Stages of Building a New House - From Start to Finish

The decision to build a new home is a big one, not just financially, but also in terms of where and how you and your family will live for the years (or decades) to come. Still, many potential homeowners who choose to build instead of buy often overlook the distinct stages of building a house.

Understanding what the stages of building a house are is an important part of knowing what to expect as a future homeowner — it gives you the ability to plan ahead and not be caught unaware when unexpected setbacks occur.

So, here’s everything you need to know about the five stages of building a house.

Stage 1 - Site Preparation Stage

The initial stage of building a house includes the land being prepared for construction. Any vegetation or existing structures in the area are cleared, and geotechnical testing for the land will be conducted, which will inform builders of the soil condition and the readiness of the land for construction work.

Depending on the state of the land, excavation and site remediation work may or may not be necessary to prepare it for foundational work — issues like severely sloping sites, unsuitable or difficult soils will require different levels of set up work before any building can begin.

Following the clearing stage, builders will be ready to begin construction, in fact, you may see some evidence of the building team beginning to set up staging sites alongside the necessary equipment and materials.

Stage 2 - Framing

The framing stage is where the bones of the house will be set up — the interior and exterior frames of the home will be put into place, along with the pipes, conduit, and cables that will eventually run all through it. Visually, the house will still look very barebones, but some of the general layout will begin to take shape.

The biggest roadblock that usually results in delays at this stage is unfavourable weather. Because the structure does not have a roof at this stage of the home build, any wet weather can put a stop to work due to safety issues. As an uncontrollable factor, the weather is by far the most frustrating cause of construction delays for new home builds.

Once the wall frames are complete, the priority for builders will be to add the roof frames and clad it up. Having clad roof frames in place offers a reliable layer of protection against bad weather, allowing construction to continue and can now push on regardless of the weather.

Stage 3 – Lock Up 

With the roof and walls in place, other openings will be next on the list, such as the doors and windows. Most of the construction work will be aimed at closing up the house so as to protect the interior from the weather and the elements. Plastering of the walls can commence as soon as plumbing and electrical work has been completed. 

This brings us to the lock up stage, where the house has been made weatherproof, the ceilings are placed in, and the walls have been successfully plastered. At this stage, the main structural integrity of the house has been established, and the property will be secured with locks. The best part about this step is that your home will look almost complete! 

Stage 4 – Interior Fixing

With most of the exterior in place, the interior fixing stage will involve all of the internal work for filling out the functional parts of the home — kitchen and bathroom taps and fixtures, lighting, and so on.

The design of your home will be put into place piece by piece, with waterproofing, tiling, shelves, wardrobes, skirting, being installed during this stage. 

Stage 5. Final Build  

All that’s left in the final stage of the home build is the finishing touches. This may include any remaining interior painting, or the installation of carpets or flooring.  Most of the work at this stage will be decorative in nature, and you’ll be able to see a functional, liveable home.

This stage is also when appliances such as ovens, hot water systems and air conditioners will be installed, along with power points and light switches.

Build Your Carins Home With Cougar Homes

If you’re planning to build your future home in Cairns or North Queensland, Cougar Homes are the the leading construction and residential home builders. View our stunning range of home designs or get in touch with our friendly team to find out how we can make the home of your dreams a reality.