In the South region, which includes Texas, a builder’s new single-family home took an average of 5.5 months from groundbreaking to completion in 2025, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Add about 1.6 months on average from building permit to start, plus your design selections and closing, and most San Antonio buyers who build from scratch should plan on roughly 7 to 9 months from contract to keys. Custom homes on your own land take longer. Here’s what drives the timeline and how to plan around it.
Brock Bremmer | U.S. Air Force Reserves Veteran | Real Estate Agent | eXp Realty | San Antonio Metro Area
New Construction Specialist
Also see: Quick Move-In vs. Build | New Construction Inspections | Builder Lenders
What Does the Data Say About Build Times in Texas?
The Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction tracks how long homes take to build. “Start” means excavation begins for the footings or foundation, and “completed” means the finished flooring is installed. Here are the 2025 averages for the South region:
| Type of home (South, 2025) | Permit to start | Start to completion |
| Built for sale (production builders like those in most San Antonio communities) | 1.6 months | 5.5 months |
| Contractor-built (custom home on the owner’s land) | 1.5 months | 9.0 months |
| Owner-built (owner acts as general contractor) | 1.6 months | 10.8 months |
For comparison, built-for-sale homes nationally averaged 6.1 months from start to completion in 2025, and the South average has dropped from 6.8 months in 2023. The spread matters too. Of built-for-sale homes completed in the South in 2025, about 25% took 3 months or less, 51% took 4 to 6 months, 15% took 7 to 9 months, and about 8% took 10 months or longer.
These are regional averages, not a promise from any San Antonio builder. Your timeline depends on the builder, the plan, the lot, and the weather.
What Are the Stages of Building a New Home?
- Contract and lot selection. You pick a plan and lot and sign the builder’s contract.
- Design selections. You choose finishes at the builder’s design center. TREC’s Incomplete Construction contract (TREC No. 23-20) has a blank for how many days you have to make selections after the builder’s notice, and builder contracts often set their own deadlines.
- Plans and permits. The builder finalizes the plans and pulls the permit. Census puts the average from permit to start at about 1.6 months for built-for-sale homes in the South.
- Foundation. Site work, plumbing rough-in, and the slab.
- Framing and rough-ins. Walls, roof, windows, and rough plumbing, electrical, and HVAC. This is when a pre-drywall inspection should happen, before the walls close.
- Drywall and finishes. Insulation, drywall, cabinets, counters, flooring, and paint.
- Final inspections and walkthrough. City or county final, your own inspector’s final, and the builder’s orientation. I cover the last walkthrough in Blue Tape Walk Explained.
- Closing. The lender, title company, and builder finish their paperwork and you get keys.
Note that Census counts a home as “completed” once flooring is in, so final inspections, punch-list fixes, and closing can add more time after that.
What Usually Delays a New Build in San Antonio?
- Weather. Heavy rain can stop slab and site work.
- Materials and labor. Backordered items or a short supply of trades can stall a stage.
- Change orders. Late changes can mean new pricing, new approvals, and a later date.
- Inspections and utilities. Failed inspections or waiting on utility connections can push the final date.
- Lot and community issues. A new section may still be waiting on streets or utilities before homes can start.
Read how the contract handles delays. TREC’s Incomplete Construction form adds delays from acts of God, fire, strikes, and unavailable materials to the time allowed for completion, but says completion can’t extend past the closing date. Builder contracts often handle this differently, so read their completion and delay section closely, or have me walk through it with you.
How Long Does a Quick Move-In Home Take?
A quick move-in is a home the builder has already started. If it’s finished, closing can be as fast as your lender and title company can work. If it’s still under construction, the builder will usually give an estimated completion date. In Sunflower Ridge in New Braunfels, for example, Coventry Homes and Highland Homes were listing quick move-ins in late October 2026 with estimated completions from December 2026 to March 2027. My Sunflower Ridge buyer’s guide has the details.
If you want a home sooner, or you need to lock a rate for a shorter window, a quick move-in can make sense. If you want to pick your lot and finishes, building gives you that control in exchange for time. I compare both in Inventory vs To-Be-Built Homes in San Antonio.
How Should You Plan Around a Build Timeline?
- Get the builder’s estimate in writing and ask how often they update it.
- Plan your lease or home sale with a cushion. If you’re selling, here’s how to buy a new build before you sell.
- Ask your lender about rate locks for longer builds, including extension costs and whether the builder’s lender offers a longer lock.
- VA buyers should check appraisal timing. A VA Notice of Value has a validity period, so long builds take planning. My post on buying a new build before your PCS covers it.
- Schedule your inspections early so pre-drywall and final aren’t rushed.
- Budget for the year-two tax bill. Here’s why payments often go up after a new build.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to build a house in Texas?
Census data shows built-for-sale homes in the South, which includes Texas, averaged 5.5 months from start to completion in 2025, plus about 1.6 months from permit to start. Custom homes on the owner’s land averaged 9.0 months from start to completion.
Can a builder push back my closing date in Texas?
It depends on the contract. TREC’s Incomplete Construction form extends completion for delays like weather or unavailable materials, but not past the closing date. Many builders use their own contracts with different delay terms, so read that section before you sign.
Ready to Build in San Antonio?
Brock Bremmer with eXp Realty is a U.S. Air Force Reserves veteran who has helped buyers and sellers close 120+ homes across the San Antonio metro. He helps buyers compare builders, timelines, and quick move-ins and review builder contracts in San Antonio, New Braunfels, and Boerne.
- 📞 Call or text: 210-501-5088
- 📧 Email: [email protected]
- 📅 Schedule a free consultation
Also see: New Construction Warranties in Texas | VA Loans on New Construction | Ladera Buyer’s Guide
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, New Residential Construction, Length of Time (average months from authorization to start and start to completion, 2025); U.S. Census Bureau, units completed by months from start, 2025; U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Construction definitions; TREC New Home Contract (Incomplete Construction), TREC No. 23-20; Coventry Homes, Sunflower Ridge; Highland Homes, Sunflower Ridge.