Home Building Schedule

Schedule for Home Building

I am often asked to explain the typical home building schedule as a way of preparing people about to undertake the process as to what they should expect. While this process will vary slightly in every case, especially when it comes down to municipal inspections, you can get a pretty good idea of the schedule process from here.

There has been much debate when it comes to the schedule over which should come first, plan design or site selection. I think it is important to understand that this will depend on where you intend to build. For instance, if you want a certain neighborhood or builder then you may be limited in your site selection options. This may in turn limit your design options as well.

So for sake of discussion let’s accept that the first three steps in the schedule will go hand in hand. As I mentioned above the required municipal inspections will also affect the rest of the sequence slightly.

Home building Schedule

Plan design – The process of creating or acquiring the working plans for the project.

Site Selection – Selecting and acquiring the property to construct on.

Project cost estimates & contracts – This may be done through a General Contractor or as individual trades (ie: concrete, plumbing, electrical….)

Arrange construction financing – Appraisals’ and construction loan if required

Permits – All required permits based on municipality

Excavation begins – Clearing or digging for foundation

Concrete work – Foundation or Basement as required

Plumbing tie-in & rough-in – Before concrete floor is poured

Concrete finish main – Main concrete floor including garage floor if applicable

Electrical temp service or generator for power – Required for power equipment

Site backfill rough grade – Fill in over-dig area if applicable

Temp drive access for deliveries – Suitable for heavy truck access if required

First framing loads – Construction materials

Framing begins – Actual home framing begins

Framing inspection as required – Depends on municipality
Framing material deliveries as required

Once roof is in place:

Schedule Plumbing Rough-in material on site – Plumbing rough in begins

Schedule Electrical Rough-in material on site – Electrical rough in begins

Schedule HVAC Rough-in material on site – HVAC rough in begins

At this point roofing should be in place

Schedule Windows & Exterior Door installation – At this point we commonly call the project Dried-in because we now have a weather proof interior.

It is common to coordinate all above work to be done in same space at the same time so coordination is the key word.

Schedule inspections for all above as needed
Coordinate any inspections-deficiencies corrected

At this point all services should be roughed in place

Wall insulation & blocking installed and confirmed – Inspections as required

At any point up to now all exterior finish installed

After ceilings are hung final ceiling insulation can be blown into place – Inspection as required.

Drywall is hung and finished

Permanent electrical hookup should be in place & inspected

Interior painting or papering is complete

Finished electrical & plumbing fixtures all on site

Electrical finish installed and checked including Data

Plumbing finish installed and checked

HVAC systems finished and checked

All cabinetry installed and tops measured & ordered

Counter tops all installed

Final plumbing fixtures installed in tops

All floor covering installed

All interior doors-trim-stair parts installed

Somewhere in above all driveways, sidewalks, and patios where poured

Final site clean up

Final Landscaping

Walk through and punch list

Deficiencies repaired

Final inspection

Mortgage closing

Occupancy

I have seen this whole process take place in as little as 90 days and I’ve been on projects that could take up to 2 years. The actual schedule will depend on the specific project but a realistic schedule is fairly easy to establish.