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The New Construction Process and Timeline

A new home can take six months to a year to complete (sometimes longer) depending on a number of variables: your home’s size, the weather, unforeseen problems, etc. The key is to be patient and prepared to deal with whatever surprises pop up. Because, believe me, they will.

That said, hopefully your new home building process will go smoothly and without too many bumps in the road along the way. The following is a step-by-step look at the general construction process.

Step One: Planning Your Home

Long before any shovels hit the dirt, the plans for your new home will have to be created, approved, and submitted to your local permit office for review. A good home builder should be able to handle most of the legal stuff and acquire all the necessary permits, which can include building, electrical, plumbing and more depending on your particular location.

Step Two: The Foundation

After you handle all the necessary paperwork, it’s time to begin the construction phase. If your home design has a basement (and around this area most do), it will be dug out first, followed by the installation of the concrete footer and foundation. At this time your water and electric lines are also brought in.

Step Three: The Framing

This is when your home really starts to take shape. During this phase the exterior and interior walls are built and structural steel installed, followed by the installation of the trusses for the roof.

From this point on, things get rolling as the roof is built and foamboard insulation is installed, followed by the doors and windows. Depending upon the time of year, your builder will want to get the home’s exterior closed up to protect it and the workers from the elements as the project continues.

Next the HVAC ducts, plumbing, water lines, and electrical wires are all installed. During this time, you will be required by your municipality to have structural, electrical, and plumbing inspections, just to make sure that the work being done is all up to code.

Step Four: Interior and Exterior Finishing

Now that the shell of your new home is complete, it’s time to start fleshing it out. Over the next couple of months, your walls and roof are insulated, your HVAC systems and fireplaces are installed, your drywall is hung and painted, your floors are laid; your cabinets, countertops, and interior doors are installed, and your plumbing and lighting fixtures are put in.

Meanwhile, outside your builder will be laying the brick or putting up the siding. He may also be working on your porch or deck. Then, once the lot is graded, they’ll put in the driveway, walkways and sidewalks where necessary.

Step Five: The Final Stretch

By this point you’ll be itching to get into your new home and finally see an end to the construction phase. (Don’t worry, it’s almost over!)

As your builder puts the finishing touches on your home, both inside and out, you’ll get an opportunity to do a final walk-through and suggest any last-minute adjustments. The builder will also use this final meeting to educate you on all the details and inner-workings of the home.

Once you and your builder are satisfied that all your needs are met, he’ll hand you the keys to your brand-new home!

So there you have it—a snapshot of the process and time frame for building your new home. It may seem like a huge undertaking (and it can be), but as long as you’re patient and have a good real estate agent to partner with along the way, you’ll be relaxing in your new home before you know it.