Whether you’re looking to design and build a new custom home or you just plan on remodeling your kitchen or bathroom, it is essential that you go into the project with realistic expectations of how much it will cost and how long the entire process will take from start to finish. Developing realistic expectations before you get started will go a long way towards improving your chances of being satisfied with the job and with your chosen contractor at the end.
One of the most important things is to develop a realistic timeline for both the design and construction phases. Having a timeline can help keep the project on track and prevent you from running into delays. Also it will ensure you have an approximate idea of how long the project will take. For this reason, we’ll now look at everything you need to know when creating your construction timeline.
Start with the Research
Before hiring a designer or construction company, you will first need to have a decent idea of what you want. This means spending time pouring over design magazines and websites to consider all of your various options for styles, colors, materials, etc. It’s usually a good idea to collect images of rooms and designs you like. Try to identify what key elements really set the tone of the room or catch your eye. You won’t need to decide on specific furnishings, but you should have an idea of what you’re looking for.
At the same time, you also need to research any potential issues and make sure that your chosen space actually works with your ideas. This means considering the size of the rooms and looking into building permits or building regulations that could affect your project. Finally, you also need to develop a realistic budget of how much you’re willing to spend, as this will obviously determine whether or not your ideas are feasible.
Building Your Timeline: Design Phase vs Construction
Most people tend to concentrate only the construction phase of the project. For example, how long all of those workers will be scurrying around the house. The truth is that the design phase of the project often takes nearly as long as the construction phase. Unfortunately, many people tend to think that they’re project can start whenever they are ready. Trades people may not always be immediately available or it could take several months for materials to arrive. Therefore, it is important that you consider every factor when planning your timeline.
The Design Timeline
Depending on the project size, the design phase could take anywhere between a few weeks to months. For a single-room renovation, you should usually plan on spending about one to two months finding designs, shopping for materials and finishes and hiring all of the necessary tradespeople. If you’re building a custom home, this process could easily take between six months and a year.
The Construction Timeline
There is nothing worse than having a construction project take much longer than you expected. It is important to start planning early to make sure your chosen contractors are available when you need them and that you aren’t stuck waiting for materials to arrive. It is always best to order all of your materials far in advance to make sure everything is ready when you get started. This often takes anywhere from one to four months. Some construction may be able to go on while you’re waiting, but it is usually best to have everything ordered and ready before you start. Once the construction does start, you should usually plan on four to six weeks for a single room renovation, around three to six months for a multi-room renovation and no less than six months to build a new home.
At Alair Homes Phoenix, we understand the importance of knowing how long a construction project will take. For this reason, we sit down with every client at the beginning in order to establish a realistic timeline. This will ensure that your project is running on schedule and also avoid any major delays.