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Construction begins
Follow the build in the order it actually happens.
Permits are issued and your home is being built.
What matters right now
Your job now is documentation and timing — know which milestone is next and be ready before walls close.
Three things to focus on
Three questions to ask
- “What is the next milestone, and when should I expect it?”
- “Who do I contact when I see something on site, and how should I send it?”
- “When will the home be at pre-drywall so my inspector can be scheduled?”
Three things to check
- Framing looks square and plumb, with no obvious damaged or replaced members left unaddressed.
- The site is protected from water: sheathing taped, openings covered, drainage away from the foundation.
- Your selections match what is being installed, room by room.
One common mistake
Skipping the pre-drywall walkthroughOnce drywall closes, problems behind it get expensive to reach.Recommended next step
Mark where the home is and see what to verify at each milestone.
Track your build on the timelineFinished with this stage?
Ask New Construction Intelligence™
What are you deciding right now?
Guided by NCI content — stages, checklists, mistakes, and decision paths. Educational guidance, not inspection, legal, engineering, or lending advice.
Test Drive covers three decisions today. More paths are being authored stage by stage.
Checklist
Construction-start questions
Get the schedule, the inspection policy, and your single point of contact in writing before framing.
Schedule and access
Quality and inspections
5 items left before you can mark this reviewed.
Decisions that matter now
Decide now whether you will hire your own inspector
Independent inspections must be scheduled before drywall, not after.
Read the full explanation
Mistakes to avoid
- Waiting for updates instead of asking for the schedule
- Assuming municipal inspections cover quality
Million Dollar Mistakes™ here
All mistakesSigning without your own inspection rights
If the contract does not allow your inspector, the answer later is no.
Cost if ignored · $5k–$40k in defects found after closing
Spending the option budget on finishes first
Finishes can be replaced later. The envelope cannot.
Cost if ignored · $1,200–$2,400 a year in comfort and utility cost
Skipping the pre-drywall walkthrough
It is the last day you can see how your house was actually built.
Cost if ignored · $3k–$25k in hidden defects
Letting the HVAC be sized by rule of thumb
Bigger equipment is not better comfort — it is short cycles and sticky air.
Cost if ignored · $600–$1,500 a year, plus early equipment wear
Where the build is
- Before the buildPermitsPlans and selections are locked, then submitted for approval.2–10 weeks
- StructureFoundationGrading, forms, plumbing under-slab, and the pour.1–3 weeks
- StructureFramingWalls, floors, and the roof structure are built.2–5 weeks
- StructureRoofSheathing, underlayment, flashing, and roofing are installed.1–2 weeks
- In the wallsMechanicalHVAC ducts, wiring, and plumbing runs are installed in open walls.2–4 weeks
- In the wallsInsulationAir sealing and insulation are installed in every cavity, then verified before drywall covers them. This is the last moment the envelope is visible, and the single largest permanent influence on comfort and utility cost.3–7 days
- FinishesDrywallBoard is hung, taped, and finished. The walls are now closed.2–3 weeks
- FinishesTrimDoors, trim, cabinets, counters, flooring, and fixtures are installed.3–6 weeks
Learn for this stage
Air sealing
Sealing the holes in your home's envelope does more for comfort than adding insulation on top of leaks.
- IMPImportance: 5 of 5
- DIFConsumer difficulty: 4 of 5
- COSTCost impact: 3 of 5
- COMFComfort impact: 5 of 5
- INSPInspection priority: 5 of 5
HVAC sizing
An oversized system short-cycles, leaves humidity behind, and feels worse than a correctly sized one.
- IMPImportance: 4 of 5
- DIFConsumer difficulty: 5 of 5
- COSTCost impact: 3 of 5
- COMFComfort impact: 5 of 5
- INSPInspection priority: 3 of 5
Site drainage & grading
Where water goes on your lot decides whether the foundation and yard stay sound.
- IMPImportance: 4 of 5
- DIFConsumer difficulty: 3 of 5
- COSTCost impact: 4 of 5
- COMFComfort impact: 2 of 5
- INSPInspection priority: 4 of 5
What’s next
The pre-drywall walkthrough, your one look inside the walls.
Continue to Pre-drywall