Ultimate Home Renovation Guide

1. How long does it take to build a house from start to finish?

To start the home building process, we would need to make sure you've selected your lot for your home site, and which home you'll be building there. So something to consider is that sometimes builders have applied for permits ahead of time, so they already have their building permits ready to go and that would allow construction to start right away at your home. If permits aren't in place yet, then that's a process that can take anywhere from about a month to three months to get the permits submitted to the city, receive them back, have the development permit ready and the building permit. So that's something that can take a little bit of time, so keep that in mind that even before your home starts construction, there could be kind of a set time.

*Ask your builder whether they already have permits for the home or if they’d need to apply for one.

2. Why are there delays in getting permits?

Sometimes a lot is predetermined which home will be built there, so in that case, the builder can apply for permits ahead of time, have them ready to go, but in other cases, we will let you choose exactly which home, which layout to be built on that lot, so in that case, we wouldn't be able to apply for building permits ahead of time because we don't know what's going to be built there.

3. What happens after getting the permit?

Your builder will issue a start date for you so they'll let you know when your home starts construction and with that they'll start to dig for the foundation, pouring the foundation and that usually takes a few weeks just to make sure everything cures properly. The next step would be framing, so you'll see your home start from the ground up and then be fully framed, add the windows in, and kind of seal you're home.

4. Are you able to visit your home during the framing and foundation phase? 

You can see it from the street but you're not supposed to go on the property, even if someone from the builder is present with you, it's a construction site so it's not really safe to be visiting at that time. So you are actually provided a walkthrough after the next step. So the next step would be finishing the interior mechanicals, so your electrical, plumbing, all of that. And once that's all complete, then you would be invited for a walkthrough with the builder so that you can see what goes on behind your walls before insulation and drywall are put up.

These walkthroughs are appointments that are set up with the construction team where safety has to be the top priority - so with that, you have to wear the hard hat and closed-toed shoes, and be prepared that you're going on a construction site. Only people on the purchase agreement can attend that walkthrough for safety reasons and no one under the age of 18 can be there but it's a great opportunity to see the progress of your home and see what goes on behind your walls before the drywall is put up.

5. What’s done after your mechanical walkthrough?

After that walkthrough then it would come insulation, drywall, painting, and then all of your finishing so that usually starts with your cabinets then your flooring, countertops from there. So just kind of the finishing touches of your home and that part goes really quickly, so typically once you have the mechanical walkthrough completed, you will take possession about two to three months after that.

6. What is the time frame from signing the agreement to the first mechanical walkthrough?

So once construction starts, it's usually about two to three months before you get your first walkthrough, just because those - those first steps are very crucial and they take a little bit longer. And so after that first walkthrough, there’ll be another two to three months to complete the next part. You're looking at probably around four to six months? We always have to consider that every builder is going to be different so it's important to ask your builder how long they kind of estimate. Also, something that should be written in your purchase agreement is, you know, kind of a timeline for - for your home so we can't give an exact possession date that far in advance, but you know we have to have your home finished within a certain period of time.

7. Does construction season or weather impact the build times for homes?

Most remodeling companies can build year-round but it can affect the timeline. So sometimes homes built in the summer can go up a little bit quicker than homes built in winter but there shouldn't be a huge difference. 

8. What are some common issues that may delay the construction process?

That's something important - to make sure of when you write your purchase agreement is to select all of your interior finishes as quickly as you can. So we have timelines for that, just to make sure that no delays are waiting for materials so that when it comes time to install the flooring in your home, it's selected, it's ordered, it's ready to go so there are no delays based on waiting for materials. And that's sort of still upon you and the builder when that construction of your house happens - you're selecting all the interior finishes. 

9. Is there a timeframe for when interiors have to be picked before construction?

There are certain timelines, so typically you'll have your interior selections chosen within the first two weeks of construction starting. So you actually got to come in and actually get - Yes and once those selections are made, they cannot be changed. 

10. Are there opportunities to change my interior selections later in the process?

What you do with your home afterward is up to you but we have to keep timelines in mind so the builder is always going to make that a top priority and you know, making sure that you have those selections made is very important because they will be ordered and ready to go for your home.

11. What happens after you complete your final walkthrough?

You’ll have your final walkthrough typically about a week to two weeks before your possession date. Anything that needs to be touched up will be touched up by the time you take possession so then on your possession day, you'll do another quick walk-through, make sure that those items have been taken care of and addressed, and then after that, you get to move in!

Feel free to drive by your home as often as you want, take a look at the progress, something that your sales representative might do is give you updates along the way so if that's something that you're really looking for. Make that clear to them and it's something that they will absolutely accommodate, just to make sure that you have a great experience and you always know what stage your home is at. It's always good to go to those walkthroughs. Again, ask those questions about how to operate your home, how to maintain it, and so a great opportunity to meet your construction team as well. 

Planning to build your dream house soon?

Eano Home Renovation offers a wide array of services—from house remodeling to house construction (building from the ground up). We have a team of dedicated professionals who are all ready to assist you from start to finish, a group of trusted contractors, and a list of top supply store partners across the city. We also have pre-approved permits so clients will have their houses built in a breeze! Check out our recent projects and browse through our website to see all the renovation work Eano has to offer.

*All images are from the internet.