If you’ve ever been through the process of working with a custom home builder in Temecula, or know someone who has, you probably know that custom home builds rarely stay on schedule. And unfortunately, the process is never shorter than promised—it tends to drag on longer than promised. Sometimes much, much longer.
You’ve probably wondered why this is the case. There are several factors that could contribute to it. Some of them are within the custom home builder’s control, while others are not.
Dependence on the Schedules of Others
There are times when custom home builders in Temecula are completely at the mercy of others. During the building process, there are multiple inspections that need to happen at various points to ensure that the structure is up to code. Certain aspects of the construction cannot commence until the project passes these inspections. Building inspections on custom homes can only be completed by employees of the City of Temecula’s Building and Safety Department. If no one is available to come out for the inspection when the contractor needs them, the project more or less comes to a standstill. Then, if the inspector determines that the builder’s work does not meet the building code, it will need to be redone, and another inspection will need to be scheduled. The best way to lessen delays related to inspections is to work with a custom home builder who has a good reputation for passing inspections on the first try.
General contractors are also beholden to the schedules of subcontractors. In large projects like custom home builds, a general contractor will often use dozens of subcontractors for specialty work like electrical, HVAC, plumbing, roofing, and more. If a particular subcontractor is not available when his or her work is needed, the project timeline could suffer as a result.
Inadequate Organization
While the schedules of those outside of a general contractor’s team could be part of the reason why a custom home build takes longer than promised, the more likely cause is that the general contractor is not as organized as he or she could be. Good project management is a key aspect of any successful custom home build. A general contractor should have a good system in place to manage their schedule so things keep moving forward in a timely manner.
Project management software that is designed specifically for general contractors can help ensure that supplies are ordered on time, subcontractors are scheduled, and employees complete the tasks they are assigned.
Overpromising
Finally, a custom home builder could blow past their estimated timeline simply because they overpromised in the first place. No large construction project ever goes exactly as planned, so a general contractor needs to anticipate a certain number of delays when they provide their clients with a proposed project timeline. Supplies can get put on back order. The weather might not cooperate. Key people on the project could get sick or injured. These types of “unknowns” need to be accounted for.
If sticking to a timeline requires that everything go perfectly as planned, there is pretty much no chance that a contractor’s estimated completion date will be met.
Conclusion
The best way to avoid delays and extended timelines is to work with one of the custom home builders in Temecula with a good amount of experience with large construction projects, as well as one that has a reliable network of reliable subcontractors. In addition, a contractor should have a good system in place for project management that helps to keep everyone involved organized and on schedule.
