How Long Does it Take to Build a House?

One of the most common questions we get asked by potential home builders is “how long will it take?” Depending on the design and complexity of the house, the construction process for your home could take anywhere from 4-12 months – not including the land purchasing and design period - although there are a number of elements that may impact this. Here’s a look at some of the factors that come into play when building a house and what time-frame you can expect when building your own home. That is why as your Bundaberg builders we take the stress out as much as possible by offering you better than industry standard build guarantees.

Site Preparation & Foundation

“It’s important for people to understand that even though they’ve agreed to go with a builder, the builder cannot start until the land is ready.” – Kristin Brookfield, Chief Executive of Industry Policy for the Housing Industry Association

An often overlooked aspect in the home building process is preparation of the land prior to construction commencing. Even before the slab is poured, your land will need to be assessed and stabilised to prepare your site for the build. The time it takes to prepare a site for construction relies on a number of factors including:

• If the land is sloped or uneven
• The soil composition of your block
• If rocks or trees need to be removed

Like all aspects of the building process, the complexity of your site preparation and installation of your foundation will determine how much time it takes for the work to be completed. Make sure your builder has seen your land before contracts are signed so they can offer an accurate estimate on the time it will take to prepare the site for construction. Remember that proper site preparation and foundation work ensures that your house is built to last a lifetime, so while it may take the first month of your build, it really is one of the most important aspects of the building process.

See also: Stage of Building a House >>>

Design & Layout

One of the biggest factors when it comes to the time frame for building a house is the design. Everything from the quantity of rooms in the house, to the layout and style of the design can impact the time frame it takes to build a house. Various design factors will impact your builder’s time frame including:

• How many storeys your house is
• How many bedrooms and bathrooms are required
• Whether plumbing fixtures for laundries, bathrooms and kitchens are close together or whether multiple lines need to be run
• How detailed and complex your finishings are

“For a pre-designed house, you are looking at roughly 4-6 months, while custom designs can take longer at an expected 10-16 months.” – Property Registry

Another important factor that will influence your builder’s time frame is whether they are building from an existing design or a custom design. While there are many ‘stock standard’ designs on the market these days, there are still plenty of personalisations that home builders can make. From floor plans to fixtures, the complexity of your house design will affect the time it takes to build. Not only that, but your builders will likely have shorter time frames for a design they are familiar with, rather than something that is new. 

Overall, it’s important to remember that bigger or more complex designs will result in a longer time frame for your house to be built. However, don’t let that stop you from designing the house of your dreams - it’s better for it to take a few months longer now, than for you to be unhappy later and need to spend more time and money to renovate.

More on how to design your dream house.

Unanticipated Setbacks

Our number one recommendation when building a house is to ensure you’re completely happy with your design prior to signing your building contract. Post-contract variations are not only costly, but they also increase the time your build will take. When variations in design occur, builders not only need to take the time to review and implement changes, they may also need to redo completed work in order to allow for the changes. Planning your house design before construction commences will ensure that you avoid unnecessary costs and delays during the construction process. 

“Reality TV has given some people the misconception you can do major work in four, five or six weeks… the process actually takes much longer. It takes time to build a quality home.” – Anthony Whitby, Director of Pinnacle Builders

Aside from the various aspects of construction that the home builder can influence, there are also a number of uncontrollable elements that may increase the timeframe of your build. Unforeseen hindrances such as inclement weather or local government permits may delay aspects of your house being built. While some forethought may assist in these instances (for example, building in summer means less chance of rain), it’s best to allow an extra month or two on top of your estimated time frame to account for any unanticipated setbacks during your build. 

So How Long Will My Build Really Take?

The time frame to build a house depends on so many factors that it’s difficult to give a definitive answer to the question “how long will it take?”. At best, your house may be ready in about 4 months, although for many house builders it may be 6 to 12 months before you’re ready to move in. If you’re contemplating building a house, take time to consider all aspects of the building process and remember to communicate with your builder about what you want from your house, and how long it will take to get there. And remember having good communication with your Bundaberg builder is vital in keeping your build time on track.

Looking for more information on how long your specific house will take to build? Contact us today to discuss timeframes and make a plan for your build now.