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How Long Will it Take to Build a Custom Home?
Feb 16, 2022

To build a custom home from the ground up is a gratifying process for not only homeowners, but for contractors as well. 


There is nothing that compares to seeing a vision come to life, or seeing plans shift into the transformation of a custom home. If you have never seen the construction process of a house from start to finish, you may not be familiar with the different stages and time frames involved. 


To take some of the uncertainty out of the building process, this article provides a general timeline for a project and how some projects may take longer than others. 


THE PRE-CONSTRUCTION STAGE


The pre-construction stage of building a custom home involves detailed plans and designs. An architect must be chosen to develop and manage the details of plan development, matching style preferences with local zoning and building code requirements, as well as the submission to the City’s building and planning departments for approval. 


Before any physical construction can take place, the City’s building and planning departments must approve several aspects of a project such as:

  •  layout/size
  • building elevations
  • electrical
  • energy complianc
  • structural design.



Typically, this part of the process takes around 6 to 12 months but can vary depending on the complexity of a project. Where the project takes place, the building department’s workload, protocol, and review process all can alter the intended timeline. 


Once plans are submitted and approved, the City provides a permit that gives the green light to start the next stage in the building process. 


THE CONSTRUCTION STAGE


The amount of time it takes to build a custom home varies greatly and depends on numerous things. 


Generally, the larger and more complex a home is, the longer it will take to complete. A house without a basement that is 2,800 to 5,000 square feet can take around 12 to 15 months to build and 14+ months for anything with a basement or that is larger in size. 


The first steps within the actual construction stage usually require 2 to 5 months of work that often include:

  • demolition
  • excavation
  • building the foundation


It can often involve:

  •  tearing down old structures
  • leveling out and preparing land
  • installing footings or pier
  • pouring concrete for the foundation.


In some cases, the deconstruction of existing buildings is required by the local building department so that materials can be recycled and/or reused. This part of the process can be tedious and time-consuming and can add 2 to 3 weeks to the project timeline.


FRAMING AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN


Once these first steps are complete, it is time for framing, insulation, drywall, and everything in between. Framing involves building the skeleton of the house and could take 2 to 3 months. 


After framing is completed, installation of rough electrical, plumbing, HVAC, fire sprinklers (required for all new homes in California), alarm systems, speakers, data cables, central vacuum systems are installed.  This phase of the project typically takes 1-3 months. 

After inspections for these items are passed, insulation and drywall are installed, which take several weeks to several months depending on the size of the home. Paint, cabinets, doors/windows, trim, tile installations, hardwood floors, and other finishes generally take around 4 to 8 months. 


If there are any major revisions to a project’s plans, they typically must be resubmitted to the building department for approval, which also adds time to the project. 


POTENTIAL DELAYS


Weather Conditions

Beyond a project’s size and complexity, weather conditions can also influence how long the timeframe may be. High winds can cause crane restrictions, while excessive rain limits workdays and turns job sites into potential mud pits. This makes tasks like pouring concrete and operating heavy machinery problematic. 


During winter, some cities enforce building moratoriums that prohibit construction. When looking at a timeframe to start a project with a basement particularly, it is important to consider springtime or early summer to avoid the risk of your project being hindered by poor weather conditions. 


COVID-19

Currently, COVID-19 has delayed many completion and/or start dates for projects. Building permits are taking longer to obtain due to high demand, building and planning department employees are working from home, city budget cuts have reduced staffing, and safety/capacity protocols being in place.  Additionally, certain building materials or services are not as accessible as they were before due to COVID-19 restrictions. 


For example, the manufacture and shipment of doors currently take 8 to 12 weeks, when normally the lead time would only be 4 to 6 weeks. If project managers are not proactive and schedule accordingly, extended wait times on supplies such as doors, tiles, lights, and countertops can add weeks or even months to a project. 


The plans, designs, and construction that go into building a custom home take time. While some may require more time than others, it is important to consider what may influence a project’s timeframe. 


Different stages throughout the building process of a custom home can be impacted by unexpected and unavoidable delays that may require more time for each step of the process. The key aspect is to be prepared for uncertain conditions, supply chain or service delays, and the impact of COVID-19. 


We are here to guide you through the building process to make sure it runs smoothly. Do you have any questions? Contact us here!

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Service providers are constantly on the lookout for clients, and that means putting their best faces forward. On the flip side of that coin, consumers are poring over search results to find the best fit. So let’s think about the information you’ll find in your service provider research. You’ll probably find mission statements, service details, and—ultimately—why you should choose them. Yes, this is useful information, but wouldn't it help you make a better decision and quickly narrow your search if they also mentioned who they were NOT a good fit for? Contractors and other service providers have different areas of expertise and different working styles, and Supple Homes is no exception. We understand that we may not be the right fit for everyone, and we want to help you make the best decision for your needs. Below we have specified a few factors that will help you determine if we are a good fit (or not).

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Project Management-FAQ

17 Feb, 2022
Here  at Supple Homes, we know that embarking on the journey of building a custom home in the Bay Area can seem quite foreign. “Why are they pouring concrete now?” “When do finishes need to be picked out and ordered?” “What’s going to happen once framing is complete?” It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the construction lingo, concrete, and rebar, which is why it’s important to us that we keep our clients in the loop and that they are involved throughout the process of their custom home construction. Below, we have identified and answered some of the most common questions we receive about our project management. Can I have Sean as my project manager? Sean Supple, the president of Supple Homes, no longer takes on the role of project manager, but he does spend a large portion of his time overseeing projects and working hand-in-hand with our project managers. His oversight ensures that every custom built home exceeds client expectations. He is responsible for multiple key components of the company, such as sales, estimating, and ensuring that all projects are running smoothly, making it difficult for him to dedicate the necessary amount of time and attention that a single project requires. That being said, Sean is actively involved with each and every project, which may make it seem as though he is your project manager. He visits each jobsite at least once a week, allowing him to stay up-to-date and offer his support and expertise wherever and whenever they may be needed. Who will run my project? Each project is assigned to one of our project managers, and generally, each project manager is responsible for no more than two custom home constructions at a time. All of our project managers have over ten years of experience within the construction industry and go above and beyond to not only put forward exceptional work, but also to form transparent and genuine connections with our clients. Check out our About Us page to learn more about Supple Homes’s exceptional team. Will there be someone from Supple Homes onsite every day? Yes! By delegating no more than two projects to each project manager, we allow each of them to spend time onsite daily, ensuring that every luxury custom home meets our lofty company standards for craftsmanship and excellence. Will we have weekly meetings? Conference calls that involve the project manager, Sean, clients, and the architect and/or designer will be held weekly. These 30- to 60-minute calls keep everyone on the same page and allow all parties the opportunity to provide updates, ask questions, and voice any concerns. We are also more than happy to schedule in-person meetings and project walk-throughs upon client request. Aside from weekly conference calls, our project managers are always available to clients via email, phone, and text. We encourage our clients to communicate with their project manager as often as they feel is necessary, and it is quite common for project managers to be in contact with clients throughout the week. Clients can follow our Instagram and Facebook accounts (and other social media channels) for general progress photos and videos. For detailed project updates, we use a construction management software platform called Buildertrend . Buildertrend provides our clients with their own password-controlled web portal and mobile app. Once logged in, clients can view daily updates regarding their project through pictures, videos, and written daily logs. Additionally, the project schedule is viewable and tasks (such as deadlines to select tile, etc.) with specific deadlines will be shown. Our goal is to provide the most transparent, client-friendly approach possible to custom home building in the Bay Area. Have additional questions or feel ready to take the first step toward your very own Bay Area custom built home? Contact our team to get started!
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