How Long Does It Take to Build a House?
You’ve got your kids’ sports schedules, your meals planned, and your vacations lined up. It also makes sense to plan your house build as well! Whether you need the extra space to fit your growing family or you’re creating your forever home, it’s good to plan ahead. Building a house will involve a lot of preparation, construction, and settling in and each of those steps can take time! Below we will discuss the average timeline it takes to build a house and the different variables that may affect the process along the way.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer, but the rough estimate for home construction is anywhere from eight to twelve months. This time frame includes everything, including gathering permits, finalizing designs, building the house, and closing. Want to know more about why that timeline is what it is? Keep reading below!
During your consultation, your home builder will disclose how long the project should take given that everything runs smoothly. However, there are several factors that can affect the timelines of your project that can cause it to take longer than expected, which includes:
Planning & Design
This is the most underrated and most important part of the project. Taking the appropriate time during this step can solve so many problems down the road. What is included in this step of the process? This is where we will sit down with an Architect or draftsman and draw up the plans for your house. We’ll meet with an Interior Designer with the goal to make all of the selections. Lastly, we will produce a detailed Scope of Work, Job Schedule, and Quote. This is the planning that we believe is crucial to a successful and efficient project. So often contractors will start without the majority of this information and they and the homeowners regret it the rest of the way.
Loan Closing
Don’t forget that to build a house, most people need financing from a lender to accomplish their dreams. This process can be started before the plan is complete, but this can’t be finished until you have a contract prepared for building the home. Once the project is planned and designed, you can begin to close with the bank. This process can take 1-2 months depending on the bank’s workflow and the closing attorney’s schedule.
Elaborate Customization
Though it’s important to build the home of your dreams, the more customization you add to the project, the longer it will take. The same is true for building larger homes. Keep this in mind when you go to ask your builder to add certain details to your home’s construction. An example would be to use fully custom cabinets that take months to be delivered rather than semi-custom cabinets that are pre-manufactured, but still accommodate the custom layout that you desire.
Obtaining Permits
As we mentioned before, obtaining all necessary permits can be a lengthy process. This is because all requests to build, grade, and line up the home to meet all codes takes a long process to review. Permits may be granted between a 4 weeks to two months, so during this time we are sure to make all of the progress we can on making selections and planning any remaining information.
Weather Conditions
The weather plays a large role in how fast your project is completed, especially during the land prep and foundation phase. For the land to be cleared, the yard to be graded, and footings to be excavated and poured, the ground needs to be dry. Other weather conditions may make the job site hazardous for all workers. The weather is not so much of a problem once the home is framed and the roof is on, but until then, any bad weather may delay your project.
Land Prep
If your lot is wooded or heavily sloped, the process of clearing and leveling the land also affects the timeline since this has to be done pre-construction. Land topography plays a big factor in ensuring the foundation of your home isn’t compromised down the road from flooding thanks to subpar clearing. Depending on the condition of your lot, land prep can take a few weeks to complete before foundation setup can begin.
Issues During Building
One thing to keep in mind when building a home is to be prepared for any possible issues that play a part in dragging out the home building process. These issues can range from actual building errors, to failed inspections, grading or drainage issues, and more. A quality contractor will do their best throughout the project to limit these issues, but mistakes or unforeseen issues are inevitable and have to be handled when they arise.
Communication Matters!
While wading through the unknowns and varying timelines, your builder should be keeping you updated and communicating any speed bumps along the way. Not everything is within our control, but how we react, respond, and communicate is. The quality of your experience can seriously be affected by how good your relationship is with your builder and project manager. be sure to focus on building that relationship early so you can more easily push through the storms that arise throughout this 8-12 month build process.
Here’s an Easy Timeline to Expect
Architectural Drawings - 2-3 months
Interior Design & Planning - 1-2 months
Loan Closing w/ Bank & Attorneys - 1-2 months
Permitting - 1-2 months
Construction - 8-10 months
So, how long does it take to build a custom home? You can expect the entire process to take 12-18 months from the time you begin planning to the day you move in!
Want to learn more about the Building Process? Read the full Article Here!
Work With the Best Custom Home Builders
Interested in building a home? We specialize in building dream homes our clients will love for decades to come. Our team focuses on reliability and honesty from your ballpark estimate to the final touches so you will be confident your home exceeds every expectation and desire.
Working with a custom home builder you trust is vital for a home building project to be as stress-free as possible. That’s why we strive to listen to all your concerns and provide you with the right advice for building a home your family will enjoy that matches your personality and aesthetic with functionality.
Ready to bring your vision to life? Contact Keith Smith Construction today to get your project started. We’ll begin with a 30 minute phone call to discuss your vision, priorities, budget, timeline, and ballpark estimate. Then, we can start planning the house of your dreams, meeting with an architect, and preparing for your new home!