Title: What’s a “normal” length for construction loans these days?
That’s wild about the city reviewing every tree—never would’ve thought of that as a holdup. I’m in month 10 and already seeing how unpredictable it gets, especially with permit stuff dragging on. Did your lender charge a ton for the extension, or was it pretty reasonable? I keep hearing horror stories about surprise fees and it’s making me double-check everything in my contract...
Yeah, the whole “tree review” thing caught me off guard too. Where I’m building, the city arborist actually came out twice—first to tag the trees, then again because they’d “misplaced” their original notes. That alone set us back almost a month.
On the loan side, my lender gave a six-month extension for what felt like a reasonable fee (about 0.25% of the loan amount), but I’ve heard of folks getting hit with much worse. Some banks treat extensions almost like a new loan, with fresh underwriting fees and all sorts of nonsense tacked on. It’s wild how much it varies.
One thing I wish I’d done: pushed harder for a longer initial term, even though everyone said “12 months is plenty.” Between permit delays and supply chain hiccups, it’s just not realistic anymore. If you’re still in the thick of it, double-check those extension clauses—some lenders are sneakier than others about hidden costs.
One thing I wish I’d done: pushed harder for a longer initial term, even though everyone said “12 months is plenty.”
I hear you. I was told the same thing—“12 months is industry standard”—but it’s just not matching up with reality these days. Between permit holdups and the city wanting extra reports (like your tree situation), my project’s already creeping past the original timeline. I’d be cautious with any lender who tries to gloss over extension fees. The “reasonable” ones are rare; most seem to tack on extra charges wherever they can. If I could do it over, I’d negotiate for at least 18 months upfront. Cheaper than paying for surprise extensions later.
Honestly, I’ve seen so many projects get tripped up by “unexpected” delays—weather, backorders, inspectors running late, you name it. Twelve months sounds good on paper, but in practice? It’s tight. I usually recommend building in a buffer, even if it feels overly cautious. One thing I’ve learned: if you’re planning anything custom or working with specialty finishes, those lead times can be wild. Better to have extra time than scramble at the end and pay for it, literally and creatively.
I’ve seen the same thing—those “little” hiccups can snowball fast. When we built our place, I thought 12 months was generous, but between a surprise permit issue and a backordered bathtub (who knew?), we went right up to the wire. I’d say if you can get a 15- or even 18-month loan, it’s worth it for peace of mind. Curious whether folks here have had luck negotiating extensions with their lenders?
