Building a House Step by Step

Building a House Step by Step

Look at how much you have accomplished!

You prepared a budget, found a building lot (land), house plans, estimated the cost to build your dream home, and have arranged construction financing.

You have located most of your subcontractors and have contracts with them. You've visited various building supply companies for lumber, windows, concrete, bricks, etc., and have opened lines of credit with them.

You've also completed the vast amount of paperwork that includes any necessary permits and insurance policies. Whew!

But, Congratulations! You've reached the day you thought might never come. You're ready to start building the house.

What is the proper sequence of steps in building the house, and how long will each take? Let's make a list of how to build a house step by step.

1. Staking the lot and house: 1-3 hours
2. Clearing and excavation: 1-3 days
3. Ordering utilities, temporary electric service, and a portable toilet: 1 hour
4. Footings (steps 3 and 4 can be reversed). First inspection must be made before pouring: 1 day
5. Foundation and soil treatment, then foundation survey: 1 week
6. Rough-ins for plumbing, if on a slab, and inspection: 2-4 days
7. Slabs, basement, and garage: 1-2 days
8. Framing and drying-in: 1-3 weeks
9. Exterior siding, trim, veneers: 1-3 weeks
10. Chimneys and roofing: 2 days-1 week
11. Rough-ins can be done while steps 9 and 10 are in progress: 1-2 weeks
12. Insulation: 3 days
13. Hardwood flooring and underlayment: 3 days-1 week
14. Drywall: 2 weeks
15. Priming walls and "pointing up": 2 days
16. Interior trim and cabinets: 1-2 weeks
17. Painting: 2-3 weeks
18. Other trims, such as Formica, ceramic tile, vinyl floors: 1 day-1 week
19. Trimming out and finishing plumbing, mechanical, and electrical and hooking up utilities: 1-2 weeks
20. Cleanup: 2-3 days
21. Carpet and/or hardwood floor finish: 3 days-1 week
22. Driveway (if concrete, can be poured anytime after step 14): 1-3 days
23. Landscaping: 1-3 days
24. Final inspections, surveys, and closing of construction loan and interim loan: 1-3 days
25. Enjoying your home: a lifetime

A House in less than 30 Seconds              Time Lapse House Build