How Long Does It Take To Build a House? An Informative Guide

Building a home isn’t like throwing Lincoln Logs together. More than 1.75 million housing projects started their construction in February 2022 alone. 

This statistic may make you think that the home building process is quick and easy. In reality, there are dozens of factors that go into the process. You may get your ideal home in a few months, or you may get it after more than a year. 

How long does it take to build a house exactly? What are the biggest factors that go into the home building process? How can you speed things up? 

Answer these questions and you can have your perfect house built in less time than you think. Here is your quick guide.

Looking at the Location 

The location is the biggest factor in building a home. Building a house on a hill is extremely difficult because workers have to find locations for their equipment and avoid collapses. But building on a level site with draining soil can be quick. 

Workers also need to investigate the area to find out where the pipes are and what natural disasters can threaten them. If they damage a pipe, the home building process may be set back for weeks.

Selecting a Type of House

The benefits of custom homes are substantial. You can design a house with the perfect number of rooms to meet your needs, and you can select environmentally-friendly materials.

However, custom builds can take several months to construct. Designers and architects have to meet with you and revise your plans until they have something they can build with. A built-for-sale home is far quicker, as your designer already has a cookie-cutter design plan they can use.

Getting Permits

Before any major construction project, you need to get permits from your city or county government. You should talk to a lawyer and then review your local government’s building codes yourself. Each building code is different, so you may need to adopt unusual practices to follow the rules. 

If a neighbor opposes your construction, your permits may get denied. You need to talk with your neighbors to smooth things over before you apply for your permits. You may face delays if they are applying for ones as well.

Hiring Workers

The more skilled your contractor is, the faster they will build your home. The top home builder can construct a home in less than six months. 

However, you should not hire someone just because they have a lot of experience. They should have experience in building your type of home and organizing a construction team.

So How Long Does It Take To Build a House?

Many people have questions about building a home. How long does it take to build a house? That’s a tricky one to answer. 

Ground conditions can delay construction, though construction projects can occur almost anywhere. The more customization in a home design, the longer the process will take. Permits can take a few weeks to obtain.

You can have your home completed within a few months. But most people experience delays, which can offset completion for years. 

Once you build a home, you need to maintain it. Read more home maintenance guides by following our coverage.