There are both pros and cons associated with buying a resale home vs building or buying a new construction home. You’ll want to weigh all the factors to decide what’s right for your situation and timeline.

One factor that may influence your decision about building a home could be the new construction timeline. If you’re ready to move today, you might be concerned about waiting months to have your home built.

It can be well worth the wait to buy or build new construction if having a new home with the latest features and designs in the newest communities is important to you.

The timeline to construct a new home can vary greatly based on several factors, including whether you’re planning to build it yourself or have a builder do it for you. If you’ve wondered how long it takes to build a home, here are some things to consider.

How long do new construction homes take to build?

First, let’s consider the time it takes to have a new home built from scratch. In 2021, it took an average of 7.2 months from start to completion to build a home after a permit was issued, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

When you work with an experienced builder that specializes in new home construction, you’ll likely have a more predictable move-in timeline than if you opt to build a house yourself.

You may also have a shorter wait time. The average construction time for built-for-sale homes in 2021 was 6.5 months, compared to 12.1 months for owner-built homes in 2021, the U.S. Census Bureau notes. That’s almost a half-year difference!

Factors that can influence building timelines

There are a variety of factors that can contribute to the longer timeline you may experience if you build a home yourself.

Securing your own building permits if you want to build on land you own can sometimes take months.

Waiting for an architect to draw up house plans for you may take a few months or more.

Delays due to labor, materials shortages, or supply chain disruptions can also tack on extra time to the construction process.

The type of land you’re building on, its history, site topography, or soil type can also delay the home building process in some cases.

The experience (or lack of experience) of the contractor you select can also affect home building efficiency. An inexperienced builder may be more prone to making mistakes along the way that can create delays and add extra costs.

If you want to move into a brand-new home sooner than later, good alternatives to building are move-in ready new construction homes or homes already under construction.

Move-in ready and homes under construction

In addition to building new construction homes, builders often offer move-in-ready new construction homes or homes that are under construction for sale. You may be able to be involved in much or some of the design process, depending on the stage of construction the home is in.

Buying either type of these new construction homes offers many of the same benefits as having a home built for you from the ground up. You’ll still get that new home experience with the latest energy-efficient appliances and building materials. Plus, everything in the home is new, clean, and you’ll get to make your own history living in it. You’ll also have a shorter wait time to move into your new home.

Brookfield Residential builds homes and communities that are designed to enrich homebuyers’ quality of life. From multifamily homes and townhomes to single-family and luxury homes, Brookfield offers a variety of home designs and features to meet the needs of homeowners in any stage of life.

Brookfield has more than 65 years of experience in the new home construction field. Find new Brookfield Residential homes to tour now or search for your dream home in cities you want to live in the United States and Canada.