Читать книгу Building Your Custom Home For Dummies - Peter Economy - Страница 19

Asking how long it takes to build a custom home from start to finish is a bit like asking the question “How long is a piece of string?” The obvious answer, of course, is “It depends.” So many factors can affect the time frame that the overall project can stretch from six months to six years. Kevin often had clients come to his office asking if they can move in by Christmas, to which he always responded, “Absolutely, as long as you don’t care which year!”

Over the years we’ve seen patterns for the time it takes to complete each phase. The main point is to be flexible. You want to have a house you love for the rest of your life rather than years of regret because you rushed everything. Here are some typical rough timelines for the process based on Kevin’s nearly 40 years of experience:

 Land acquisition: This step depends upon the availability of land in the area you want. Land is hard to find, so pinpointing the exact time is difficult. Most of Kevin’s clients looked for land for three to nine months before finding something they liked. Purchasing the land, including the escrow and due diligence periods, can take anywhere from 30 days to six months.

 Home design and approval: This stage mostly depends on how picky you are and your financing considerations. Local government efficiencies can play a factor as well. Figure at least three months. The design and approval process requires that everything goes perfectly and you can make your choices quickly. Kevin had some projects that took more than two years to get through this phase.

 Construction: This stage covers the project’s scope and the availability of labor. You can use the construction lenders as a guide. Most lenders provide 12-month construction loans. Smaller houses or kit homes (homes where all materials are supplied as a kit, such as log homes) may go up in six to nine months. Large detailed mansions may need 18 months.

 Landscaping and move-in: This one is all up to you. After the house is complete, you can relax, although you may be required to finish landscaping in some neighborhoods within a year of completion. Most finish within six months.