In many ways, building a smart home follows the same basic steps as building a regular home. A lot has to be chosen and cleared; the home needs to be designed; the foundation needs to be laid.
Building smart homes require some extra preparation, but the builders at Smart Home Construction are experts in the planning, installation, and implementation of all of the top smart technology on the market. Our builders are dedicated to efficiency without sacrificing quality.
Planning when you can move into your new home can be a stressful process, but it doesn’t have to be. Our smart home builders in Harlingen have the experience needed to help you accurately plan for the construction process.
7 Factors That Can Affect Construction Times
At Smart Home Construction, we have extensive experience with every aspect of the smart home construction process. There are several factors we need to consider regarding how long the process can take, and we’ve listed them below to give you an idea of the timeline:
1. The Location – Location can have a big impact on the length of your smart home construction process. Some areas take longer than others. For instance, metropolitan construction usually takes about two fewer months than rural construction, and construction in the Middle Atlantic Region of the U.S. takes 3 and a half months more than construction in the Mountain Region.
Location impacts almost every other factor on this list. Different locations have different climates, different supplies available, and different permits that must be acquired.
2. The Weather – Normally, rainy weather won’t stop construction, but if the crew runs out of tasks that can be done in the rain, construction may be held up. If the ground is saturated, digging becomes impossible, and if it’s too cold out, concrete won’t set correctly. In essence, bad weather can have a big impact on the length of your construction time.
3. Custom vs. Production Homes – Custom built homes can take a lot longer to build than personalized production plans — up to a year long. Custom home plans also have variations that will need to be worked out individually by your builder, and that can take time. Choosing a standard floor-plan, on the other hand, can save a significant amount of time because your builders have built that plan many times before and know what to expect.
4.The Technology – Different types of smart technology can vary widely in how long they take to install. Some companies have technology that is installed during the construction process. This is called pre-wiring and is ideal for any potential smart homeowners. Pre-wiring guarantees that your house will be equipped with the infrastructure needed to support smart technology.
5. Availability of Workers and Supplies – Different times of the year are better for home construction. The summer is the most popular season for construction, so labor is in high demand. It can be a challenge to schedule the subcontractors your construction needs during this busy time of the year, and supply shortages are also more common during the summer and can delay construction significantly.
6. Changes in the Plan – Changing the plan at any point in the construction process can obviously cause delays, but did you know that changes will have the largest impact later on in the build? Decisions will need to be made during construction, so keeping open communications with your contractor can save lots of time. The longer you delay making decisions, the longer your construction may take.
7. Permits and Pre-Construction – Before construction can start on your smart home, the lot needs to be cleared of trees, rocks, and anything else in the way. The foundation will be leveled, and everything will be made ready for the construction process. This pre-construction process can also face weather and supply and labor shortages.
You will also need to get the permits you need to build during the pre-construction phase as well. Some places have different construction requirements or labor guidelines, and acquiring all the appropriate permits isn’t always a straightforward task. Delays may occur during this stage, too.
So How Long Would It Take to Build My Smart Home?
The average time that it takes to construct a smart home ranges from three to just over six months, but a lot can happen during the build that could extend that timeframe. That number is also based on built-for-sale or spec houses, not personalized or custom homes. The more customized a house is, the longer it is also likely to take.
Estimates for the entire timeline can range from six months to two years depending on delays. The pre-construction phase alone can take a full year, as can the construction process itself. Installing smart technology can add some time to the construction process, but the investment is well worth it.
Most homes on the market today are expected to be fully equipped with smart tech systems, so don’t let comforts that a smart home can provide leave you behind; as the old adage goes, “Good things take time.”