How long does it take to build a custom home? Well, every custom home is unique, so the exact time it takes to build will vary. However, in general, you can expect the average custom home to take between 12-18 months to build, not including the design process.
Designing the home can take an additional 4-12 months on average. Taking both into consideration, you can typically expect a custom home to take 1.5-2+ years to build from the very beginning of the design process to your move-in day.
To learn more about what to expect when building a custom home see the menu below:
How Long Does It Take To Build a Custom Home:
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Continue reading to learn more about everything listed above, or contact the experts at L Patten & Sons today to find out about getting started with your own dream home.
How Long Does it Take to Build a Custom Home?
Continue reading to find out more about the four main components that can impact the length of time it takes to build your custom home.
Weather Can Impact Your Building Timeline
If you are planning a custom home build in an area with more extreme weather during the different seasons, such as Ontario, you may be impacted by changes such as heavy rain or significant snowfall.
At L. Patten & Sons, we schedule our builds to begin between May and late October, so we can reduce the impact that the snow and cold can have on building.
How long does it take to build a custom home: the weather can impact your timeline
You need to pour the foundation before the extreme cold sets in, so if you are building in a cold location, it’s important to ask your builder when they plan to pour the foundation.
If you wait too long to get started with the foundation, you might end up getting delayed by months as you wait for the ground to thaw!
We will note that it is possible to pour foundation during the cold winter months, but it is never ideal. There are many risks involved with waiting until the freezing temperatures, and it means the results are less-than-ideal.
Even during the warmer months, the weather can be unpredictable! For example, an unexpected heavy rainfall can cause flooding and sticky, muddy conditions that may result in delays.
While everyone hopes that the weather cooperates during construction, that’s not always the case. No one can control the weather or predict what it will be like in advance, therefore, it’s important for homeowners to realize that weather can, and often will, impact your construction timeline.
Waiting For Permits and Building Approval
If you are building a new home, it likely means that you have purchased land that currently does not have a house on it. You will need to get building permits. Every city or town will have a different process when it comes to getting building permits and approval to build.
However, in most cases, you will essentially fill out paperwork, submit the files, and then wait to hear back. There is no guarantee about how long this will take. It could take a week, or you could be waiting to hear back for a month or more. However, In general, most applications are responded to within 2-3 weeks
Permits are needed when building a new home
If you are unsure how long this will take, talk to your custom home builders. They won’t be able to provide you with a guaranteed answer, but they have experience waiting to hear about permit approval and will be able to give you a general idea of how long you can expect to wait.
At L. Patten & Sons, we take care of all the permits for you so you don’t have to worry about the application process! We look after all submissions to conservation authorities, zoning, building departments and whatever else may be necessary.
Supply Chain & Labour Availability
Labour availability and the availability of the building products required to build your home (such as wood, metals, cabinetry, etc) will impact the building timeline.
Experienced home builders will have an excellent connection to subcontractors and the required products, but that does not mean that the unexpected won’t happen.
Availability of materials such as wood can cause delays if they are in short supply
For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2021, lumbar became extremely difficult to find in some areas and prices skyrocketed.
Although this was a unique and extreme circumstance, there are other issues that can impact the supply chain as well, such as transportation issues or a sudden rise in demand for skilled labourers.
Client Decisions Can Impact Timeline
One of the reasons why homeowners choose to build a custom home is because it is 100% personalized to their unique tastes and needs. While this is a great thing, it can also mean that homeowners themselves might impact the timeline!
When it comes to custom homes, there are a lot options for you to choose from
It can feel a bit overwhelming when it comes to choosing everything in your home, from cabinetry and counters to flooring, windows, doors, trim, and plumbing. There’s a lot to consider, and it’s important that you love what you choose.
Your builder won’t want to move forward until you’ve made a firm decision, so it is important to strongly consider these elements before they come up in the building process. Otherwise, taking too long to make a decision can cause delays.
Building a Custom Home: Quick Tips
Building a custom home is so exciting, it can be easy to feel impatient as you wait to move in! However, it’s important that the process is never rushed. Here are some quick tips that will help you as you wait for your home to be built.
Design Tips:
Work with a professional architect and take a look at their portfolio. See if they have built homes that look similar to the design and style you are going for.
Look online for inspiration. The process can be quicker if you know exactly what you love - and what you don’t love! Check out places like Pinterest, or look at home builder’s online galleries - although be aware that when looking online at sources such as Pinterest, you will see many international photos that may not conform to Ontario building code standards. Before you set your heart on a certain design, speak to your builder to see if it’s possible.
Consider both indoor and outdoor spaces. Decks, balconies, and landscaping are all important and knowing what you like and desire ahead of time will help your plans come together faster.
Do some research about the basics of home design and materials. That way, when you’re asked about your preference for certain materials (for example, countertop materials) you will have an answer right away. Or at the very least, you will know the difference between the options presented to you.
Building Process Tips:
Expect the unexpected. As cliché as this sounds, it is important to remember that while everyone wants the process to go as smoothly as possible, delays can and often do happen. Knowing this ahead of time will make it less stressful if/when it occurs.
Don’t have a firm timeline in your mind. For example, if you think “the home must be ready by Christmas!” you may feel quite disappointed if it’s not possible to complete it by then. As well, a firm timeline like this can add a lot of undue stress on your builder.
Enjoy being involved in the process. Not everyone gets to be so involved in choosing all the little details of their home. So take time to brainstorm, research, and enjoy choosing these unique pieces for your home. It’s an exciting time, and it’s great to enjoy the process too, not just the finished product.
For Beautiful Custom Built Homes, Choose L. Patten & Sons
If you are wondering how long does it take to build a custom home, contact the team at L. Patten & Sons. We can provide you with more information about the entire custom home building process.
At L. Patten & Sons, we bring custom-built home designs to life, with over fifty years of custom home building experience. We take pride in building custom homes that are as beautiful to look at as they are comfortable to live in.
We make it our goal to help all our clients realize their dreams. Quality craftsmanship, attention to detail and complete customer satisfaction are what sets L. Patten and Sons apart in the Collingwood, Clearview, and the Blue Mountains home building community.
Our homeowners can rest assured that their new home will be a source of pride and satisfaction for many years to come.