Complete Construction Timeline Template Collection

Construction of a new residential home can take anywhere from a few months to over a year. Large-scale commercial construction projects can take even longer — up to several years. There are a variety of factors that may impact your construction project timeline, including:

Project Size and Difficulty: Obviously, a small, single-family home will take less time to construct than a sprawling, mixed-use commercial complex. The degree of difficulty is also a major factor. A custom-built home with many elaborate finishes, such as detailed trim and molding, custom cabinetry, and imported countertops and flooring will take much longer to complete than a tract home with stock appliances and standard finishes. Likewise, a commercial office building with complex wiring for security systems and computer networks will probably be more time-intensive than a basic storefront space. 

Weather/Season: Weather is one of the biggest contributors to new construction project delays. This is particularly true before the roof and walls are built, since the interior framing structure is exposed to the elements. Even light weather conditions and pose delays, since roofing materials need dry conditions for installation. What’s more, when there is a natural disaster or extreme inclement weather, construction crews may be spread thin with cleanup or restoration work, which limits their availability for your project.

When creating your timeline, carefully consider the time of year. If exterior work, such as the foundation or framing, will fall during a particularly rainy, hot, or cold season, you may want to adjust your schedule so that interior work will fall during this time frame, instead. 

Crew and Material Availability: Another major factor in construction timeline delays is the availability of crew and materials. A subcontractor crew typically can’t begin work until the previous crew finishes — so one delay can have a domino effect that impacts the entire project’s completion. When scheduling, be realistic about how long it will take crews to complete their work, and communicate regularly with your general contractor. Crew size will impact how quickly work gets completed, as well. 

Be aware of the materials your project requires, and how they could impact your timeline. Materials that aren’t kept on hand locally, such as custom or imported fixtures, countertops, or flooring will have a longer lead time than basic, stock materials. Certain finishings also take longer to install than others — for example, installing an asphalt roof can be quicker than a tile one. Another important consideration: material suppliers frequently update their product catalogs, and phase out old products to make room for new ones. Verify the right materials will be available when you need them. 

Approvals, Permits, and Inspections: Construction projects need to be inspected at various stages, and approved by city and/or county building departments. Failed inspections or backlogs in issuing permits commonly cause delays. Plan these inspections at the right time, so the whole project won’t stall while waiting for approval. Of course, you or your contractor will also need to ensure the work corresponds with the plans and drawings. To ensure the structure is up to code, the inspector can either ask for more information or put a stop on the work altogether. 

Scope, Schedule, or Plan Changes: Any time a client, inspector, or subcontractor requests a change, delays are likely to occur. Depending on the nature and degree of the change, you may need to draw up new plans or obtain permits and inspections, which can result in schedule changes that threaten later stages of the project’s development. Try to work out as many details as possible ahead of time to prevent delaying overall project completion.

Custom Build vs. Pre-Fab Construction: Deciding whether to do a custom build or use a pre-designed plan is especially common in residential construction. Custom design and build projects allow the client to choose the materials, appliances, fixtures, and finishings so they’re just the way they want them; however, this is a more time- and money-intensive undertaking. You may need to bring in special subcontractors, and ordering custom materials can have a long lead time. 

“Pre-fab” or tract homes are generally a quicker and more affordable option. Generally, crews for these projects are available on demand, and know exactly what their job will entail. These projects use stock materials that are readily available, and the project often comes at a fixed price. Pre-fab homes are especially common in large housing developments, where crews move from one build to another quickly.