How to Create a Realistic Timeline for Your Custom Home Project

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If you’re anything like us, you want your custom home built yesterday. That’s until the reality check hits. Building a custom home is a process. It is like a slow cooked pot roast. It takes a lot of time and patience on top of requiring the right kind of ingredients!

You’ve got the vision. You’ve got the land. Here’s the million-dollar question; how long is it going to take to go from dirt lot to dream home? Let’s find out!

1. Calling in the Experts (1-2 Months)

Let’s say you contact some of the best custom home builders in town! They’re probably going to start off by asking you a few questions to understand your vision. Make sure you are clear about that vision of yours before going in.

In case you don’t have a vision yet, no worries! We recommend you at least communicate that to the home builder so that they can provide you a catalog of existing plans that you can sift through. You can also request a designer who can help you get started.

Make it easy on yourself. Start with the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and the exact amount of square footage you need. Then proceed towards buying the lot if you haven’t done that yet, and securing financing. The best home builders can help you do all this and much more!

2. Selecting the Finishing (1 Month)

Once you have decided upon the foundation of the plan, the property has been purchased, and the financing has been determined, it is time to slowly breathe life into that empty lot.

You might need to start off by simply selecting the doors, windows, flooring, and lighting of the home. You may also need to make special decisions regarding the plumbing and heating systems at this stage, figure out the external materials you want to use (stone, brick, siding) as well as the interior features (fireplaces, cabinets, appliances).

Most organized builders will ensure this step is out of the way early on so that they have all the material they require and can avoid any last-minute hiccups.

3. Receiving the Final Quotation (3 Weeks)

With your vision in mind, your builder is going to start working on a detailed quote. This is typically completed within two to three weeks (expect an 18-to-20-page long document). The quote includes a total price based on all the selections you made above and upgrade options for premium fixtures.

Once you have reviewed the document, make sure you hand it over to the builders so that the construction can begin!

4. Getting Ready for the Construction (1-2 Weeks)

Before we get into the digging, breaking, and building as well as laying down of the foundation, a few crucial steps must be completed. You must secure all financial approvals well in advance and make all your final selections regarding your interiors, paint colors, and any specific finishes or furniture options.

5. Building the Custom Home (8-10 Months)

Building your custom home, even after everything has been set in place, can take up to 10 months. This timeline can also vary depending on the weather conditions and the availability of materials.

For example, if you have marble in mind for your kitchen and your builder’s supplier is short on the particular shade you want (quite common after the pandemic hit), you might have to wait a few more weeks!

Let’s break the process down even further to give you a better idea of every step involved;

●       Step 1: We start by clearing and preparing the land which often takes a few days, but can also get delayed to a couple of weeks if the weather conditions are not ideal.

●       Step 2: This is followed by the laying of the foundation. You can choose between a slab, crawlspace, or a basement.

●       Step 3: The wood structure as well as the roof are installed which shape the home.

●       Step 4: Plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems soon follow and are placed inside the walls.

●       Step 5: Exterior finishes come next as siding, stone, or brick are applied.

●       Step 6: We move on to insulation and drywall whereby the walls are enclosed and prepared for finishing touches.

●       Step 7: Now for the fun part! This involves all the interior work, the paint, and decorative elements that are placed according to your vision.

●       Step 8: Lights, appliances, and plumbing fixtures are installed as a final touch. Builders often conduct regular inspections at this stage to ensure everything is in order.

That’s All, Homeowners!

That’s basically it! No fuss, no mess, and a smooth process from start to finish. That is, if you trust the right builder for the job. Once all the construction is done and dusted, ownership is officially transferred. If you have secured a construction loan this may also occur without the builder being present.

No matter the time frame, one thing is certain. Slow and easy wins the race! So, make sure you have a vision in mind as you take the first step towards building your custom home. Don’t rush into it!