WHAT’S A “NORMAL” LENGTH FOR CONSTRUCTION LOANS THESE DAYS?
Totally agree that there’s no one-size-fits-all answer anymore. I’ve seen 12-month terms thrown around, but honestly, that feels like wishful thinking for anything even slightly custom. The pre-ordering tip is spot on—last project I worked on, we locked in tile and lighting months ahead and still had to shuffle things around when a shipment got delayed. Banks seem more open if you can show you’ve got your act together, but yeah, the paperwork grind is real. I do wish lenders would get a bit more creative with their timelines, especially given how unpredictable lead times are now.
WHAT’S A “NORMAL” LENGTH FOR CONSTRUCTION LOANS THESE DAYS?
Totally get what you mean about 12 months feeling optimistic. Had a client last year who wanted a pretty unique floor plan, and despite us planning like crazy, we ended up needing a 16-month loan. Windows were the big culprit—ordered way ahead, still took forever. It’s wild how much juggling there is now. I’m with you on lenders needing to loosen up a bit; the old timelines just don’t fit reality anymore.
“12 months feeling optimistic”
Honestly, I thought 12 months was the standard too, but now that I’m in the thick of it, that seems pretty unrealistic. We’re at month 10 and still don’t have drywall up—windows were a nightmare for us as well. It’s wild how much is out of your control. I get why lenders want to keep things tight, but it just doesn’t match up with what’s actually happening on the ground. Hang in there... you’re definitely not alone.
Title: What’s a “Normal” Length for Construction Loans These Days?
I hear you, but honestly, I think 12 months is still doable if you’ve got a really solid builder and everything lines up. We wrapped ours in just under a year, though there were a few close calls with material delays. Maybe we just got lucky with timing, but it’s not impossible. Just feels like you need a backup plan for when stuff inevitably goes sideways...
I get where you’re coming from—12 months can work if everything’s lined up perfectly, but that’s a big “if” these days. I’ve seen projects where just one delayed tile shipment or a backordered fixture can throw the whole schedule off by weeks. Even with a great builder, there are so many moving parts, especially if you’re doing any custom finishes or specialty work.
Curious if anyone’s had lenders push back on extensions? I’ve noticed some banks are getting stricter about sticking to the original timeline, which adds another layer of stress. It makes me wonder if folks are padding their schedules more now, or just hoping for the best and dealing with change orders as they come.
Also, how much does the design phase eat into your loan period? Sometimes it feels like the actual construction is only half the battle...
