Building a House Checklist (New Construction)
Building a house from scratch is a 9-to-18-month project with hundreds of decisions and ten or more people who need to coordinate. The cleanest way to keep it under control is to break it into the six phases the bank, builder, and inspectors all recognize: planning, design, permits, build, finish, and close. The list below works for a custom build, a semi-custom build with a production builder, or a build-on-your-lot contract.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I customize this building a house checklist (new construction)?
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About this checklist
Type
Checklist
Items
75
Category
Moving & Housing
Reviewed
May 2026
This checklist is a starting template, compiled from publicly available best-practice sources and reviewed regularly by our editors. Treat the items as a guide and adapt them to your situation. You can edit, add, remove, or reorder anything when you open the list in our builder.