If you’ve been thinking about investing in new construction, you’re more than likely wondering how the home building process works. While there are multiple steps and months’ worth of labor that go into every build, we’ve brought you a simplified guide to the construction process. Here are the five stages of building a house that you need to know before going on your own home building journey. Read them over to learn more.
Stage 1: Planning and permitting
The first step in the home building process is an exciting one. You’ll sit down with an architect or designer to come up with a plan for your new home. Timberlake Homes offers our clients the option to choose between designing a fully-customized home from the ground up or electing to use one of our existing, value-engineered floorplans, which can then be uniquely tailored to suit your needs.
After everything has been laid out to your specifications, the plans must be sealed by an engineer, which is the legal way of certifying that those plans meet all of the applicable safety and practice standards.
From there, your home builder will take the sealed plans to your local municipality for permitting. Permitting ensures that your building plans meet the local requirements for zoning and construction. However, receiving permits also serves as the green light to break ground on your home.
Stage 2: Site work and foundation
Once all the paperwork is completed, the real work begins. First, a crew will be brought in to the construction site to clear the land and fill in where necessary to meet the federal minimum flood elevation guidelines.
Then, work can begin on the foundation. To start, footings are dug and poured and a stem wall is laid. The stem wall offers connection between the foundation’s footings and the slab on which the home will be built. Additionally, it is also home to any underground plumbing and electrical components, which will be installed during this phase. Finally, the slab is poured.
Stage 3: Framing and roofing
After the foundation is in place, it’s time to create an outline of the home. This process is known as framing. It involves using studs, wall plates, and lintels to construct the exterior walls and interior rooms of the home. This framing is used as the base that will support the upper floors, ceilings, and roof.
Next, the roof is put on. First, rafters are cut to size and installed in place to outline the structure. Then, sheets of sheathing are placed in rows and fastened to the framing. After that, flashing is installed to help divert water to the roof’s edge. Finally, underlayment, a waterproofing material, is rolled out to protect the framing and your covering of choice (i.e. shingles, metal) is put on.
Stage 4: Plumbing, wiring, and insulation
Once all that is done, the crew begins working on the home’s systems. This is the point at which electrical, plumbing, HVAC, are installed.
Typically, insulation is also put into the home around this time. Insulation is used to help control the climate within your home. It’s put on the exterior walls, attic, and floors to help keep temperature-controlled air from escaping.
Stage 5: Siding, drywall, and installation of finishes
After the installation is in place, your team will begin working on your exterior finishes, such as your siding. At the same time, drywall will be hung and taped off so that you cannot see any of the seams between the boards. A primer coat of paint is also applied.
Lastly, all of your finishes are installed. For the interior of your home, this includes items like your interior doors, baseboards and moldings, cabinets, vanities, flooring, and fireplace materials. As far as exterior finishes, it means taking care of any landscaping and pouring the driveway.
The bottom line
Building a home from the ground up is certainly a big undertaking, but it is typically a very rewarding experience. Use this article to give a better idea of what to expect as you get started on your home building journey. Armed with this knowledge, you should have a better idea if building a home from scratch is the right choice for you and, if you decide to move forward, you’ll be able to follow along as the project progresses.
Ready to get started with your home building process? Contact us today to get started.