How long does it take to build a Stranville Living home in Lethbridge? The answer to this question may affect if and when you decide to purchase a new construction home. 

Building a custom home or a semi-custom home based on one of our expertly designed home models can take one to two years from consultation to move-in day. However, Stranville Living also offers a wide variety of Quick Possession homes, also built from our home models, many of which are either move-in ready or close to it. This popular option allows you to have a brand-new home without the wait time. 

Should you choose a custom home or a semi-custom home?  Or should you choose a Quick Possession home that is ready to move into tomorrow?  This is an exciting crossroads—one that empowers you to shape your future in meaningful ways.  

Timeline for a Custom Home Build 

Total timeline: 12 – 24 months 

For the full experience with virtually no limits, building a custom home with Stranville Living Master Builder is an invitation to dream big, offering the chance to collaborate with designers to craft every detail, from the layout and finishes to the smallest fixtures, ensuring your living space is a true reflection of your personality, values, and aspirations. Let’s break down the typical timeline. 

Discovery and Consultation 

Custom home:  4-6 weeks 

For custom homes, every stage—such as design development, permitting, and material selection—takes longer because the plans are unique and tailored to the homeowner’s specific preferences. Stranville Living’s in-house draftsperson and our team of creative interior designers work closely with you, to refine layouts, select finishes, and incorporate special features, often involving multiple rounds of revisions and approvals. This collaborative process, while rewarding, naturally extends the timeline, especially if you want to explore various options or make changes along the way. 

Pre-Construction

Custom: 8-12 weeks 

The pre-construction stage creates a significant difference in the time needed between custom and semi-custom homes. The time needed for a custom home in this stage is driven by the level of personalization, complexity, and the number of steps involved in preparing a truly unique home versus a standardized one.  Homeowners are involved in decisions about floor plans, layout, exterior style, finishes, and features. Multiple rounds of design revisions and approvals are common. Unique or complex designs often require longer review times from local authorities, as plans may need additional scrutiny or modifications to meet zoning and building codes.

Construction

Custom: 10-18 months 

Once again, the difference is in the details.  The custom home is tailored to the homeowner’s vision. This means more time spent on specialized design, sourcing unique materials, and integrating custom features such as specialized cabinetry, unique architectural elements, or smart home systems. 

Timeline for a Semi-Custom Home Build 

Total timeline: 5 – 9 months 

On the other side, choosing one of Stranville Living’s semi-custom homes offers a popular blend of customization and efficiency. You choose your Lethbridge community, lot, and one of our pre-existing home models. From there, the home model is customized with all your preferred finishes. 

Discovery and Consultation 

Semi-Custom:  2-4 weeks 

Our semi-custom homes follow the same base home models designs as our Quick Possession homes. However, when you choose to build semi-custom instead of buying a Quick Possession home, you get to make all the design decisions! Decisions such as selecting finishes or fixtures are limited to a set of pre-chosen options, minimizing delays and streamlining construction, but these are still entirely your choices to make. You are also able to make minor changes to the floorplan or add in features. It’s not custom, but it certainly is customized. We have built the base home model many times before, so we are able to move quickly from one stage to the next even with your customizations.  In a Quick Possession home, this timeline is redundant since all the work has already been done and it is ready for you to move in. 

Pre-Construction 

Semi-custom: 3-6 weeks 

At this stage, a semi-custom home uses pre-approved floor plans and elevations that require minimal, if any, modification. This streamlines both the design and permitting process. Finish choices are typically limited to a selection package, allowing buyers to make decisions quickly from a curated list. Standard plans are familiar to local authorities, so permits are often processed more quickly. With repeated builds on similar lots, site preparation is routine and usually free from surprises. 

However, if you decide on a Quick Possession home, all of this time has been spent before you go shopping for a new house.  The Stranville Living Master Builder team has already put careful thought into all design decisions. Those homes are ready and waiting for you to discover them.

Construction 

Semi-Custom: 4-8 months 

Our semi-custom homes are built from a set of proven and well-established plans. Stranville Living Master Builder is highly familiar with the process, and most design decisions are pre-set, greatly reducing complexity and the potential for delays.  

Timeline For a Quick Possession Home Build 

Our Quick Possession homes are intended to give homeowners a chance to experience a brand new home but without the construction timeline. Browse our Quick Possession homes in Lethbridge, Coaldale, Crowsnest Pass, and Sparwood. The time spent planning and building these homes has already been completed by Stranville Living Master Builder. These stunning homes are ready and waiting for you. The only timeline depends on your lending, contract, and any conditions. 

Which Building Timeline Is Right For You? 

When all factors are considered on the construction side, custom home construction takes longer because it is a highly personalized, complex process with more opportunities for change, unique challenges, and greater coordination requirements. This is the right decision if you want your home to be a truly one-of-a kind home and are willing to spend the time, knowing that it is time well spent. 

If that seems like this will take too long, then a semi-custom home is the home for you since it leverages repeatable processes, established supply chains, and limited choices to help keep timelines short and predictable.  

But, if you are ready for the next chapter of your life to begin tomorrow, then all that is needed is financing and you can move into a Quick Possession home as soon as the ink dries.  

The best decision you can make is to have Stranville Living Master Builder build your new home.  You get to decide if you want a custom home, a semi-custom home, or one of our Quick Possession homes.  Visit our Lethbridge Design Centre and Showroom today to talk to one of our professional team members. Tell them what you want and need, and they will do their very best to make it happen!