Breaking ground on a new home is more than exciting. It’s a chance for you to make every last cabinet, closet, and paint color speak to you. It’s also something that might make you feel in over your head if you’re not aware of the timelines or building stages.

Depending on square footage, weather conditions, the availability of workers and supplies, and more, construction of a new home can take anywhere from three months to over a year. You’ll need to be prepared to make important decisions along the way and to experience setbacks. The truth is, whether you’re building a simple starter home or the ultimate abode, most homeowners find the home construction process a bit overwhelming.

That’s where we come in. We’ve put together an easy to understand home building timeline that demystifies the home building process. From shopping for a lot to move-in day, read on to learn about the major steps you’ll encounter while building a home.

Designing Your Home

Before you do anything, you’ll need to find a pre-designed plan or architect to design your home. This is where you’ll see how far your dollars will go and what it will take to make your dreams come true.

In this stage, figure out answers to questions like, “How many square feet do we want/need?”, “Should the master bedroom face east or west?”, and, “Do we want all bedrooms on the second floor?” Hammer out all of these details in this phase to set yourself up for satisfaction in your new home.

Purchasing a Lot

No matter if you’re going for a lot that’s in a housing development or a piece of property secluded on 100 acres, you’ll need to purchase land before you can build. This can happen during the home design process or before. It’s just important that you allocate part of your budget to your land purchase.

In order to budget wisely, shop around for lots. See what the going rate is per acre and by neighborhood. Make sure the house design you’re working on will fit properly and is zoned to fit on a certain sized property.

Site Preparation

Once this stage starts, you can pass the torch to the experts. Everything will be set in stone as far as the look and construction of your home and that barren plot of land you’ve purchased will be prepped and ready to become the site of your new home.

Expect a lot of back hoes and heavy equipment to come with this stage. Workers will be busy clearing, excavating, and leveling the lot according to your architect’s plan. Then, they’ll outline the footprint of your home with stakes. It’ll be the first time that you’ll be able to see the rough shape of your home on your property and can be exhilarating.

The “Three Fs”

The “three Fs” stand for footings, foundation, and framing. You’ll hear your contractor talk about “pouring the footers” and that entails pouring concrete to support your home’s foundation. Once footers are in place and have passed inspection, the workers will pour the concrete slab of your foundation. Then, your home will have a stable structure for framing.

This stage requires major structural work. Keep in mind that delays might happen if the weather is too wet for concrete to set or failed inspections lead to longer construction time.

Flooring and Paint

Choosing flooring is one of the bigger decisions you’ll make for this stage. Determining your lifestyle, style, and budget will help guide you. For instance, genuine hardwood floors are gorgeous, but are prone to scratching, staining, and come with a large price tag. If you like the look, but need better durability, and then engineered hardwood or tile might be a better bet. There are also funky solutions like dyed concrete that add an artistic and industrial flare to homes.
This is all up to you, but considers all flooring materials before you pick one. It’ll be much harder to change your mind once everything is moved in!

Fixtures and Appliances

Delivery trucks will make frequent stops at your home during this end stage. That’s because now is the time when sub-contractors (sometimes referred to as “trades”) install faucets, countertops, light fixtures, plugs, and appliances. The front of your yard will also be undergoing massive transformative if you’ve purchased landscaping services.

Here are some other design resources to help you decide what to do with your homes interior and exterior.

Final Countdown

The last few weeks of your home building timeline will be a whirlwind of emotion and small details. You’ll be excited, but probably will want to know if it will all come together in time for closing.

Closing

The moment you’ve been waiting for, closing, will be the best. There are just a couple things you’ll need to do before you formally close and move in.

After your home is complete, do a “walk through” of the home. In addition to inspecting it and making a “punch list” of things you want the builder to correct, take note of its features and learn how to work add-ons like the home security network. This is also a time when you can think about how to integrate more safety into your home. Walk the property and view the home through the lens of a burglar, meet your neighbors, and determine where you need better lighting. Once you’re done with all of this, you can close, get the keys to your new home, and enjoy every last detail.