New Homes: How long does it take to build from scratch?
Posted by Donny Mak on Wednesday, May 15th, 2013 at 1:00am.
New Homes: How long does it take to build from scratch?
By: Alan Aptheker
As with any major project, there’s a timeline. Pushing too hard against that timeline can cause slip ups. Yet time wasted by builders and crews is also a negative. Then you’re not getting into your new home because of delays made by bad management or simple ineptitude on the part of contractors or subcontractors. Make sure these steps are followed, and check on progress. Don’t leave it up to the site manager to keep you in the loop at all times.
The Timeline:
First step, ASAP: Preparation or Layout/Stake-out. Engineers carefully plan the community layout and site each home for maximum aesthetics. The homesite is cleared and staked out. The site is excavated by large machines, with special attention to grading the land to promote proper drainage.
Week 1: Footing. The "footer" is the foundation's foundation, a concrete base below the frostline, upon which the foundation sits.
Week 2—3: Foundation. Load-bearing walls of masonry or concrete create one of four types of foundations: full basement, knee-wall, crawl space, or slab. The foundation is inspected.
Week 4—5: Framing. The floor, wall, and roof framing forms the "skeleton" of the home, After framing inspection, exterior finishes are applied.
Week 6—7: Mechanicals. The "heart and lungs" of the house are installed: the heating and cooling system, the plumbing lines, and the electrical system.
Week 7: Insulation. Insulation is installed in walls and attic, with an insulating ability, or "R-factor" appropriate to the local climate.
Week 7—8: Drywall. Interior walls and ceilings are finished with drywall (sometimes called "gypsum board"), then sanded, primed, and painted with a first coat.
Week 9: Ceramic/Resilient Flooring, Trim.. Your choice of ceramic tile or vinyl flooring is installed. A trim carpenter installs doors, cabinets, and molding.
Week 10: Paint. After pointing up trim and drywall, interior surfaces are painted (often called the "second paint").
Week 11: Final Trades. Electrical and plumbing professionals install plugs, light fixtures, faucets, commodes, and appliances. Systems are checked and started.
Week 12: Carpet/Wood Flooring. Carpet and hardwood flooring are installed according to the specifications. The home is then thoroughly cleaned.
Week 12—13: Third-Party Inspection. A thorough appraisal of your home's "readiness" is conducted using a process designed to look at your home from a customer's perspective. This process ensures that your home is complete and ready to settle prior to your Pre-Settlement Demonstration.
Week 13: Pre-Settlement Demonstration. When your home is complete, you return just before settlement for a thorough review including orientation on all of its systems and features. Before you move in, we address all of your questions to ensure you are comfortable before closing on your new home.
