From Lot to Keys: Our 14 Month Custom Home Build Timeline

Most clients ask how long before they ask how much, and the honest answer is more useful than the round number people often give. A typical Major Homes custom build runs 10 to 14 months from design finalization to move in, with another 3 to 5 months of design and permitting before construction starts.

That puts the realistic total at 14 to 20 months from the first conversation to the day you receive keys. The variation is not random. It comes from lot complexity, design choices, finish selections, and the municipality where you are building.

The Major Homes process runs in four phases. Each one has a specific scope, specific deliverables, and a specific time window. Below is what happens in each, and where the timeline typically slips when builders are not paying attention.

The first phase is shorter than people expect and more important than people realize. We meet on site or in the office, walk through your goals, and talk through the lot you own or are considering. If you do not have a lot yet, we work with our in house real estate side to help you evaluate options.

What happens in this phase. We walk the lot, review any reports you already have, and discuss orientation, view, slope, and access. We talk through square footage, layout priorities, and your finish expectations. We give you a realistic budget range for the build you are describing, with the variables that drive it up or down.

What you leave with. A written summary of the build assumptions, a budget range, and a clear next step. If we agree to move forward, we sign a design phase agreement and set the next meeting. No further commitment is required until the design package is ready for pricing.

This is where the home becomes specific. We coordinate the architect, structural engineer, geotechnical engineer where required, and our project manager. Floor plans, elevations, mechanical layouts, and the finish schedule all develop in this window.

The phase usually runs eight to twelve weeks, depending on the complexity of the design and the speed of decisions. The variable is almost always client decision making, not consultant turnaround. The clients who finish design phase quickly are the ones who make finish decisions in batches, not one fixture at a time.

At the end of the design phase, you have a complete set of working drawings, a finalized finish schedule, a fixed fee or transparent cost plus contract for construction, and a permit application submitted to the relevant municipality. Permit review timelines vary. The City of Vancouver typically runs 12 to 20 weeks. The District of North Vancouver runs 8 to 14 weeks. West Vancouver runs longer for complex hillside builds.

We submit clean, complete packages, which is the single biggest factor in keeping permit timelines predictable. You can read more about the project management approach that runs through this phase.

Construction starts the day the building permit is in hand. The work runs in well understood sequences, and we send a written progress report at the end of every week with photos, the work completed, and what is scheduled for the next week.

The phases of construction within the construction phase break down roughly as follows.

The handover happens on a single day and the warranty starts that day. We walk you through every system in the home: the heat pump, the HRV or ERV, the irrigation controller, the smart home hub, the appliances, and the operational details of doors, windows, and shading. You leave with a binder of documentation, warranty information, and contacts for every major trade.

The 2-5-10 Pacific Home Warranty covers the home for two years on labour and materials, five years on the building envelope, and ten years on structural defects. Major Homes maintains the relationship with the warranty provider and handles any claims directly. We also run a 30 day, 90 day, and one year follow up visit to address any items that show up during settling.

The warranty is third party insured, which is required for any licensed residential builder in BC. We are registered with BC Housing as a Licensed Residential Builder, and our warranty record is part of how the firm renews that licence year after year.

Custom home timelines do not slip in one big event. They slip in increments. Two days here, five days there, and over a year the project drifts past the date you planned around. The slips usually come from a handful of causes.

Permit delays are the most common, and the most preventable. A complete, code compliant application submitted the first time, with prompt responses to municipal comments, keeps the review on schedule. We treat the planners and inspectors as professionals with workloads, and we behave accordingly.

Finish change orders mid construction add days every time. A countertop swap can cost three days of waiting for fabrication. A window resize can cost three weeks. We push for finish decisions to lock at the end of design phase precisely so construction is not interrupted by them.

Weather is real but manageable. Greater Vancouver gives us roughly nine usable framing months a year if you sequence the schedule properly. We start excavation in spring or early summer where we can, so the shell is closed in before the wettest months.

Subtrade availability is the silent risk. The way we manage it is the long term relationships with the core trades. They know our schedule months in advance, and they reserve capacity for us. New builders who shop subtrades on every job pay for that with timeline slippage.

A custom home that takes 14 months feels different from one that takes 22 months. The systems are commissioned together, the finishes are coordinated, and the handover is a single planned event, not a series of revisits to fix items that were rushed.

The shorter the construction window, the lower the carrying costs you pay during it. Interest on a construction loan or a private financing arrangement adds up monthly, and a six month timeline overrun can easily cost more than the change orders that caused it.

If you are starting to think seriously about a build, the consultation phase is a no cost first step. We will give you a realistic timeline for your specific lot and the home you want on it. Reach the team through the contact page, or read more about our custom home service.