How long a custom home takes in Ontario
A typical schedule from the first meeting to handover, and what moves it.
Updated
Short answer
A typical custom home in the Greater Toronto Area takes 10.5 to 12.5 months from the first meeting to handover. The plans take 1 month, the building permit takes 2 more, and construction takes the remaining 7.5 to 9.5 months.
A minor variance, a conservation authority permit or a heritage approval adds time before the permit. Winter, the level of finish and the size of the house move the construction dates.
The schedule, month by month
Typical durations for a custom home in the Greater Toronto Area. The schedule for a particular house is set once the design and the approvals path are known.
Construction, stage by stage
| Stage | Typical duration | Municipal inspection |
|---|---|---|
| Demolition | 1 week | |
| Survey and layout | 1 to 2 days | |
| Excavation | 3 to 5 days | |
| Footings | 3 to 5 days | footings, before concrete is placed |
| Foundation and services | 1 to 2 weeks | |
| Floor deck and backfill | 1 week | foundation, before backfilling |
| Framing | 4 weeks | |
| Roof and basement slab | 1 to 2 weeks | |
| Windows and rough-ins | 2 weeks | framing and rough-ins |
| Exterior, insulation and drywall | 6 to 7 weeks | insulation and vapour barrier |
| Interiors and landscaping | 3 to 5 months | occupancy |
Typical durations. Stages overlap: windows and rough-ins start as soon as the house is closed in, and interiors run alongside exterior work.
What adds time before the permit
- Minor variance
- An application, a public hearing and a 20-day appeal period before the permit can rely on it.
- Conservation authority permit
- Where the lot is in or near a regulated valley, stream or wetland.
- Heritage approval
- Inside a heritage conservation district, before the building permit.
- Site plan approval
- Where the municipality applies site plan control to the lot.
- Tree permit
- Where a protected tree is to be removed or the work is close to one.
- Demolition
- A demolition permit, and the utility disconnections it depends on, before the old house comes down.
The building permit itself
- Review period
- Once an application for a house is complete, the Building Code gives the municipality 10 business days to issue the permit or refuse it with reasons.
- When the clock starts
- The day after the application is complete: forms, drawings, fees and every approval the permit depends on.
- After comments
- Once the examiner issues comments, the time frame no longer applies, so a complete and coordinated set of drawings is the quickest route.
What moves construction dates
Winter. When the air is at or below 5 °C, concrete has to be heated and protected and kept at 10 °C or warmer for at least 72 hours after it is placed. Excavation, foundations and framing continue through the winter with protection; stone setting, planting and asphalt wait for warmer weather.
Long-lead items. Windows, millwork, slab stone and some mechanical equipment are ordered weeks or months ahead, so they are chosen during design.
Changes. A change to structure or layout during construction can mean revised drawings and a revised permit before the work goes ahead.
Questions
How long does a building permit take for a house in Ontario?
The Building Code gives the municipality 10 business days to decide on a complete application for a house. Once the examiner issues comments, that time frame no longer applies, so a clean set of drawings is the quickest route.
Can a custom home be built through the winter?
Yes. Excavation, foundations and framing go ahead with heating and protection for the concrete. Some exterior finishes and landscaping are scheduled for warmer months.
What is the longest part of building a custom home?
Construction, at 7.5 to 9.5 months. The last stage, interiors and landscaping, takes 3 to 5 months of that on its own.
Sources
- City of Belleville, Check review periods (Ontario Building Code, Division C, Table 1.3.1.3)
- Norfolk County, Permit review process (time frames after review comments)
- Government of Ontario, Citizen’s guide to land use planning: building permits
- Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13, section 45 (minor variances and appeals)
- Ontario Building Code, Division B, 9.3.1.9 (cold weather requirements for concrete)
Checked against these sources on . This page is general information about building in Ontario. It is not legal advice, and the rules change, so confirm the current requirement for your project.
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