The Best Time to Construct a New Building
When you’re planning to build a new structure—whether it’s a custom home, event venue, Equestrian facility, adaptive re-use project, or commercial building—timing is everything. From cost fluctuations to permitting delays and seasonal impacts, knowing when to begin can save you time, money, and stress. While many factors are out of your control, good planning and early coordination with your builder can make all the difference.
How Much Time Should I Plan for Design, Pricing, and Permitting?
Every project is unique, but as a general rule of thumb, we recommend allowing at least 6 months for the pre-construction phase—even for relatively simple builds. More complex projects may require 12 to 18 months to move through design, pricing, and permitting. Getting these steps started early ensures fewer surprises down the road and helps align your project with seasonal construction windows.
When Should I Get Pricing?
One of the most common missteps in construction planning is waiting too long to talk about pricing. We strongly recommend starting preliminary pricing at the schematic design level. This early look at costs will help guide decisions about materials, design features, and scope—before you’re too far down the road.
When to Do Final Pricing
Final pricing should typically happen after 90% of Construction Documents (CDs) are completed and when your financing is nearly secured. Timing is important here. If too much time passes between final pricing and actual construction, or if the project goes through multiple rounds of repricing, it can cause what’s known as subcontractor fatigue. This not only risks higher bids but may also cause scheduling complications.
Keep an Eye on Tariffs
International trade policies and tariff shifts—especially in election years—can significantly impact the cost of materials, particularly imported products like steel, timber, and certain finishes. At Quarry View, our design and preconstruction team can help you identify materials that may be susceptible to tariffs and develop strategies to incorporate more locally sourced alternatives. This not only helps manage costs but also strengthens your project’s long-term supply chain stability.
Avoiding the Pitfalls of Delays
Supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and economic shifts can all affect your project budget. In the past, we’ve seen price hikes tied to oil and gas price swings, election year policy changes, and even natural disasters affecting material availability. The key takeaway? Stay proactive. Get your builder involved early. Make design, financing, and permitting move forward together—so none of these pieces gets too far ahead or behind the others.
So, When is the Best Time to Build?
While market conditions vary, the best seasonal windows to start construction are typically fall or early spring. A fall start allows you to get the structure weathered-in before the worst of winter, while an early spring start takes full advantage of the entire building season ahead.
But more important than the calendar date is your readiness. The ideal timeline is one where design, financing, pricing, and permits all align. That’s when your project is positioned for success.
Preconstruction Services
We offer preconstruction services to help you navigate the process of getting your project ready for construction—within a budget that works for you. From design collaboration and material selections to timeline planning and pricing strategy, our team is here to guide you every step of the way.
