How Long Does it Take to Build a House?

How long it takes to build a custom house depends on the homeowners preferences, the size and complexity, and the time of year. However, if everything goes according to plan, it will generally take anywhere from 7 to 16 months to build.

Here is an example timeline of what you can expect during the process: 

• 7 months to build a house from start to finish
• 1-4 months for an architect to draw up plans
• 1 month to get your project authorized before shovels can hit the dirt

Of course, depending on where your new home is being built and the method you use to build your house, you may work through some of these home-building steps much quicker than expected. Let’s break down how long it takes to build a house so you have a good understanding and can plan accordingly with your housing needs.

New Home Construction Stages and Timeline

When you have a house being built, there are many factors that could contribute to the average build time that could hold the process up, such as:

1. Community’s Development Status: If you are moving into an established and development community, such a Braxton Ridge, the timeline may be shorter. Brand new communities or communities in the presale process will take longer for your new home build.
2. Financing: Often times, responsiveness between the Lender and the home buyer can hold up the process due to missing or incomplete mortgage documents.
3. Product Availability: Given circumstances such as COVID-19, some materials may take longer to acquire due to manufacturer delays and an imbalance in supply and demand.
4. Weather: Weather is a huge variable in how long it takes to build a custom house. Temperature and precipitation can not only slow down workers, but it can also directly impact the amount of time it takes to do things such as set concrete or get the framing up.
5. Construction Style: If you’ve opted for a more standard floor plan and design features, your new home build is likely to take less time. However, while there is nothing wrong with getting fancy, you should expect that any fancy structural or interior choices that you make may require some additional time to complete, so you’ll want to set your expectations accordingly.

How to Reduce Your Build Time

Planning in advance is by far the most important way to reduce the time required to build your custom home. When you are building a home, all of the components of a new home are interrelated, so if you plan your build with enough notice, you can reduce the change of any mistakes or delays popping up.

To give you an example, let’s say you have your heart set on a specific type of tile for your bathroom. Depending on how thick those tiles are, this will determine the exact location of pipes that your builder must have in place before they begin your foundation.

Another thing to be mindful of is understanding the lead time on products and factoring in how much time it may take for certain products such as windows and doors to come in and have on the building site when they are needed. In the construction world, waiting for just one item can cause a delay of up to a few weeks in your timeline.

Ready to Start Building Your Home?

Ready to find a prime plot of land near Greenville, SC? J. Francis Builders has been providing the community with high quality, energy-efficient smart homes with a positive building experience for over 20 years. We look forward to the opportunity to make your dream home a reality!