How Long Does It Really Take to Build a Custom Home?

If you’ve ever considered building a custom home, you’ve probably wondered how long it takes. The simple answer is – complicated. The average time for a custom home construction is between ten and sixteen months from breaking ground until you get the keys to your front door. But that’s the construction phase alone. When you factor in all the time getting from blueprint to dirt shovel, you’re looking at 18 months to two years (or longer).

There’s no set timeline for every single project. For example, it can take less than a year for a small custom home easily located on a flat lot with no complications or unfortunate permitting errors. On the flip side, a larger house with lots of architectural specifications that may take longer to plan, located on a challenging site or needing additional approvals, could result in a home being completed two years after initial dirt digging. Knowing the factors that help create – or delay – timeframes can help establish reasonable expectations rather than having a frustrating perception that your home should be done months before.

It Takes Longer Than You Think to Get to Breaking Ground

There are many steps to making a home become a reality before one even starts building it. This is where many fail to realize, in the best interest of getting their ideal custom home built, that pre-planning takes time but may not always feel like real construction work.

There are two steps to the planning portion: designing and approvals. The design portion is where you’ll work with an architect or the builder’s design team to put together plans. This usually takes between two and six months, depending on how easily you decide upon your needs or how complex your vision is; some people know exactly what they want and get through with minimal revisions. Others require several revisions to get it just right and that’s okay, too – albeit time-consuming.

Once plans are relatively set in stone, it’s time to secure permits/approvals. This part can be unpredictable; while some towns will get someone through permitting in a matter of weeks, stricter building codes or locations that need multiple approvals may take three to six months (if not longer) just to receive the green light to start building. If your lot is part of an HOA or a historical district, all that does is add more time.

Finding a Good Builder Counts

The builder you choose plays an instrumental part in how smoothly everything goes. Ashford Custom Homes will have established timelines and professional subcontractors and are experienced enough to work through permitting they know will be easy – no one wants to prolong their work when they could be easily getting paid elsewhere.

Digging on your lot does take time too, even after it becomes fenced in and excavation trucks start rolling in. If your lot needs clearance, grading, connection to utilities, et cetera, it’s a few weeks to a couple of months before construction even begins for real. For challenging lots with difficult access or landscaping, it could take significantly longer.

What Does Construction Look Like?

Once you’re off the shovel and working on actual building steps, it’s a reliable process – albeit any aspect can take longer than planned.

The foundation portion takes about four to six weeks for excavation, forming and pouring with enough concrete cure time; again, it’s weather-dependent. If it’s pouring rain or freezing temperatures stop shaping – things can come to a halt very quickly – as deadlines cannot fast-track concrete drying time.

After foundation is framed – a space where you can walk through your home and see how everything comes together; this usually takes six to eight weeks for average-sized homes but could take longer for larger homes with complex roof lines or multiple stories.

During this process is the “rough-in” plumbing, electrical and HVAC phase of about four to six weeks. Expect various inspections; if the inspection fails, you will not move on until those pieces are resolved and re-inspected.

Things Get Expensive and Slow Down Progress

This is where mistakes get expensive and time-consuming. Insulation/drywall mudding involves four to six weeks. An inspection occurs afterward, meaning any failed component means remudding and reinspection.

The interior finishes (trim work, painting, flooring, cabinets, countertops) usually takes eight to twelve weeks depending on availability if you’re ordering any custom pieces. It’s usually at this point where people realize how long bigger projects take because various trades need to work sequentially; you can’t paint walls while floors are being put in – and if cabinet workers come before the painting is done, they’ll have to go back again.

Other Delays

Weather is unavoidable and not controlled; if there’s heavy rain or snow, scorching heat or freezing temperatures – construction might come to a halt for days at a time if not weeks at a time. Where foundation work and framing takes place might require weather delays; building in harsh winter locations means delays are almost guaranteed.

Material delays have become more frequent in recent years: lumber shortages, windows failing quality control checks without enough replacements coming from stock, appliance order issues – all take additional weeks/months if not caught beforehand. Most builders will order items down the line ahead of schedule but supply chain issues arise out of nowhere.

Labor availability matters too; electricians and plumbers are high demand workers – if they come from another project that they’re having issues completing after hours, they won’t be there for yours. Good builders manage their subcontractors well – but conflicts arise.

Change Orders Delay Everything

One of the biggest things that derails good intentional timelines is when homeowners execute change orders – decisions made when construction is already occurring. Whether they order the wrong style cabinetry, decides they want more windows or upgraded flooring materials, decisions cause stoppages and ordering new features or redoing efforts adds days/weeks.

Some change orders are unavoidable; digging through earth may show unstable soil requiring another foundation approach; inspectors may require code changes – but many are because the homeowners didn’t think thoroughly during planning stages.

Conclusion

Most builders will give you an idea of a timeline early on – but smart builders will buffer unforeseen circumstances into theirs. A builder who promises great timelines without fluff either hasn’t thoroughly assessed timeframes or they’re trying to quickly secure your business with unrealistic promises.

Know your expectations ahead of time but talk with your builder as matters progress so as not to assume why things take longer than expected. Otherwise, when you’re chomping at the bit because you’re so excited for your new home, you’ll at least understand that 12-18 months is an average build timeline (with much more anticipated pre-build). You’ll expect when it’s time to give notice at your current dwelling; when it’s time to hire movers; and when it’s realistic time for you to unpack boxes in your brand-new custom built home.

A custom home build is a marathon – not a sprint! The best homes turn out well when no one involved rushes – and instead takes their time to do it right instead of forgoing quality just because there’s an arbitrary timeline!