Curious if anyone’s builder factored in extra time for green certifications or energy audits?
That’s a good point—honestly, I’ve seen a lot of folks underestimate how long those certifications can tack on. Some builders I’ve worked with will pad the schedule a bit, but it’s not always enough, especially if you’re dealing with third-party inspectors who are booked out. Out of curiosity, did your lender actually require proof of certification before closing, or just documentation that you were pursuing it? That seems to vary a lot depending on the bank and the region.
Title: What’s a “Normal” Length for Construction Loans These Days?
In my experience, lenders usually just want to see you’re in the process of getting the green cert, not that you’ve finished it. But it really depends—one bank I dealt with wouldn’t close until the final paperwork was in, which pushed everything back by weeks. Honestly, if your builder isn’t used to these certifications, things can drag out. It’s wild how something as simple as scheduling an energy audit can throw off the whole timeline... Murphy’s law, right?
Totally get what you mean about the green certs dragging things out. I’ve had projects where just waiting for the blower door test added a full month, because the inspector had to reschedule twice. Sometimes I wonder if lenders really grasp how unpredictable these steps are. It’s funny—on one job, the loan officer was more worried about the landscaping being installed than the actual certs. The timelines just never seem to match up the way you plan...
Honestly, I’ve never understood why lenders obsess over the “pretty” stuff like landscaping when the certs are what actually hold up closing. I’ve had a project where the sod went in before we even passed final inspection. Priorities seem totally upside down sometimes...
It’s wild, right? I’ve had lenders chase me down for a photo of fresh mulch before they’d release funds, meanwhile the electrical final was still pending. I get curb appeal matters, but you can’t live in a flower bed… priorities get weird sometimes.