The design and build process- How long does it take?

How long does it take to design and build a new home?

Last month we gave you the run down on the design and build process with Lancaster Homes. Naturally, the next question is “How long does the process take?”

Let’s break it down for you.

We’ll start with the obvious- it can vary A LOT; we’ve had project in progress for anything from 6 months to 4 years. Depending on the project scale, the client timeline and finance, our available construction slots, the stage of the land development and more. There are many things that can impact the overall project timeline. For the purpose of this timeline, we will assume there is nothing outside of our (the builder or client) control to slow the process down.

The design and build process can be broken down into four main phases- Design, Proposal/Contract, Development approval and Construction.

The Design Phase – From preliminary agreement to construction estimate.

This is the phase when the biggest timeline variances can occur, it’s hard to describe a typical scenario as there really is no such thing as typical!

Saying that, as you may know, Lancaster Homes has two different design pathways you can choose, Designer- our extensive range of predesigned floor plans, or Signature- custom designed uniquely for you! Choosing a Designer plan will significantly reduce the timeline for the design phase.

The design phase for a Designer home will typically be around 6-12 weeks months. 6-12 weeks to progress from entering into a preliminary agreement with Lancaster Homes to having preliminary house plans (customised to your requirements) and an estimated build price.

A Signature (custom) home will naturally take much longer, with more time spent on design concepts, a few extra revisions and more time spent considering those revisions before we reach the final design. Based on our past Signature projects the design phase typically will vary between 6 to 9 months. This is largely dependent on how decisive you are and how much time is spent contemplating the design concepts and design changes.

The Proposal and Contract Phase- From estimate to signed contract. 

Our proposal and contract phase moves your project from a construction estimate through the interior design process, energy assessments, Engineering, obtaining quotes from suppliers and sub-contractors to fixed price quote and finally signing contracts.

There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work involved in the typically 12 week Proposal and Contract Phase.

Development Approval– Final Construction documents and Council/Certifier approval.

Once contracts have been signed its time to get construction ready, this means developing the final construction plans, in many cases clients will be finalising their finance with a bank or broker and of course the Construction Certificate (CC or CDC) building approval. This is usually a 4-week process that takes place in the lead up to construction.

If you have built before or know people who have then you are likely wondering how we could possibly obtain approvals in just a few weeks- everyone has heard stories of the dreaded months or even years waiting for building approvals! This can happen because there are a couple of routes to take when it comes to building approval- DA or CDC, that’s a topic for a future blog, but for now just know that it’s the DA or Development Approval that can take a long time to obtain. If a DA is required for a project, in our process this would be done in the proposal and contract phase.

Construction Phase- Slab pour to Handover

As the Homeowner the hard part is behind you when we move into the Construction phase, thanks to the hard work everyone has put in during the pre-construction phases, as so many of our past clients have told us- the construction process is a truly enjoyable experience!

The construction time will again vary depending on the complexity and scale of the build, but our typical timeline will span around 5-6 months. The best part is that we work to a schedule! so, from the beginning of construction you will know (give or take a week) when you will be handed the key to your new home!

So, how long does it take? Typically, between 12 months and 18 months from start to finish.

Are you planning to build in 12–18 months time? It’s time to get in contact!