How long does it take to build a house?
Published
Summary
Single-family homes started in 2022 took an average of 8.3 months from start to completion, according to the Census Bureau. A house built by a general contractor on the owner's land averaged 10.1 months, and one where the owner acted as the general contractor averaged 12.1. The clock starts when excavation begins, so design, financing and permit time come on top of that.
What Census counts as the start and the finish
Construction starts, in the Census definition, when excavation begins for the footings or foundation. A house is complete when all finished flooring is installed (or carpeting, if it's used instead), or when someone moves in, if that happens first.
Before that start there's the permit. Single-family homes started in 2022 waited an average of 1.4 months between authorization and start. Census records only the month, so a house permitted and started in the same month counts as zero, and since some places let ground break before the final permit is issued, a few houses show up with negative months.
Who builds it changes the average
For homes started in 2022, the national averages from start to completion were:
- built for sale by a builder on the builder's land: 7.6 months
- built on the owner's land by a general contractor: 10.1 months
- built on the owner's land with the owner as general contractor: 12.1 months
The total, 8.3 months, also includes homes built for rent, which Census doesn't break out. It has been climbing: 6.8 months for 2020 starts and 7.2 for 2021. Contractor-built homes went from 8.8 to 10.1 months over the same three years.
The regional spread
| Region, 2022 starts | Contractor-built | Owner-built |
|---|---|---|
| Northeast | 11.8 months | 13.3 months |
| Midwest | 9.0 months | 13.0 months |
| South | 9.2 months | 10.4 months |
| West | 12.9 months | 15.1 months |
These come from a sample survey, and the smaller groups carry more error. Census puts the relative standard error for owner-built homes in the West and Northeast at 7% and 8%. Our owner-builder guide covers what else changes when you take on the general contractor's job.