Generally architects provide a variety of different services. Contact a few architects that are local to where you want to build and talk to them about what you generally want to do and see if they are capable to do what you want. Many architects have clients that live outside their area, state, and sometimes country; and plan homes for the needs now and any time in the future.

No idea what you're looking for but I have a coworker who built a garage on their lake property and are using that as their cabin for now. They will build their retirement home eventually and the garage will become their retirement home garage.

and build in stages.

Why in stages? What would you build today, and what would you add for later? Many look to downsize in retirement and a typical summer home sized home is often a good size.

We live nowhere near where we want to build

How will you use the property until you retire?

A lake property is attractive for families and extended families as the owners use it full-time in retirement. Your kids will use it as they develop families. If you foresee more use I see your need for more space in the future. Designs that meet the future space needs would be the first step. Then seeing how to make different segments addons with preplanned and constructed plumbing, electrical and hvac attachment points

Visitors to the lake can camp. They don't need dedicated expensive indoor space that gets used 2 weeks out of the year. And if they do want air conditioning, they can go to a hotel. As long as there's a bathroom accessible to the exterior, it will be fine, and the kids will love it. If gramma doesn't love it, she can get your bed, and you can spend the night on the pullout in the office. But gramma is the only one that gets that consideration.

Build your retirement home now. Build the kids bedrooms big enough to share, and have a garage or boat house for overflow. That's all you need. If you build too big, you wil ljust have a massive influx of 4th cousin once removed freeloaders.

Maybe I'm not understanding your goals, but you want something that you won't spend a ton of money on now since you won't be living there full-time - just a place you will go for a week or two every year until you retire? And then you will build a retirement home and sell your current home?

Or is your goal to build bigger and bigger to accommodate a growing family?

If you are trying to save money, just build a garage and put in a bit of plumbing.

If you want to build for the future and money isn't an object, just build everything now.

Maybe explain why you want to do this, and what stages you're imagining you would build, because I think everyone here is answering different questions.

Our grandparents summer house had an outhouse. And we all survived.