I haven't build myself but two friends have had to go legal on the builder and architect. A few lessons from these. Don't hire friends or family. Make sure th

I haven't build myself but two friends have had to go legal on the builder and architect. A few lessons from these. Don't hire friends or family. Make sure the builder is registered and isn't a director of other companies that have defaulted. Have a signed contract or agreement in place. If doing payment in stages make sure that what you are paying for has been completed and has been signed off by your engineer. Take as many photos and videos as you can as often as you can, use a drone to get to awkward unsafe areas and record video. Include all major structural and sealing work. Even good builders/window installers etc make genuine mistakes, photos of what was done make inside a wall make it easier to attribute liability if there is an issue. These are some key points from two terrible cases, don't let them scare you and enjoy it.