Which Stage Takes the Most Time While Building a Single-Family Home?

According to the latest NAHB/Well Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) survey results, interior finishes (drywall, interior doors, painting, cabinets, countertops, plumbing fixtures, flooring, etc.) take an average of 6.4 weeks to complete, longer than any other major stage of single-family construction.

The October 2026 HMI survey asked builders how long it takes to complete each of the seven major stages of construction traditionally used in NAHB’s construction cost surveys. The survey covers the steps a builder typically takes after purchasing a finished lot in the leading case of a single-family detached home built for sale.

After interior finishes, framing and major systems rough-ins (HVAC and plumbing/electrical other than fixtures) take 3.7 weeks each. Final steps (landscaping, outdoor structures and clean-up) require 3.6 weeks, and exterior finishes (siding, roofing, windows & doors) require 3.4 weeks. The earliest stages of the construction process, site work and foundations, require a little over two weeks, the least of the categories.

How Long Do Single-Family Homes Take to Build, Start to Finish?

In total, the survey shows it takes 25.3 weeks (about 5.8 months) to build the average single-family detached home, which is close to the average completion time of 6.1 months reported by the Census Bureau. The Census estimates show that custom homes (e.g., contractor-built homes built one at a time on the home owner’s lot, and owner-built homes where the owner functions as the general contractor) take significantly more time to complete. Moreover, these numbers are averages, and it’s important to note the time it takes to build a home varies based on geography and characteristics of the home and its builder.

The Census Bureau’s time-to-completion estimate is based on a considerably larger and more intricately stratified sample than the one from NAHB. Hence, the Census estimate is the one you would use if you’re interested simply in total construction time for a single-family home. NAHB’s 25.3-week estimate, however, has the advantage of breaking down the time by stage of construction. The extra detail may be useful to a builder who wants to educate customers, decide when to purchase building materials, schedule inspections or manage subcontractors.

For more analysis on this topic, read this Eye on Housing post.