If you’ve recently decided to skip the hassle of the Willamette Valley real estate market to build a fully custom home, first, let us say congratulations. It’s a big decision, but one that’s 100% worth it in the end. Once you’ve hired a contractor and started planning your vision for a new house, you have another important decision: When is the best time to build a custom home? Here in the Willamette Valley, the answer to that question depends on a few variables, which we’ll discuss below.
When Should You Begin Construction on a Custom House?
The process of building and customizing your dream home isn’t as easy as purchasing a pre-built house, but it’s far more rewarding. For Willamette Valley residents, the time of year one begins designing and constructing a new house will directly impact the total cost, overall timeline, and other variables. Consider the following variables when making the choice that best suits your goals.
Spring and Summer Construction
Our construction crew is always busiest in the spring and summer. The weather is much more agreeable, and the increased daylight hours allow us to fit in more work. The weather conditions in Oregon create frequent challenges for our team, although we always go above and beyond to ensure we stick to our agreed-upon timeline.
In the Willamette Valley, the temperature ranges between a high of 81° and a low of 40° from March through August. Building in the warmer seasons also reduces the chance of dealing with weather-related delays in labor, materials, and shipping.
It’s true that there are advantages to beginning the construction process during the spring and summer seasons, but you should also consider the potential drawbacks. For example, there’s a higher market demand during the busy season. You can expect to see increases in prices for labor and materials as opposed to during the colder months. Many contractors have a full schedule during the warm season, so you may experience setbacks or delays in terms of construction.
Building in Fall and Winter
The fall and winter months are the “off-season” for contractors and home builders. Willamette Valley winters usually consist of chilly days with rain and fog. However, it’s not uncommon for us to get periodic dustings of snow. Temperature averages can range between 40° to 50°. While this isn’t cold enough to stop our crew from working, it doesn’t allow the same speed and efficiency as higher temperatures.
Starting to build your custom home during autumn or winter is also the best way to save money compared to the spring or summer. Ordering building materials during the off-season means you’re more likely to score discounts on lumber, sheetrock, tile, etc.
On the other hand, establishing construction in the cooler months may not be as big of a bonus as it sounds. Attempting to secure your home’s foundation or excavate the lot can be difficult because of the unpredictable weather. It may also result in unexpected delays or setbacks. Fewer daylight hours for working and unanticipated bumps in the project timeline can also stretch your allotted budget higher than you want.
What’s the General Timeline for Construction on a Custom House?
The specific timeline and phases of your custom build may vary. Generally speaking, you can expect the building process to include the following steps:
Planning Phase: Developing the design and blueprints of your new home
Breaking Ground: Excavating and preparing the open lot for the foundation
Basic Infrastructure: Constructing the bare bones and framing for the house
Interior and Exterior: Completing work on the inside and outside
Design and Customization: Adding custom elements, features, and interior décor
Final Walkthrough: Performing the final home inspections and walkthrough before you move in
The Final Word on When To Start Construction
Ultimately, there’s no right or wrong season to begin constructing your dream home, especially if time is of the essence. Why wait another month or two when you could start the process right now? You have sole discretion over when, where, and how you start construction, including finding materials, developing a floor plan, and customizing features that fully express your personality and taste.
We know the designing and planning process can be difficult if you don’t know much about home building. A great place to start is by considering your needs and wants to determine what kind of budget you can swing for your new home.
Another option is to let our professionals do all the heavy lifting and book a consultation with our team. We have over six decades of experience and skill as custom home builders, and we’ll happily put our expertise to use so you can navigate the building process easily and confidently.
Construction Costs for Custom-built Homes in the Willamette Valley
How much you’ll pay to construct a custom home varies according to the following factors:
- Labor costs
- Building materials
- Custom features
- Amenities
- Square footage
- Time of year
- Excavation costs
The average cost in Oregon to build a custom house ranges between $275 and $300 per square foot for a standard-grade home and $350+ for a luxury home with all the bells and whistles.
The complete control and customization you gain by building a house from the ground up is the main benefit for many of our clients. Of course, your average two-bedroom house will cost far less to build than a luxury home with top-end features like an in-ground pool, steam room, and three-car garage.
The Best Time To Build a Custom Home Is Now!
No matter what season you choose to start your custom building project, you can rely on our construction crew to make the process fast, smooth, and stressless. The custom home builders here at Schar Construction have served the Willamette Valley for over 60 years, providing superior workmanship, attention to detail, and unmatched service.
Don’t settle. Call Schar Construction now at 541-229-6270 to schedule a consultation and start building your dream home today.
