Building a custom home is one of the most significant decisions people ever make. It means construction, of course, but mostly it means creating a home that fulfills a unique vision of how you will live. There are far more steps in the process than most people know to expect, but when they know what lies ahead, it’s less of a burden and becomes something to look forward to.
The first shock for most first-time builders is how long it takes to build a custom home. In contrast to the 30 to 60 days it takes to buy an existing home, it takes 10 to 16 months to build a custom home from scratch before the family can move in. But most projects stay on schedule when working with a good builder.
Choosing the Right Team Makes Everything Easier
Building a custom home begins not with construction but with deciding who the builder will be. How this decision is made is going to shape everything that happens next. Some homeowners start with the builder, others with the architect. It doesn’t matter where the process starts. What matters is that this unique builder has the same vision for the project and knows how to communicate effectively.
Home builders do not work in the same way as each other. Some builders specialize in specific styles of homes. Many builders operate design-build firms that perform all the work necessary and control all aspects of the project. Others may work with one subcontractor per building phase. A Vancouver custom home builder with experience in local climates and building codes can save the family many months of frustration during construction.
The design process takes place over two to four months. This time frame forces homeowners to make decisions they never thought they would have to before seeing their homes built. The designers need to establish general parameters like the number of rooms and whether they want common areas or separate living rooms.
Then the design process begins to specify everything. The open floor plan that homeowners may have envisioned for the main area or the many walls they want for individual rooms in their home must be defined. By the end of the design process, builders have specifications for everything, from ceiling heights to where each plug in the electrical system will go.
The Permit Process Takes Longer Than Expected
After approval, the builder applies for a building permit. Many people expect this stage to be the beginning of actual construction, but it’s still just a waiting game. It doesn’t feel like wasted time, though, because most home builders will stay busy assessing all options during this period, and getting people ready to begin construction.
The permit application process can take weeks or months while zoning boards review all plans to ensure compliance with zoning and regulations for environmental impacts and public safety. Builders can use this waiting time to order long-lead items that need a few weeks or months before being delivered to construction sites.
Once permits are ready, construction gets underway, but not with as much activity as most people expect. There are several weeks of site prep before building actually begins. The sequence of tasks will be standard to any custom home or commercial structure. However, at every step, there are unique aspects to each custom home project.
The foundation takes two to four weeks, depending on the state of the soil and whether or not the home will have a basement. Framing takes place at a rapid pace, and seeing how they transform what was once a construction site into a home is incredible.
Unfortunately, it’s also during this phase that most homeowners realize how big or small their homes will be. Space planners do an excellent job of designing homes that work on paper. Still, measurements don’t always work when people encounter the actual physical space their homes will take up. Good builders know how to handle situations like these, and there’s usually room for error in the plans, but this is when significant changes can come at a considerable cost.
Pass Final Inspections Before Moving In
Before moving into their custom homes, people must pass all final inspections done by authorities responsible for safety and building compliance. It only takes a day or two and ensures the homes have passed checks for electrical systems, plumbing systems, structures, fire alarms, and any other relevant codes.
After these inspections have been conducted by local authorities, builders perform final walkthroughs and final inspections for builders on the sheets needed for approval for the project to be completed. This involves checking for any issues that must be remedied before residents can take possession.
Building a custom home requires patience and perseverance. Still, when it’s done right, it’s a space uniquely designed for how everyone living in it will be spending their time—there are no compromises with any aspect of these homes that people need to make peace with. Each area is uniquely designed to work around how every family will use every part of their home. This makes it worthwhile for anyone who goes through every step described in this article above!
