3 Min Read
There are a handful of common questions just about everyone asks when considering a custom home build in Gainesville, FL (or anywhere else, for that matter). After questions regarding price points and what style the contractors are comfortable building and designing, the conversations turn to time. Just how long does it take to build new homes in Gainesville? Are there hiccups to potentially plan for? What might delay a new home build? You likely have your own time frame constructed in your head for when you'd like to move into the new house. Perhaps it's as soon as possible, or maybe you'd like to be settled in by the time the holidays roll around. Maybe you don't care either way and you're content with waiting however long it takes.
Whatever boat you find yourself in, it is helpful to, at the very least, have a general understanding of how long it takes custom home builders in Gainesville, FL to construct a house that's turn-key ready. Here are some of the ins and outs of how long it takes to build a house.
How Long Does It Take To Build A Custom Home?
Each custom home build is broken down into different stages (some of which have sub-stages). The main stages include preliminary design, pre-construction, and construction. The preliminary design is all about aligning your vision with that of the builders. Everyone needs to be on the same page. There will likely be some back and forth, where designs are rendered, you look them over, make any necessary suggestions, and then the designers will alter the construction blueprint and send these updated designs back to you. This can take anywhere, usually, from three to six months. The more certain you are with what you want upfront, the faster this goes, but it's necessary to work all the kinks out at this time. It's easier to make edits on paper than in building materials! Once ground is broken and construction begins, changes to the plan will lead to significant delays and require additional funding.
Once everything is locked in, a custom home builder in Gainesville, FL will move to pre-construction. This is the shortest of the three stages, taking anywhere from a month to just under two. During this time the building team and designers will pull together the contractors needed for the job. There is already a list of contractors they typically work with, it's mostly about scheduling everything out with these different contractors. At times, if specialty work is required, it might require some additional connections, but usually, everyone has worked together before, and it's just lining everyone up.
Work on your land will begin at this time as well. Grading the land will likely need to occur in order to prep it for construction. Some site work, where trees and roots are removed, might need to be done.
Lastly, construction of the home, from start to the point where you can walk into the home and move in, will take about a year. Laying the foundation and framing the building will take up a good chunk of time. You've probably driven past construction projects where the framing seemed to take forever, and then the roof went on in a fraction of the time. That's usually how it goes because the framing is so vital in the structural integrity of the home. It's important to make sure the foundation and framing are perfect, otherwise, future problems will occur with your home.
The biggest stoppage, for any reason, would likely be weather-related. We are in Florida, after all, and major storms can happen. Should one occur, construction might need to stop for a few days here and there. Outside this, there aren't many reasons why your home build would be delayed.
Is It A Good Time To Build A Custom Home?
There's never a bad time to start on your dream house or anything inside. With that said, construction prices did hit an all-time high at the end of 2020. Thankfully those prices have begun to drop, so by the time your preliminary phase ends (six months or so down the road from now, if you were to start today), prices will likely be down further. That makes it a good time to begin planning your dream house.
Begin Planning Your Dream Home Today
The first step in the timeline of your home construction is designing it and getting the planning underway. The sooner you begin this step the earlier on we're able to break ground and get started with the building of your home. You'll have a complete home construction timeline ready to go after your planning, complete with expected lengths of time for each portion of the project and when the individual stages will begin. You likely still have a ton of questions regarding building a custom home, and we have all the answers. Give us a call, and let us know how we can help.
