Some projects just take longer than others. If you’re building a home on an owner’s land, for instance, you can expect 1-4 additional months between taking out the permit and handing the new residents their keys. Ditto if you’re building a home for rent. Nationwide, the average is about 7 months for all types of projects.
How long is the construction cycle in your region? How does your business measure up to your peers, and is there room for improvement?
Your cycle time is about more than just the time it takes to put a house on a lot. It’s also critical for your bottom line—every extra month in the construction process adds additional costs in jobsite maintenance, VPOs, and labor.
So what can you do if you live in one of the “red zones”? We sympathize—in some states the delays may be due to circumstances outside your control, such as tight regulations. But there’s one way to mitigate that: collaborate closely with your component manufacturer or lumber supplier and a use prePrefabrication or other pre-assembled items in your project.
Taking that step will help you compete more effectively in your market. It will also be easier to meet codes, and trim days or weeks off your construction process, and most importantly, you can stop watching your money evaporate due to long cycle times.