The opportunity to self build one's own home is so very exciting and whilst all the sketching and planning is going on, it all seems incredibly achievable and straightforward. All those problems folks face on Grand Designs are avoidable and won't happen to me!
In our experience, that's exactly the mindset you need. By approaching the whole shabbang with a positive, can-do, risk assessing, plentiful planning direction, many of the problems seen on TV programmes can be planned to be avoided.
But.... a big but.....
Building a house necessitates the use of people as well as materials: and it is generally the animate, not inanimate that are the root of the aforementioned problems (but your positive mindset should give you plenty of alternative ways to sort things out!) Positivity is definitely the key.
Click through the headings on the left for some pointers which may assist you.
Wishing you a wonderful time with your project