How Long Does It Take to Build a New House in Minnesota?

“So. How long will it take?”

It’s one of the biggest questions buyers have when embarking on a new house build. And we get it. We’d love to be able to give a precise, fool proof number you could set your clocks by. But in Minnesota, where weather is king, precision predictions are easier said than done.

For the semi-custom builds Country Joe Homes specializes in, build time ranges from 6 to 10 months. Where your project falls in that range is heavily impacted by the complexity and size of the build. However, it also comes down to which season you start in, and whether the weather cooperates during the early phases of the build.

To help you get a better idea of how long your build might take, we’ve broken the process down into its five core phases. In each section of this article, we will explain:

• The typical timeframe for that phase of construction
• How Minnesota’s climate can impact that timeframe
• What work will be completed

Phase 1: Pre-Construction and Planning (4-10 Weeks)

In this early phase, we get our (gray) ducks in a row. The work done here ensures we can keep things moving smoothly once we break ground. The critical tasks of this phase include:

• Finalizing your homesite and floor plan selections
• Finalizing your structural and semi-custom design choices
• Securing financing
• Submitting for city permits

Note that the timeline for financing and permitting can vary a lot from build to build. What’s more, much of that variability is out of our control. That’s why this phase has a wider ranging estimate than any other phase in the build process.

Phase 2: Site Preparation and Foundation (3–4 Weeks)

Since site prep and foundation work are inherently vulnerable to the elements, this phase can be heavily affected by Minnesota’s weather. Wet conditions slow things down, while freezing conditions drive up costs by necessitating freeze-resistant concrete and/or industrial heating solutions.

Specific work completed during this phase includes:

• Lot clearing and grading
• Excavation and utility trenching
• Pouring and curing the foundation
• City inspections

Phase 3: Framing and Exterior Structure (4–8 Weeks)

The early part of this phase can also be impacted by turns in Minnesota’s weather. But fortunately, once a dry-in state has been reached, the build process becomes much less beholden to temperatures and precipitation. Because of this, special attention is usually paid early on to creating a fully enclosed space. This involves:

• Erecting walls
• Setting roof trusses
• Sheathing
• Installing windows and exterior doors
• Affixing house wrap

After a dry-in state has been achieved, the final work of this phase is focused on getting your utilities in place, namely:

• Plumbing
• Electrical
• HVAC

If you’re working with a smart home integrator, this would also be the phase where their specialists would come in to lay in the low-voltage wiring necessary to support those devices.

Phase 4: Interior and Exterior Finishes (8–12 Weeks)

During this phase, the build process is mostly immune  to Minnesota’s changeable climate. However, it can still have an impact on the exterior finish work. This includes:

• Siding
• Exterior masonry
• Basic landscaping

Meanwhile, the interior finishes can be completed in a protected and increasingly climate-controlled environment. These finishes include:

• Insulation, drywall, and painting
• Trim and flooring
• Counters and cabinetry
• Lighting and plumbing fixtures

Phase 5: Final Quality Checks and Walkthrough (2–4 Weeks)

During this final phase, your new home may look more or less complete, and it may be tough to hold yourself back from moving in! But this last bit of time is critical to ensuring everything is in place, polished, and working as expected.

During this phase, you can expect:

• Municipal and independent energy inspections
• A ‘punch-list’ walkthrough flagging anything that needs to be tweaked or fixed
• A final, comprehensive cleaning

At the end of everything, you will also have a New Home Orientation. This is when our team will walk you through your property and demonstrate how all of your systems and maintenance works. After that, you’ll receive the keys to your new home, and the build process will be finished.

Key Factors That Can Impact Your Timeline in Minnesota

We’ve touched on some of the Minnesota quirks that can impact your build timeline throughout this piece. But to wrap things up, let’s take a closer look at the specifics.

First and foremost are weather delays. Of course, unplanned inclement weather can impact day to day operations. But there are also weather-specific laws that need to be considered if your build is taking place during certain seasons, such as spring load restrictions on roads. For more details, check out this article: When is the Best Month to Start Building a New Home in Minnesota?

Supply chain availability and material lead times can also have a big impact on your timeline. You may remember that during the pandemic, global supply chains all but collapsed, including in Minnesota. This led to months-long delays for home construction projects. Fortunately, most delays caused by supply chain disruptions aren’t nearly so cataclysmic. And, if it does start to look like we’ve reached an impasse, our team can work with you to source alternative materials for many aspects of your build.

Finally, there’s the relative scope and level of customization of your build. The larger, more complex, and more customized your home is, the longer it’s likely to take. This is partly why the semi-custom construction process limits certain structural modifications. It helps ensure each build has a more reliable timeline.

Build a Beautiful Home with Country Joe

Quality craftsmanship and custom details take time. But with Country Joe Homes, our semi-custom construction process ensures that your dream house can usually be built in well under a year. Contact our team to start planning your home today!