If you are interested in designing and creating the house of your dreams on the property of your choice, you can look forward to an exciting time where you get to participate in every step of the process. However, before you begin looking for custom home builders in PA, you are probably wondering, “How much time does it take to build a custom home?” This is a great question, and to answer it entirely, it is essential to describe the numerous steps of the process that will make up the overall timeline.
How Much Time Does It Take to Build a Custom Home?
Building a fully customized home can take anywhere from 12 to 36 months, depending on your unique circumstances. While many of these details are similar for every custom home, every situation is individual. When you work with an experienced, highly reputable builder such as Rotelle Studio(e), you can expect to have a customized timeline created just for you based on the specific needs and requirements of your project.
The timeline for building your custom home is determined by the specific details of each step in the process. When you meet with your company representative, the following factors will be addressed one by one so that an accurate schedule can be established.
- Lot and Land – If you already own the land you want to build on, you and your home (e)xpert can move on to the next step, which is to determine the estimated lot costs to prepare the property for construction. These costs can include tree removal, accessing and installing water management systems, electrical power installation and building permit applications. If you do not yet own a plot of land, it will be necessary to shop for and locate the perfect piece of property for your home. Working with land development professionals such as Rotelle – with over 25 years of experience in the field – you can utilize their expertise to ensure you find a site free of limitations such as environmental restrictions, land improvement issues or slope concerns.
- Preparation – The Rotelle Purchase Protection Program addresses all preliminary building concerns and seeks to identify whether or not the property you have chosen to build upon is restriction-free before buying the land. This process includes the Scrub™ Process and the Rotelle Due Diligence Addendum. These processes ensure that you know and understand ahead of time what improvements on the property will be necessary to ensure it is ready for construction to begin. Aside from any concealed conditions unknown to the builder, most site costs are easily identifiable during this stage of the process.
- Design – This is where the creative part of building your dream home begins. If you have an existing design, layout and floor plan, your building team will work to finalize the blueprints. If you are looking for the perfect design, you can choose from an existing catalog of floor plans and then begin customizing every aspect of the layout to suit your needs. Rotelle can apply their nearly three decades of experience to focus on your project and make every detail perfect as a builder specializing exclusively in custom homes.
- Financing – This step requires that you work with your broker or lending institution to acquire the proper financing for the build. If you like, Rotelle can introduce you to one of their preferred lenders which the company has been working with for many years. Either way, this step can take up to 30 days for loan approval after you have supplied the chosen lender with the proper documentation such as financials, pay stubs and other important information.
- Permitting – Rotelle handles all building and related construction permits in house – meaning that you can leave the paperwork to seasoned professionals. This is known as the “one point of contact” approach, simplifying the process while taking advantage of Rotelle’s ongoing relationships with the municipal offices in most Pennsylvania townships. This step can take anywhere from four to eight months, as it requires the acquisition of many different permits such as water, electrical, ground, grading, stormwater, waste, environmental and more.
- Build – Once all permits are in order, construction can begin and the process can take anywhere from five to six months, depending on the scope of the project. These are specific steps that must (mostly) take place in the following order: preparation, foundation, framing, mechanicals, drywall, paint, exterior and interior finishes, landscape, inspection, final walk-through and move-in.
What Can Cause Delays in the Building Process?
Residential construction involves many different skills, experts and industry professionals – so coordinating them can sometimes create scheduling setbacks. Additionally, several other factors can add to your overall building timeline.
- Permits – Paperwork for building, utility and other permits can get backed up for any number of reasons due to clerical errors on the part of whichever local municipal office is in charge of the paperwork. This can cause minor delays anywhere from a couple of days to a week.
- Change Orders – As construction on your new home moves along, you may have an idea for a different feature or design element that was not in your original floor plan. Once you get this to your company representative, it may take the builders additional time to implement your changes, depending on where they are in the overall construction process. The sooner you can submit your change orders, the shorter the delay will be, if any.
- Environment – Depending on where you choose to build, the natural surroundings could present delays. For example, removing them can take extra time if abundant large rocks or tree stumps are buried in the subsurface soil. Also, compacted soil or an uneven building site can take time to properly grade.
- Weather – All custom home builders in PA know this factor all too well. Although summertime is the perfect season to build, construction takes place year-round and can sometimes be delayed due to rain, snow and subzero conditions. Even during the warmer months, inclement weather can put construction behind schedule by a day or two.
- Labor and Supplies – Speaking of summer, since it is the ideal time for construction, every builder in the region will be vying for workers and building materials. This increase in demand can limit the available supply, which can cause delays in the timeline.
Is There Anything I Can Do to Help the Project Move Faster?
As the owner of a home that is being custom built, you can assist in the process by being available every step of the way and by staying in touch with your company representative. By working with Rotelle, you can be assured of frequent updates on progress and clear communication from the project lead. Also, weighing all options, deciding on a final plan and sticking to that design throughout the building process can help the build be completed on the set timeline.
How Can I Get Started Building a New Custom Home in PA?
You can begin the exciting journey of building your new customized residence by contacting Rotelle and engaging in their one-of-a-kind land acquisition, preparation and customization process. Rotelle is unique because they go the extra mile in helping you choose a building site to buy and ensuring it will be limitation free through their Scrub™ Process and the Rotelle Due Diligence Addendum. You will receive a reliable estimate of what it will cost to improve and build on the land. Plus, this process protects you financially by assuring that financing and building permits are obtained before the land purchase transaction is settled.
Additionally, Rotelle is well known for being a flexible builder on all floor plans and designs so that you can optimize your home with a fully customized set of finishing details, style choices and characteristics. Plus, keeping in step with eco-friendly practices, you can choose to build with state-of-the-art environmentally conscious materials while reducing your carbon footprint.
Creating the timeline for your fully customized home can be done accurately when you work with the right builder. Contact us to learn more about how to begin planning the perfect home in an ideal location constructed by a team of (e)xpert builders.
