Custom home- timeline after plaster

3 years ago

I am trying to avoid being an annoyance to our builder by pressuring him or our architect (they are the same company) to give me a specific project completion date so I am wondering if the professionals here or others who have built a custom home might be able to help me figure out when we might actually get to move in! Haha

We are in a Boston suburb. Our home is 3800 sqft above grade with 1200 sqft of finished basement (so about 5,000 total finished). Four bedroom, 4.5 baths, some built-ins in office and living area. We also will have landscaping for .3 acres, irrigation, patio, and driveway. How long after plastering might we expect the rest of the work to take? (meaning inside and outside finishes)

Thank you to anyone who makes time to weigh-in. A couple of months ago our builder told me mid-May but now that I am not expecting to see the plastering complete until mid-April, I have a hard time believing all the remaining work post-plastering can take place in a month’s time.

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Comments (16)

PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
It is their job to give you specific project completion date. Nobody here can give you accurate information, and any information offered up here could be considered dangerous.
Lisa Fiyod
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks Mark. Fair enough.
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cpartist
3 years ago
What does your contract say
Lisa Fiyod
Original Author
3 years ago
Contract says “the work will begin on or about issuance of a building permit and will be completed, absent unusual circumstances, on or about 8 months later.” Under “Delays” it states “contractor shall not be responsible for delays caused by events beyond the control of the contractor, including but not limited to: strikes, war, acts of God, riots, governmental regulations and restrictions.” We signed our contract on 2/29/2020, two weeks before the Covid crisis hit so obviously our timeline and what is in the contract is a little arbitrary considering the “act of God” everyone has dealt with this year! Our builders are great and have cranked whenever possible. We didn’t break ground until 9/10 so mid-May is right in-line with the 8 month contract timeline. This said, I’m just wondering if, based on the size of our home, that it is wishful think that all post-plaster finishes could happen in a month’s time! But like Mark said, as much as I don’t want to bug anyone, I should just press the team to give me a straight answer.
millworkman
3 years ago
"that it is wishful think that all post-plaster finishes could happen in a month’s time! "

Quite wishful unfortunately. You can ask them but.......................
Lisa Fiyod
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks. :) I will brace myself for the real answer I get when I ask. BTW- I have been reading Houzz discussions for a year (never posted my own question) and have received so many ideas and have had so many of my questions answered by the three of you who responded to my question today that I feel like I am communicating with my personal celebrities! A very surreal moment happening here. Haha
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
3 years ago
Usually I get, "Here comes the architect, somebody throw some gobs of drywall mud on the floor so he can step in it".
Lisa Fiyod
Original Author
3 years ago
LOL. Well, had I realized the traffic my lame question was going to get, I wouldn’t have thrown down drywall mud but I would have asked something more interesting.
PRO
JudyG Designs
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Ah, plasterers: ours started work on Thursday. Friday, we were off Cape and came to see the progress that was made that day. No work, not one tool left in the house. They got a better job on Nantucket and off they went.

The next house was a custom build, just about the size of yours, full finished walk-out basement. It took just about a year to get the occupancy permit. For the most part all went smoothly. A glitch here and there, but no one’s fault. Inspections can stall things and, of course, choosing items for a custom build, definitely slows things down.

A production build does go faster, for sure.

Landscaping happened after we moved in….we were waiting for Spring.

We are lower Cape.

Have you seen this article?

https://www.bostonmagazine.com/home-design/find/landscaping/
Lisa Fiyod
Original Author
3 years ago
@judyg designs your original plaster story sounds like a nightmare! I expect our landscaping may happen later which would be okay. I had not seen the Boston Magazine landscaping list- that is a handy resource to have so thank you for sharing.
PRO
Jeffrey R. Grenz, General Contractor
3 years ago
Interior plaster (east coast) vs drywall finish. This is the 1/2 way point in a construction schedule.

Ask the builder as long as all your decisions are completed, signed off and ordered, otherwise the builder's answer doesn't matter unless the home is delivered at plaster stage.

Sometimes I tell clients "60 days after ___ arrives"
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
3 years ago
I had a builder tell me he would be done with the a project by the end of May. Sure enough he finished on May 93rd.
Lisa Fiyod
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks! Yikes. Well, all of my decisions have been made and to my knowledge the vendors’ (lighting/cabinetry/appliances/plumbing/tile/etc) orders have been placed and are on schedule.

I will talk to my builders tomorrow and for the sake of any future readers with a similar question, I will update this discussion with my builder’s response. This all had helped me feel prepared for news I didn’t want to hear. Seems like a better bet for me will be mid-June vs. mid-April. (if all goes smoothly)
Lisa Fiyod
Original Author
3 years ago
*meant to say mid-June vs. mid-May
Lisa Fiyod
Original Author
3 years ago
Mark! I’m dying. LOL Better not be the case.
Lisa Fiyod
Original Author
3 years ago
Update: completion of our home is expected 60-67 days after plastering.

Custom home- timeline after plaster

Comments (16)

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Custom home- timeline after plaster

Comments (16)

Mark Bischak, Architect

Lisa FiyodOriginal Author

Related Discussions

cpartist

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Lisa Fiyod
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