The process of home construction is an extremely complicated yet interesting sequence of specialized work. From the first conceptual sketch to bringing in the furniture and painting the walls, the erection of a building intrigues many people who have not had the opportunity to observe the process firsthand. As a general contractor, we would therefore like to reveal some secrets and explain to you how are new homes constructed.
Table of Contents
Step 1: Concept Stage
The first step is always the conceptual phase. This is the time when the future homeowner meets with architects to discuss his expectations, develop a preliminary sketch of the building and confront the plans with budget possibilities.
If the investor already owns a plot of land, in parallel with the development of the architectural design, the general contractor can begin the process of preparing the site, for example, by demolishing the house previously standing there or removing plants. This is exactly how we proceeded during new construction on Linden Leaf Drive. Note, of course, that in order to legally demolish a house in Illinois, all formal requirements must be met, which of course involves submitting a building design to the local authorities.
The building design contains key information – you’ll find the layout of rooms, as well as installations (electrical, plumbing and ventilation), structural elements and windows. Planning home construction is a key moment, because the cost of construction, the subsequent value of the property itself and your comfort depend on it. For this reason, choosing a reputable architect is an investment of sorts.
The visualizations provided by the architectural firm are a light at the end of the tunnel – a preview of what your plot will look like once you have gone through the long home construction process.
Step 2. Groundworks And Foundations
This is actually the first stage of home construction. Once your general contractor’s workers enter the site, work will begin with the excavation of the ground where the foundation will be built.
In some cases, additional excavation will be necessary, needed for the construction of the garage, the construction of the plot’s drainage system, or, in the case of homes located on the shore of bodies of water, for shoreline reinforcement. Sometimes it happens that already at this point, the general contractor decides to prepare a driveway or patio, but it all depends on the technology used and the terrain on which the house is located. We have made a drainage system for the plot, among other things, as part of Edgemere Court new construction.
Once the construction team has done the excavation, concrete trucks and pumps arrive at the site, with which the foundations are poured. At first the so-called footings are built, then the basement floor and the walls, which are sometimes simply bricked with concrete blocks. Once the concrete has set, the walls are insulated to prevent water from leaking into the building. When the insulation is in place, you can backfill the walls with soil and move on to the next step.
Depending on the size of the house, the complexity of the project and the characteristics of the plot, groundworks can take from 3 to 12 weeks. Concrete needs a minimum of 20 days, and usually 28 days, to reach its maximum strength. However, if temperatures are low, this time is extended.
Step 3. Framing
When home construction reaches the framing stage, the whole process accelerates. This is due to the fact that once the walls and floors are erected, several teams can be working at the same time.
In the vast majority of cases, the load-bearing structure of the houses we erect in Chicagoland consists of pine wood and steel. As a rule, the floor on the first floor always rests on a series of steel beams that simultaneously connect the walls of the building. Higher floors may already rest on wooden elements, although sometimes steel is used there as well.
In addition to the frame, the plywoods that will form the walls are also placed at this stage. Of course, they will be protected with thermal insulation, underlayment and siding, but this takes place in the later stages of home construction.
Assembling a framework is a relatively short stage of home construction. Sometimes 3-4 days are enough for the construction crew to be able to put up the walls, ceilings and roof truss. Usually, however, it takes 2-3 weeks, although the whole process gets longer if the house has many floors or many rooms inside, because usually, partition walls are already being built at this stage.
Step 4. Instalation Work
Usually, the first part of the installation work takes place in autumn, and there is a very good reason for this – the house should be sealed before the onset of winter, bringing rain and snow. For this reason, general contractors usually install windows and doors, and have shingles, shakes or tiles installed by their Glenview roofing contractor.
Closed shell, a condition in which the home already has windows, doors and at least a basic form of roof installed, is necessary for further installation and finishing work. As we have already mentioned, this usually occurs at the end of the year, so that in winter, it will be possible to carry out the installation of mineral wool, plasterboard and floor panels, which must not be exposed directly to water.
At this stage, electrical wiring, ventilation ducts and pipes are also installed. Of course, this must be done before panels are installed on the frame, which will later be painted in the target color. Usually, this is the last moment to order bathroom fixtures and tiles, as home construction is slowly coming to an end!
Installation works usually take between one and three months. Since this phase of home construction is often carried out using subcontractors who have a lot of work to do in the winter, delays can occur.
Step 5. Exterior Finishing
While it is not always possible, some exterior construction work can also be carried out in winter. Even at low temperatures, gutters, downspouts, soffit and fascia can be installed, thereby shortening the construction process.
With the arrival of spring, exterior contractors carry out additional work. Siding appears on walls, patios are built, outdoor lighting is installed, and a team of masons arrives at the construction site to lay stone on the driveway in front of the house and in the garden. If the project includes a rooftop terrace, it is also constructed at this time.
It is very difficult to determine the duration of exterior finishing. It strongly depends on the client’s requirements, the size of the house, the materials used, the scope of work, and potential delays in deliveries, which were very common in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Typically, exterior finishing proceeds parallel to interior finishing, but the work is spread out over time, which can positively impact the costs of project implementation.
Step 6. Interior Finishing
Interior finishing is a broad concept in the context of home construction. The stage begins with the installation of flooring and plasterboards and ends with the placement of furniture and painting of walls, and it runs parallel to exterior work.
During interior finishing, the following will appear in your home:
- Flooring – parquets, tiles, panels, or other solutions chosen by you;
- Lighting;
- Furniture;
- Kitchen cabinets and countertops;
- Bathroom fixtures – bathtubs, toilets, sinks, cabinets;
- Carpets, linoleum, wallpaper.
Sometimes, clients decide to use the services of external companies specializing in interior furnishings. This is a good solution, however, organizing this stage through a general contractor can shorten the time of its implementation.
Furnishing a home can take anywhere from a week to six months. In the case of most home constructions conducted by Integrity Construction Consulting, it takes about a month to address every detail in your home.
Last Step Of Home Construction – Final Inspection
Every new home construction should conclude with a final inspection. Regardless of the involvement of the general contractor and subcontractors, minor defects and errors in execution will always occur – a door frame may be dented, chips might appear on the paint here and there, and windows may not open smoothly. While these are inconveniences that should be promptly corrected, they are unavoidable during the home construction process due to its nature.
Typically, several additional visits by your construction company’s workers are necessary, during which they will address these errors. As a rule, this is covered under warranty, so you will not incur any costs for these fixes.
Do you live in Chicagoland and plan to undertake home construction soon? Choose a proven general contractor with 20 years of experience, who has built dozens of luxury homes, often using extremely sophisticated technologies.
We would be delighted to handle your project. Contact us using the form, and we will get back to you as soon as possible!
