How Long Does It Take to Build a New Custom Home in Winter Park, Orlando and Central Florida?
The rule of thumb used to be $100,000 per month, therefore an $800,000 home would take 8 months or a $1,200,000 would take 12 months to build. If things go smoothly, that's probably not too far off but there are several variables that may alter this timeframe and keep in mind, this is the construction time.
Pre-construction time can sometimes be nearly as long; hopefully not but it's not uncommon. These are typical timeframes that don't allow for unusual disruptions in the market, such as we've had in the last couple years.
Property Analysis (2 weeks to 3 months) - A survey of the property is almost always needed before design can start. Sometimes the addition of topographic elevation lines and a tree survey will be necessary. Lakefront or wetlands properties will probably require soil testing and analysis as well.
Design (1 month to 6+ months) - Preliminary designs require back and forth communication between the owner and designer. The ability of the designer to interpret the owner's requests along with the owner's ability to make decisions, are the main variables here.
Drawings (1 month to 3 months) - The construction drawings can be started once the design has been finalized. The most common delays are from changes to the design after the drawings have been started. Some changes may require that several pages of the drawings be modified.
Engineering (2 weeks to 2 months) - Once the drawings have been signed off by the owners, truss engineering comes first and then everything goes to the structural engineer. Oftentimes we have to wait for our turn in line before the engineers can begin and once again, last minute changes are the culprit for delays.
Permitting (1 month to 3 months) - This timeframe varies by the jurisdiction we are building in. A thorough permit package can be 6 inches thick and take us 2 weeks to assemble but when we do a good job, the permit process tends to go smoother.
Selections and Decisions (1 month to 3 months) - Every project that we have completed on time or ahead of schedule, had a decisive owner. Our selections process has deadlines that must be met to prevent delays during construction.
Construction (8 months to 16 months) - Building the house on paper first is the most effective way to manage a smooth construction process. Some projects are more challenging but most delays can be averted with planning.
Product Disruptions (1 month to 3 months) - The first example that comes to mind is, wood flooring or cabinets that require the AC to be running before they are installed. Examples like this cause the construction schedule to be disrupted such that we are not able to complete various tasks in the normal order.
Commissioning (2 weeks to 1 month) - We recently had to wait 24 days for the power company to turn on the power to a new home. This is unusual but there is a good amount of time needed to get everything up and running, and all of the punch lists complete before the home is ready to move in.
We have organized processes and procedures that we follow for managing our projects. Our favorite customers are good communicators and good at making decisions. They accept the responsibility of providing us with the information we need within the deadlines we give them. Nothing else has as much impact on our ability to perform as your builder and complete your project on time.
Little is more meaningful and personal than a home, and the experience of designing and building your own home should be rewarding and enjoyable. Choosing a builder is difficult. The process of designing and building a home involves numerous decisions about components, systems and services selected from criteria that includes price, quality, appearance and performance. How can you possibly understand everything unless the builder is willing to share all of the information?
Allow us to introduce you to The GCH Way of building your next home. Please let us know if you have any questions. Keith Groninger