Designing a custom home can be a challenging, but exciting process! Take an in-depth look at the custom home design timeline to learn how long it takes.
Keyword(s): custom home design
On average, it takes around 8.8 months to build a new home. However, some homes take longer than this, depending on the size, location, and details.
This timeframe represents the time to construct the house, though, and doesn’t include all the work needed before the project begins.
One step you must take before building a house is designing the home you want to build. Custom home design is a process that takes time, too, but how long does it take?
If you’re interested in building a home, you might want to learn more about the timeline for designing a custom home. Read this guide to learn more about this timeline.
Begin By Thinking About What You Want in a Home
So, what is custom home design? Custom home design is the process you use before building a home to design the house you want your contractor to build for you.
The design timeline begins with your thoughts. You’ll need to think about what you want in a house before working with our company on its design.
As you think about this, you might want to look at house plans to get some ideas about the style and features. As you search for ideas and decide what you want, you can make a list of the features you want in your home.
Here are several things you might want to include on your list:
- The approximate size of house you want to build
- Whether it has a basement or not
- The style of the home
- The materials you would like to have
- The number of bedrooms and bathrooms
- Extra rooms you want
- The type of kitchen and eating options you prefer
- Extra features you want in the house
- Smart home features
The goal is to create a list that contains all your top needs. You might also want to stipulate things you don’t want in the home. For example, if you don’t want stairs, you can write that on your list.
The process of creating a list like this might take a week or a few months, depending on how quickly you can create a thorough list.
Hire Our Firm for Help and Explain Your Desires
The next step in custom home design in California is hiring an architect. Here at Jay Cad, we offer architectural services that turn your ideas into blueprints.
When you initially meet with our architectural firm, you can give us your list and discuss your custom home plan. We’ll ask some questions to make sure we understand what you’re looking for in a home.
This meeting might last an hour or two, and our firm might contact you over the next few weeks as they begin creating a custom home design for you.
Hiring an architect is vital for this process. Not only will they create the plans for your home, but they will also ensure that the house meets the building codes in the area where you want to build.
Meet With Us to Review the Initial Drawings
After meeting with our firm one time, the architects will begin working on the plans. It might take a few weeks or longer for them to create the initial drawings of your home. Once they do, they’ll let you know.
At that point, you can meet with our firm once again, as this is necessary for custom home design services. At the second meeting, you’ll get to see the initial drawings of the home they designed for you.
The purpose of this meeting is to allow you to see the plans and make any changes you want to make.
Meet Again After the Modifications
When you request changes to the plans, our architects will return to the drawings to make the necessary modifications. Then, when complete, you’ll be able to review them.
You might need to make more changes to the plans after seeing them the second time. In fact, you might make changes several times and meet with them multiple times, depending on the situation.
The design process takes time, and you’ll want to make sure the house plans are exactly what you want before proceeding.
Ask for a 3D Virtual Tour
As you work with our architectural firm on your house plans, you might want to ask if they can provide a 3D virtual tour of your home. Many companies include this with custom home design services, but others might not.
A 3D virtual tour is essential when designing a custom home. When you view this tour, you can see how the home looks from a 3D view. As a result, you’ll have a good feel of the house and if it’s what you want.
Each time you meet with us, we’ll show you the house as a 3D tour if the firm has this ability. Seeing a house like this can help you determine if the plans need changes or not.
Approve the Plans for Your Custom Home
The final step in custom home design is approving the plans. When you feel content with the plans, you can approve them.
Once you approve the plans, they will print the blueprints for you, along with all the other documents you need for your contractor. You can give them to the contractor that’s building your home.
If the contractor has questions during the construction process, they can contact us to ask questions.
After hiring an architect, it can take anywhere from one to six months to approve the final house plans.
Learn More By Contacting a Firm That Offers Custom Home Design
Custom home design is a process you shouldn’t rush through, as the final drawings represent the home your contractor will build. Before you begin designing your custom home, think about what you want in a house.
When you’re ready to begin the design, contact us at Jay Cad to learn more about our services. We can help you create the perfect home plans for your needs.
