If you’ve decided to work with a custom home builder to build your dream home, you might wonder how long the process takes. Of course, each home is unique and will take a different amount of time depending on other various factors like the builder you choose, your home’s design, and securing a loan for construction. To help you prepare, here is a sample timeline, although your builder at Harbor Classic Homes will be able to narrow this down to the specifics of your home.
Timeline for Building a New Home
Pre-Building: Plans and Lots
Before the process of building your home even starts, you will need to choose the design and floor plan for your home, in addition to the lot you’d like your home built on. Custom home builders offer plans for you to look at, but if you’d like a home built from scratch, keep in mind that it may take longer.
Week One: Excavation and Footing
Once you’ve selected your lot and determined your homes plan, the work on your dream home will begin. The first step to building is excavation, which includes grading and leveling the land the home will be built on. Once excavation is complete, the builder will lay the footing, or the base, of a new construction home. In most cases, this will be a concrete base.
Weeks Two to Three: Foundation
After excavation has been done, and footing has been laid, the builder will create the foundation for your new home. The foundation of your home could be a full basement, crawlspace, or just a concrete slab. Regardless of your choice, this will be the next step in building your custom home.
Weeks Four to Five: Framing
Once the foundation has been set, builders then begin the process of framing your home. The frame includes the planks and beams that make up the skeleton of your new home. Once the framing has been put in place, there will be an inspection to ensure that everything is correct. Once the inspection is passed, the roof will be added.
Weeks Six to Eight: Mechanical Systems, Insulation, and Walls
After week five, your custom home will take on the shape you saw when you looked at floor plans or walked through the original model. At this point, walls and insulation are added, and the systems that make living in your home comfortable are added. These systems include electrical wiring, plumbing, air conditioning, and heating.
Weeks Nine to Twelve: Final Details
After watching builders work on your home for nearly two months, the fun part of construction will begin. During these final stages, your newly constructed home will be ready for the finishing details like doors, flooring, cabinets, and appliances. For many people, this stage is when their home comes to life and they get to add their personal touches.
Week Thirteen: Inspections
With the process almost complete, an inspector will come through to look over the home and ensure that it meets all of the local and international building codes. We encourage you to attend the inspection as well to see if everything has turned out as expected. If you need any changes or updates, this is the stage to make sure those get done.
Newly constructed homes require more time than purchasing a move-in-ready home, but the tradeoff is that you get to oversee the design and building of your home from start to finish. If you’re interested in designing your dream home, contact Harbor Classic Homes.