Wondering how to build a custom home without the typical stress and budget overruns? It starts with understanding what happens before construction even begins.
Most people think building a custom home starts when the excavator shows up.
It doesn’t.
The real success of your build is decided months earlier, long before construction begins.
Not the fun stuff like tile or lighting.
The foundational decisions:
This guide walks you through the full home construction process, from the first budget conversation to the day you move in. We’ll cover house construction step by step, so you know exactly what happens at each phase and how to prepare.
Understanding the process of building a house from start to finish helps you avoid common pitfalls and make informed decisions at every stage.
Along the way, you’ll see how McMahon Custom Homes helps keep the process clear, coordinated, and as stress-free as a custom build can realistically be.
Before getting into the steps, it helps to understand where frustration usually starts:
A great build is part craftsmanship and part choreography. Your first real wins happen long before framing day.
So, what are the steps to building a house? Here’s the complete roadmap.
(Before You Design Anything)
Before falling in love with a floor plan or inspirational photos, start with a simple project brief:
Then comes financing. Ideally, this means a construction loan pre-approval so every design decision stays grounded in reality and doesn’t lead to budget surprises later.
Most stress later in the build is just delayed budgeting.
When financial clarity comes after design, you end up redesigning your dream back down to something buildable. That costs time, money, and momentum.
McMahon streamlines the custom home building process by partnering with trusted lenders across Richmond and Central Virginia to help structure the right financing early.
During the Pre-Construction Planning phase (typically 3 to 4 months), we align your goals with a realistic budget range and build in contingency so you start the project with clarity instead of guesswork.
A quick reality check: the easiest time to control costs is before design is locked. Once drawings are finalized, every change slows things down and adds expense.
(And Confirm It Can Actually Support Your Home)
A great lot isn’t just where it sits. It’s what it can support.
Before committing, you’ll want clarity on:
In many cases, this means ordering a topographic survey and soil evaluation early in the process.
Two lots can cost the same and produce wildly different build budgets.
Rock, steep grades, drainage requirements, long utility runs, or stormwater management can quietly add tens of thousands to a build if discovered late.
With over 15 years of experience building throughout Richmond and surrounding Central Virginia, McMahon helps clients evaluate lots, coordinate surveys, and identify potential red flags early, before they become expensive surprises.
It’s worth remembering: the lot price is only part of the cost. What the land requires is what shapes your real investment.
(Where Timelines Are Won or Lost)
Design typically moves through three stages:
This stage sets the foundation for a smooth house construction process once approvals are secured. Then comes permitting. In the Richmond region and surrounding counties, this commonly involves:
This is where projects either feel coordinated or chaotic.
When design, budgeting, and permitting are handled by disconnected parties, problems stack up fast:
McMahon is a full-service design-build firm, meaning design, permitting, and construction operate as one coordinated system.
We manage drawings, submissions, and local approvals across the Richmond and Central Virginia region, reducing handoffs and minimizing delays caused by misalignment.
Many permitting delays are avoidable. They usually come from incomplete or inconsistent submissions, not just city backlog.
(steps to building a home: The Physical Build Begins)
Once permits are approved, the physical build begins:
The foundation determines structural integrity, water management, and long-term durability. Mistakes here are costly and difficult to correct later.
McMahon manages excavation, concrete work, sequencing, and inspections, coordinating directly with local inspectors to keep the project moving.
Weather and soil conditions often create the first meaningful schedule shifts. Good planning minimizes their impact.
(When the House Becomes Real)
This is where the structure rises:
Once framing is complete, your home finally has scale, volume, and presence. It’s also when early design decisions become visible and harder to change.
McMahon provides consistent updates and organized specs so clients stay informed without needing to micromanage the build.
A practical note: constant on-site changes during framing are one of the fastest ways to create frustration. The smoothest builds come from strong alignment before construction begins.
(Where Comfort Is Built)
Behind the walls is where real livability takes shape:
This is where rooms stay comfortable, systems operate quietly, lighting feels intentional, and the home functions intuitively.
Poor coordination here leads to awkward layouts, noise issues, or accessibility problems that show up later.
McMahon’s project management coordinates all trades to reduce rework and push for first-pass inspection success, keeping momentum high and frustration low.
A beautiful home that doesn’t function well becomes frustrating fast. This phase determines how your home feels long after the excitement fades.
(Where Decision Fatigue Hits)
This is the most visually rewarding and mentally demanding phase:
Not because any one choice is difficult, but because so many are stacked into a short window.
You’re not just choosing finishes. You’re building a system of decisions that must work together.
McMahon guides selections with structure, helping clients create a cohesive result instead of a collection of isolated choices.
Our attention to detail shows in transitions, proportions, and craftsmanship that holds up over time.
Good design isn’t about “good taste.” It’s about alignment and restraint.
As the home nears completion, you’ll move through:
The last 5% of a build often consumes 50% of the emotional energy because details matter and anticipation is high.
A builder’s closeout process tells you everything about how they’ll support you after move-in.
McMahon conducts a thorough New Home Orientation, walks you through every system, completes punch-list items, and provides a one-year warranty for peace of mind after move-in.
| Permit | What’s typically required | Notes |
| Residential Building Permit | Full construction drawings | Required before construction |
| Zoning Clearance | Confirms setbacks and land use | Often concurrent |
| Stormwater Management | Drainage plans (when applicable) | More common on larger or sensitive lots |
| Certificate of Occupancy | Final inspections passed | Required to occupy the home |
Processing times vary by jurisdiction across Richmond and surrounding counties.
How long does a custom build take?
The complete house construction process typically takes 12 to 16 months from early planning to move-in, though timelines vary by complexity, weather, and permitting. McMahon’s Pre-Construction phase (3 to 4 months) plus construction reflects this range.
Who is involved in the home-building process?
Lenders, designers, engineers, surveyors, trades, inspectors, and a builder to coordinate them. McMahon manages these moving parts so clients aren’t acting as project managers.
What approvals are required before construction?
Typically a Residential Building Permit and Zoning Clearance, plus stormwater approvals when applicable.
What are the key steps to building house from start to finish?
The process includes eight major phases: securing financing and clarifying vision, finding suitable land, design and permitting, site preparation and foundation, framing and exterior envelope, rough-in systems, interior finishes, and final walkthrough with certificate of occupancy.
Building a custom home is personal. It’s also complex.
McMahon Custom Homes is known for:
Whether you’re building in Richmond, Goochland, Powhatan, Louisa, Henrico, or Chesterfield County, McMahon is ready to turn your vision into a home that lasts.
The best next step is a pre-construction conversation so you can clarify your budget, evaluate land, and map out a plan that makes the process feel exciting.
Contact McMahon Custom Homes today to start planning your build.
