J. A. Ollinger's tutorial offers valuable information, based on personal experience, to help you make those important first decisions. It can be as large as a suite of rooms, or as small as changing bag. For a hobbyist it's usually a converted bathroom, basement, closet, or an add-on room. There are a number of books on building home darkrooms, from spartan, temporary work areas to big, permanent setups. A good library or bookstore ought to have them.
Reference books Get a book on darkroom procedures.
You don't need a thick textbook. A lot of people on rec.photo.darkroom recommend the Ansel Adams books. They're great books, not quite appropriate for beginners. They're thick, they're dense, and they're intimidating. They are very well written and useful, but better suited for people who are comfortable with developing and printing first.