This is a large home and you can't afford to wing it with out both an architect and designer. If you really want the houses exterior to be distinctive and beautifully proportioned then you can't afford to skip working with an architect. Choose an architect that works in your style preference. The architect and interior designer can collaborate with you on the interior architecture elements. An interior designer contributes a lot in the planning stages regarding the size of rooms and potential furniture floor plans that fit your lifestyle and insure that the rooms work for you. Since you have a good sense of what you want it will make the process of working with and architect and designer more cost effective. Choosing your general contractor early in the process will help you determine your budget more realistically and help you set priorities.

Some good points provided. My suggestion is that you select a 3-person team.... an architect (or very good designer), an interior designer (who can also do kitchen/baths), and your builder/general contractor. Use the entire team to collaborate in developing your drawings. If you use a designer instead of an architect, usually an engineer can seal the drawings (structural issues, wind bracing, etc.). This may cost about $1k for the engineer.

Don't compromise on importance of design and make the time to be thorough. An eraser is much cheaper than concrete (once you start building, changes are expensive).

One of the main reasons (besides creativity) for the 3-person team, is that as you develop the plans, cost can be reasonably tracked. The builder helps with this. I've never met an architect or a designer that had a good grasp of building costs. I've had many a client come to us very disappointed in their architect because they designed a home well above budget. And find an architect that isn't too proud to take recommendations from a builder.

To expand on what Tres and Ferraro touched upon, I like to get a builder lined up from the "get go" and forgo the competitive bid route.

The obvious question for the owner then becomes "Well, how do I know I'm not being ripped off?"

Great question.

The reality is we're building a custom project here, not a 7-11. And in the course of a custom project there are always numerous changes along the way because of emotions, specific desires, changing goals, and yes..."I saw this on Houzz, can we do THIS!!".

So, while it's all well and good to get a competitive bid at the start from very detailed drawings (which cost more upfront BTW), the fact is in custom work there's going to be a lot of changes in the course of the project. In that regard, you'd better feel good about your contractor treating you fairly on pricing on those changes so why not cross that bridge from the outset, feel comfortable with the contractors pricing at the start, and get him/her on board during design?

And having a builder on board during design is not only a guy/girl there with an eye towards costs, most builders I work with actually have some great design ideas. You might find that to be true too!