back to homebuyers

Construction Process

Before the project gets underway, your financing should be secured, your plans should be reviewed, and your home selections should be made.

The size of the home, the complexity of the design, and the home selections will all have an effect on the length of time needed to build your home. Typically, construction should take between 12 to 16 weeks.

Step 1
The site will be marked out for the excavator to dig the foundation (slab and/or basement). The concrete contractors will pour footings, bases for the walls to sit on. The walls are then poured and the house is ready for the groundwork.

Step 2
The plumber brings the water and drain lines into the basement. Once this has passed and inspection, the foundation drainage tile will be installed and the area prepped for the concrete floor to be poured. The drainage tile lets exterior water flow into the sump pit so it can be discharged away from the foundation. Fill (rock or sand) will be brought in for the basement and garage floors. The concrete is then poured over the fill and smoothed out. Once the floors are hardened, the ground can be backfilled against the foundation to establish rough grade.

Step 3
The framing package is delivered to the job site. This will include everything needed to give the house its supporting system of walls, floors, and roof. The basement bearing walls will be set in place, and then the first floor joists and subfloor can be installed. The subfloor is glued and screwed to the joists to minimize floor squeaks. The exterior walls are put up first. The interior walls are built on the subfloor and this creates rooms. Once the interior walls are up, the roof can go on. The trusses are put in place and the sheathing is applied over the trusses. Felt paper is laid on the sheathing to start the water shedding process.

Step 4
Once the framing is complete, the exterior face can be put on the house. With the felt paper laid, the roofer can start laying the shingles on the roof. Installation of doors and windows will start to make the house weather tight. After doors and windows are installed the brick mason and/or sider can start covering the exterior walls. Decks and porches are installed at this time to complete the exterior improvements.

Step 5
The rough in stage is when the mechanical trades are brought in to start installing the plumbing, heating, and electrical. Usually the plumbers and the HVAC (heating, venting, and air conditioning) people know what is to be installed and where it goes in the house. The homeowner will have to meet with the electrician to discuss electrical needs. The electricians are bound by the code for the placement of the electrical devices. When all three trades have had their work pass inspections, the walls are ready for insulation and drywall.

Step 6
After the wall insulation is installed the ceilings and walls can be covered with the drywall. Drywall is the finished wall product that will be textured and painted. After the ceilings have been hung, the insulators can come back to install the ceiling insulation. The ceilings and walls are then textured and painted. There are different textures and paints available.

Step 7
The finish stage consists of all the ways to complete the interior design. I twill start with the installation of some of the flooring materials. Once the initial floors are installed, cabinets and the finish millwork can be started. Finish millwork is the doors, baseboard, casing, crown molding, etc. Once cabinets are installed the counter tops can be set and ready for the plumber.

Step 8
Trim work is the final step before the final clean. Trim work includes the mechanical trades coming back in to put the finishing touches on all of the rough in items. This would include electrical fixtures, outlets, switches, plumbing fixtures, and heating vents and thermostats. Carpet is the final trim items to be installed once all the trades have finished.

Step 9
Final clean and final punch list are the last step before ownership. A punch list is a list of items that need to be addressed or corrected before the homeowner moves in. Once the punch list is completed, a cleaning crew can come in and ready the house for the new owners.

 

Sounds like a simple process, doesn’t it? There are hundreds of components and various subcontractors to move in and out of the house before you can move in. Our job at Platinum Series Homes is to make this a stress free, educational, and enjoyable experience for you. Preparation is the key to making this project go smoothly and enjoyable for the homeowner. All the planning and preparation will be worth the years of enjoyment in your new home. Regular meetings with your project manager will help answer questions and help alleviate any worry about the project. If you have any questions regarding the process, the projects, or the selections, please don’t hesitate to call us at 319-373-2683.

back to homebuyers