Accurately creating a price and schedule for a large project like your custom home takes a significant amount of time and effort. Many different components must be considered. With a custom home, there is very little that is standard, and each of these line items must be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

For designs that are similar to previous projects, the builder has a template to work off of in creating your budget and timeline. Often, the builder can provide you an estimate on the spot and with little effort. While there are options, the builder has a set outline of how these projects typically cost. However, custom homes are vastly different from mass produced homes, and the planning takes significantly more time.

Why Scheduling and Pricing Takes So Long

A simple custom home is going to take a lot of time and effort to plan out the costs and timeline of the project. The time and expenses for every aspect of your home must be understood and documented. From the foundation to the roof, many details are accounted for within the estimate. For more complex architecture, there are more points to iron out in the planning phase, which takes even longer to compile.

Aside from all the variables, most of the planning stage has to occur over a longer period. Estimates for permits and other legal requirements take time to complete. These delays draw out the planning process. The same delays also occur when the builder needs to consult with other sub-contractors. While the actual man-hours of planning may range close to 40 hours for planning a custom home, the actual process may take weeks of calendar time to complete.

Dealing with Sub-Contractors

The builder uses sub-contractors for some aspects of building a custom home. Sub-contractors must create these smaller estimates before a total cost estimate is available. Your builder must have the expertise to analyze these estimates to check that it is reasonable, both regarding the timeframe and costs. Your builder protects you by knowing what to expect from sub-contractors. All of the calculations, including small details like the number of drywall sheets required, must be double checked to keep your estimate as accurate as possible.

Reviewing and Assumptions

The builder needs to be sure that you understand what you are paying for in your home. Sometimes buyers have made assumptions about the quality of products installed in their new home. Dealing with these inconsistency takes time, but it is an important part of ensuring you are happy with your custom home. The effort spent now makes sure that the budget and customer expectations are reasonable and in agreement with each other. When building a custom home, many builders go over every single line item on the estimate with the buyer.

The builder takes care to build an estimate that is accurate and reliable. While it can be frustrating, this planning saves you money, time, and headaches throughout the project. Keep patient and work with your builder so they can provide you the custom home you desire.