We get a lot of questions about the process of building a custom home. So, we thought it was time to answer them! Here’s our guide to helping you understand the custom home-building process.

Overview Of Our Process

When you build your home with RES Contracting, we do our best to make the process as stress-free as possible. First, you’ll choose a piece of land to build your home on in one of Prescott’s beautiful custom home communities. Then you’ll design your home with support from our team. We’ll advise you on budget, materials, timelines, and floor plans. Finally, you’ll leave the designs with us, and we’ll build the home of your dreams! If you want to be involved in every step of the process, our team is happy to have you along for the ride.

13 Phases Of Building A Custom Home

Building a custom home can seem like a daunting task, especially if you’re new to construction. To help you understand the process better, review this list of the 13 phases of building a custom home. 

• Staking. Engineers will come to your custom home lot and stake out your home’s outline and footprint.

• Excavation. During this phase, your lot will be prepared for construction. Excavation involves digging out and leveling the ground, clearing trees, and removing debris. 

• Foundation. Once your site is prepped, our team will lay the foundation (the structure on which your house will sit). 

• Framing. You’ll start to see your dream house taking shape in this step. During framing, we begin putting up walls, decking, and spaces for windows.

• Mechanical Installations. Once your home is framed, all your utilities will be installed. That includes plumbing and electrical lines, HVAC, and fireplaces. This is what I refer to as rough-ins.  We have all the rough trades come in after the framing and dry-in is complete.

• Dry Roofing. Next, we’ll put a dry roof on your home. A dry roof lies under your shingles to protect your home from rain and other natural elements. We typically dry in the entire house after framing.  That includes roof, walls, windows, and doors.

• Inspections. At this point, your home will undergo an inspection for its framing and foundation. Inspections are done throughout.  Excavation, foundation, framing, rough-ins, insulation, drywall, final.

• Exterior Finishes. Once your home’s “skeleton” is finished, we’ll begin installing exterior finishes like roofing shingles, windows, and attic vents. Exterior finishes like stone veneer and tile or metal roofing are installed after exterior paint which is after siding or stucco are complete.

• Insulation. After all the exterior finishes are installed, we’ll begin insulating your custom home. We insulate after rough-ins are finished and inspected.

• Drywall. You’ll start getting a great visual impression of the inside of your home during this step. Drywall will be installed on your ceilings and walls. 

• Siding. We’ll begin installing the exterior siding you’ve chosen for your custom home. Siding and/or stucco typically starts once the rough-ins are complete.

• Landscaping. The outside of your home matters just as much as the inside. We’ll install driveways or other exterior landscaping designs during this step. Pavers and landscaping is one of the last things we will do.

1. Making It Home. Once the above is finished, and your custom home is built, then comes what most homeowners enjoy the most — the fun stuff like interior finishes, cabinets, countertops, flooring, showers, lighting, plumbing fixtures, and more. Interior finishes start right after drywall.  We will paint and then start all of the interior finish work you listed.

The last step is making it your home by furnishing it! It’s time to bring in all your furniture and decorations to truly make your new custom house a home. 

How Long Does It Take To Build A Custom Home?

Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer to the question of how long it takes to build a custom home. Some custom homes get built in as little as eight months, while others can take upwards of two years. The larger and more complex your home is, the more time it will take to build.

The time it takes to build your custom home will depend on its size and floor plan. It’s always better to plan for a long process, just in case. We suggest you keep your expectations realistic and plan for a two-year process.

Build Your Dream Home In Prescott

R.E.S. Contracting has been helping people build exceptional custom homes in Prescott, Arizona since 1987. With over 30 years of experience, we’ve learned so much, and we hope to stick around another 30 years to help more people build the homes of their dreams. If you’re looking to build a custom home in Prescott, Arizona, call us today at 928-776-0301 to schedule a meeting and review your project with a member of our team.