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Construction Takes Time
UNDERSTANDING AND AGREEING ON A PROJECT'S TIMELINE IS CRUCIAL
TO ANY CLIENT-BUILDER RELATIONSHIP. LET'S REVIEW WHAT TO
EXPECT WHEN STARTING TO BUILD A NEW HOME OR ADDITION.
Almost every new client we meet comes with an expectation that their builder will not meet the given timeline. "My contractor told us four months, but I bet it will really take him eight." Well, this homeowner is all-too-often correct! This poor communication and lack of trust can hurt any builder-client relationship and result in an unsuccessful project.
Time is money. The longer a project takes to complete, the more money it costs you and the less money our company makes. This means that we are both on the same team when it comes to expediting any project. From the start, we want to set a realistic timeline that we all can agree is efficient, yet necessary.
Let's take a look at how much time will pass before we can start building and how long the construction team will need to finish the project.
DEPENDING ON PROJECT SIZE, YOUR DESIGN AND
PERMITTING PROCESSES CAN TAKE AS LITTLE AS
FOUR MONTHS OR AS LONG AS A YEAR
The timeline of a design process can vary based on the size of the project. For smaller additions, typically our month in the Feasibility Study will be all that is required before we move forward with drawings and permitting. We'll then need a month or two for drafting, another month or two for bidding, and a final month or two for permitting. From start to finish, a small project can take at least three to six months to progress from concept to ready-to-build.
Larger projects that need a grading permit require that we develop the conceptual design to the point where we can send the civil engineers the house's footprint. This drawing outlines permanent dimensions of our house, porches, driveway, and hardscaping. This development can add a month or more to the design phase. From here, a grading permit needs three to six months to gain approval from the county (and the state if you're within the critical area). During this time, we complete the design of the house and apply for our building permits. The goal is to activate both the building and grading permits around the same time. In all, a pre-construction timeline to get a large project from concept to start date can take anywhere from five to ten months or more.
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WE OFFER IN-HOUSE ARCHITECTS AND CONTRACTORS.
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THERE IS NO NEED FOR A COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS NOR COORDINATION BETWEEN DESIGNER AND BUILDER.
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CIVIL OR STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS ARE SOMETIMES NEEDED OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTRACT.
1 MONTH
FEASIBILITY STUDY
1 TO 3 MONTHS
DESIGN PHASE
1 TO 3 MONTHS
DETAIL & BIDDING
1 TO 2 MONTHS
BUILDING PERMIT
START OF CONSTRUCTION
3-6 MONTHS
GRADING PERMIT
During the pre-construction process, we want to be mindful about placing you in our construction schedule at an appropriate time in the calendar. Our team typically has a backlog of construction projects of a year or more. As such, our goal will be to pinpoint our next start date and assess if it is the right time for you. Delaying our start could be necessary for financial reasons, seasonal reasons to build during the colder months, or simply the desire to wait a little longer to slow our pace.
IT IS TYPICAL FOR US TO SCHEDULE CONSTRUCTION
START DATES ONE, TWO, OR THREE YEARS IN ADVANCE
Once our permits are active and we near our scheduled start date, it's time to finalize our itemized cost sheet, sign our construction agreement, and ratify our financing or draw schedule. We'll need a couple of weeks to mobilize and set-up our site protection. Excavation and foundation will need a month and framing will need another month. From here, the subs take about two months (plumbers, HVAC techs, and electricians) and we'll need a month to drywall and trim. That totals to about five months until we're ready for cabinetry and can start to finish with paint, stain, appliances, and clean-up.
CONSTRUCTION OF ANY SIZED PROJECT SHOULD
TAKE SEVEN TO NINE MONTHS TO COMPLETE
Building a house takes many individual steps that need to happen in a specific order. If we stay patient and tackle these phases together, our project will successfully finish within our set completion date. The timelines shown above are for projects that encounter few hurdles or downtime. Pitfalls that may cause delays could include poor weather, client indecision, and recently fluctuations in the cost of building materials. With a well-timed start and constant communication, these slow-downs can be kept to a minimum and we'll be rewarded with a smooth project that finishes on time.
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