Your Home's Construction Schedule

How long do the steps take? No two jobs are the same, but here are some reasonable estimates of what will be required for each stage. Do keep in mind, though, that even the most organized job will, occasionally, have quiet days when work is on hold because of scheduling conflicts, delays in deliveries, and the rest.

Here are the steps and the time required for each:

1.  Surveyor staking foundation location (1/2 day)
2.  Excavation and, if necessary, clearing and tree removal (1-2 days)
3. Footing and foundation work, including time for curing concrete, installing drain tile, waterproofing, back filling, etc. (2-3 weeks) 
4.  Framing (1-3 weeks) 
5.  Roofing and flashing work, chimney installation (1-2 weeks) 
6.  Window, exterior door installation, siding, trim (2-4 weeks)
7. Electrical, plumbing, other rough-ins. Note that this step overlaps with step 6 (1-2 weeks) 
8.  Walls and ceilings (2 weeks) 
9.  Finish work: interior trim, doors, floors, cabinets, painting, set fixtures, etc. (2-8 weeks) 
10.  Punch list, final inspection, etc. (1 week)