Timelines when building your home

When will my new house be ready?

Building a new home should be one of the most exciting times of your life.  It can also be one of the most nerve-wracking. New home construction can easily involve over 50 subcontractors and suppliers, 200 people and more than 10,000 pieces of material.  Although complex, the home building process is a carefully designed and managed process to ensure that you get the house of your dreams on time and on budget.

There are a number of factors that can influence a construction timeline such as weather, number of workers, special requests and the complexity of the design, but most new home constructions follow similar stages and time frames.

Here’s a basic timeframe to help you understand what typically happens and when.

STAGE 1: Site preparation

– Obtain municipal and provincial permits
– Begin site work and excavation
– Pour foundation or slab
– Frame floors
– Rough-in electrical and plumbing under floors
– Install first subfloor
Timeframe: 1-3 months

STAGE 2: Framing

– Frame interior and exterior walls including door and window openings, roof and ceilings
– Rough-in remaining electrical and plumbing lines throughout the structure
– Apply exterior wall and roof sheathing
– Install reaming subfloors
Timeframe: 2-3 months

STAGE 3: Exterior Finish and Inspection

– Inspect mechanical rough-in and exposed structural work
– Apply roof flashing and shingles
– Windows and exterior doors are installed
– Apply exterior trim
– Apply exterior wall finish material
Timeframe: 2 months

STAGE 4: Interior Finish

– Cabinets and countertops are installed
– Install ceramic tile in baths and other flooring throughout
– Complete plumbing and electrical work
– Complete sheetrock, paint and wallpaper
Timeframe: 2 months

STAGE 5: Finishing touches

– Install hardware and appliances
– Complete any landscaping
– Touch-up for final inspections by homeowner, contractor and building inspector
– Final payment to contractor
– Move in
Timeframe: 2 months