Keystone Blog
How long it takes to build a house depends on your desired level of customization, but industry averages can fluctuate between several months and a couple of years. Keystone Custom Homes' dedicated Designers and New Home Advisors work to keep this timeline predictable. The orchestration of design, site preparation, and construction plays a role in a home's exact time frame, which is why there is a range of timelines from agreement to the move-in date.
The 9-to-12-month time frame is a typical homebuilding baseline, but this can vary by location. Each state has its own regulations, which can impact the timeline.
Permitting timelines can vary drastically by municipality, impacting how long it takes to build in Maryland or Pennsylvania. For example, specific Maryland counties may have longer environmental reviews than rural Pennsylvania townships. Keystone Custom Homes' Permitting Team handles this administrative burden so that you don't have to navigate local bureaucracy alone.
While building on your own homesite and building in established Keystone communities are both excellent options, they can differ in timelines. Choosing an infrastructure-ready Keystone community is often faster than building through the On Your Lot program. Choosing your homesite requires raw land development, which can extend your timeline. Building in a Keystone community eliminates this step, resulting in a faster process.
Several factors impact how long your home construction takes. Keystone Custom Homes manages these variables to provide you with a predictable timeline and outcome:
Before pouring a foundation, the invisible work of zoning, permits, and utility setups must occur. A Keystone Custom Homes New Home Advisor is your guide and liaison during the initial homebuilding phase, conducting early homesite assessments and communication management for a smooth process. They will identify potential homesite challenges before construction begins.
The Keystone team prepares permitting, soil conditions, and infrastructure to help your project stay on schedule with no surprises.
Highly customized Personal Choice Requests naturally add time compared to standard structural options. As a homebuyer, you control the timeline trade-off to match your needs. If a unique design and custom features are your top priority, we can take the extra time to bring your vision to life. If speed is of higher importance, we can help you choose the best design and layout for your desired timeline.
The housing industry is part of a global supply chain. Lumber, steel, and appliance availability can fluctuate, but Keystone manages this with vendor relationships. Our team offers excellent purchasing power, proactively ordering materials to mitigate delays in the event of supply chain changes.
Keystone Custom Homes' new home building process helps you transition from homebuyer to homeowner smoothly. When you build a new home with Keystone, our team guides you through the following steps:
First, a Keystone Custom Homes New Home Advisor helps you select the right community for your new home or evaluates your chosen homesite for feasibility. Whether you build through our On Your Lot program or select your ideal location from one of our Pennsylvania or Maryland communities, you can trust your New Home Advisor for expert guidance.
Once you choose a homesite, you can explore award-winning floorplans. Your New Home Advisor can help you select a floorplan that fits your lifestyle and customization plans.
Next, you will review and sign the purchase agreement with your New Home Advisor. You can complete this step online or in person. This is the official start of your partnership with Keystone Custom Homes. We offer pricing transparency and set timeline expectations during this step, so you know exactly what to expect as we begin the building process.
Our Preferred Lenders understand new construction loans, preventing paperwork delays to keep your project on track. A Keystone Custom Homes Preferred Lender helps you find the best financing plan for your dream home.
The Living Choices Meeting gives you time to meet with a Keystone Custom Homes Designer, discuss your ideas, and review structural options for your new home. This is when you and your Designer map out structural changes to the floorplan, such as bump-outs and wall movements, before we draw your blueprints. You can attend this meeting virtually or at our Design Studio.
Keystone Custom Home's unique Design Studio experience enables you to select finishes with a professional Designer. At your Design Choices appointment, your designated Designer helps you choose materials and details that fit your specific vision. If needed, the Designer can help you submit a Personal Choice Request for further customization beyond our thousands of possible design combinations. Making design choices at this stage prevents delays later in the building process.
After finalizing your design choices, you will meet with the Construction Manager for a Pre-Construction meeting. This is when we ensure our blueprints match your vision before shovels hit the soil. Your assigned Construction Manager will review your plans and discuss the building process with you.
Throughout the construction process, your Construction Team regularly contacts you to review your new home's progress. The MyKCH App is your primary tool for weekly photo updates and direct messaging, giving you eyes on your homesite without needing to visit. This clear, consistent communication provides you with updates and peace of mind until your move-in day.
When construction is complete, your Construction Manager provides a Celebration Walk-Through and introduces you to your new home. Enjoy walking through each room, testing the appliances, and reviewing warranty information. This is when you can inspect your new home and learn about all of its systems.
Settlement is the finish line where you sign to finalize your new home purchase. During this step, you receive a personalized gift from us to commemorate your special day and welcome you home.
Keystone Custom Homes continues to support you after your move-in day, ensuring your home performs as promised. Our Customer Care Team emails your important warranty information so you can review the documentation and reach out with any questions.
While square footage does impact the construction time for a home, we recommend contacting your New Home Advisor for the most accurate estimate based on your community and floorplan.
The best month to start building a home depends on when you would like to move in. Our team works hard all year long to ensure that we can deliver your home in the best quality, as quickly as possible.
If you are building in a new school district and would like to move in before the school year starts, we recommend starting the process of building your home 9 to 12+ months ahead of time. As always, please check with your New Home Advisor for the specific build schedule for your new community.
If you cannot wait the standard 9 to 12 months to move into a new home, you can take advantage of our alternative Quick Move-In Homes. A Quick Move-In Home is already under construction or finished. This provides the quality of a Keystone build with a significantly shorter timeline, sometimes allowing you to move in within a month or a couple of months.
For other questions on new homes, please visit our New Home FAQ page.
While new home construction is a time investment, the result is a new home built specifically for you. Keystone Custom Homes brings your dream home to life through careful homesite planning, custom design, and high-quality construction. Call us at 717-368-9831 to connect with a New Home Advisor today to request a specific timeline estimate for your desired homesite or community.
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