Plan on six to twelve months of construction for a typical Highline home, plus the work that happens before the first shovel. Here’s the whole path — the same five stages you’ll see inside your proposal and every estimate in the Highline Connector.
Stage 1: Initial consultation
We review your needs, goals and the timeline you have in mind. No cost, no commitment. You leave with a realistic range for your home on your lot.
Stage 2: Budget
Total build cost including land, what fits your comfort level, and your lender. We run your wish list through the estimator against homes we’ve completed so the budget is grounded before design starts.
Stage 3: Land selection
If you own land, we walk it. If you don’t, we search with you. Where you want to live, lot size, utilities, and what the lot will cost to make build-ready. This stage takes as long as it takes to find the right parcel — sometimes a week, sometimes a year.
Stage 4: Design and estimating
Floor plan finalized, selections made, and a fixed cost estimate issued line by line. Turnaround on the estimate is typically two to three weeks from our site visit and receipt of drawings, depending on how quickly subcontractor pricing comes back. Design itself depends on you: clients who decide quickly move through in weeks; clients who want to live with the plan take longer, and that’s fine.
Stage 5: Build
Six to twelve months, with our own framing and finish crews on site and a single point of contact. What pushes a build toward twelve months: a large or complex home, a difficult site, a winter start, and selection changes mid-build. What keeps it near six: a complete set of selections before we start, a straightforward plan, and a lot that’s ready.
What about permits and weather?
Township permitting in Kent County is usually measured in weeks, not months, and we handle it. Michigan winters don’t stop construction — foundations can be poured in cold weather with the right precautions and framing continues through snow — but a spring start is the smoothest path. More on the process is on our Grand Rapids custom homes page.
Thinking about building? Call 616-297-0151 or schedule a consultation. Bring your lot, your ideas, or both — the first conversation is free and you leave with a realistic range.