Design: 2 to 4 months
Design runs from the first concept to a full set of construction drawings. It moves fastest when the brief is clear and decisions come quickly, and slowest when the design is still searching for its shape.
Pricing the design at each phase, rather than waiting for finished drawings, keeps it from growing past the budget and avoids a costly redesign later.
Engineering and permits: 2 to 6 months
Structural engineering, energy calculations and, on many lots, flood and coastal reviews come next. Then the city or county reviews the plans before issuing a permit.
Permit times vary widely by jurisdiction and season. Waterfront and flood-zone lots usually take longer, and a complete, well-coordinated submission is the best way to avoid rounds of comments.
Construction: 12 to 18 months
From foundation to final inspection, most custom homes here take a year to a year and a half, depending on size, complexity and how much of the house is truly custom.
Elevated foundations, complex roofs and long-lead items like impact windows, custom millwork and imported stone all add time. Ordering those early keeps them off the critical path.
What speeds it up
Decisions made on time, a design priced as it develops, long-lead items ordered early, and a builder who keeps a limited number of projects so the schedule gets real attention.
What slows it down
Late changes, especially after framing. Selections that wait until the trades are ready for them. Incomplete permit sets. And, in Florida, the weather: summer storms and hurricane season need to be planned for, not hoped through.
The short version
Plan on roughly 18 months to two and a half years from the first conversation to moving in. Starting early, and making decisions on schedule, is the most reliable way to land at the shorter end.
Planning a home for 2028? Now is the right time to start the conversation.