The time between finalizing construction plans and breaking ground looks like a lull, but it is the busiest stretch of the whole project. Permits need to be obtained, materials need to be ordered, and subcontractors need to be scheduled. How much of that work falls on you depends on the relationship you have built with your builder or general contractor. The structural timber engineering behind sawn lumber, glulam, and heavy timber construction shapes many of these decisions, because fabrication lead times and engineering reviews sit on the critical path from day one. Working through the checklist below before the sawdust flies keeps surprises on paper instead of on the job site.
Permits and Approvals: Who Does What
You will need a building permit plus mechanical, plumbing, and electrical approvals, and often septic or driveway permits as well. The choice between log home versus timber frame construction changes which engineering documents the permit office wants, so settle the structural system before you file anything. General contractors handle permits in different ways: some file in their own name, some in yours, and some hand you the forms and the fee schedule.
Who Should Pull the Permits
It is usually more efficient to let the GC manage the process. The builder knows the construction schedule, knows how inspectors work in the local jurisdiction, and carries the responsibility for delivering a house that meets applicable building codes. Putting the permit process in the same hands as the work it governs keeps the paperwork and the schedule on the same clock.
| Permit type | What it covers | Typical lead time | Who usually files |
|---|---|---|---|
| Building | Structure, egress, occupancy | 4-12 weeks | GC or owner |
| Electrical | Wiring, panels, service | 2-6 weeks | Licensed electrician |
| Plumbing | Supply, drain, fixtures | 2-6 weeks | Licensed plumber |
| Mechanical | HVAC, venting, ductwork | 2-6 weeks | HVAC contractor |
| Septic | Soil test, system design | 6-16 weeks | Engineer and health dept |
Paperwork That Gets Overlooked
Conditional permits, tree removal, driveway curb cuts, and temporary utility connections often slip past first-time builders. Ask the jurisdiction for a written list of every application your site needs, and confirm which ones the GC files versus the ones you sign. A missing driveway permit can stop construction for weeks even when the building permit is approved.
Questions to Ask Your GC About Permits
Ask who holds the permit, who pays the fees, and who schedules the inspections. Confirm whether the GC carries the liability for code violations or whether the permit office comes back to you. Write the answers into the contract so the arrangement survives staff changes on either side.
Surveys, Site Plans, and Overlooked Paperwork
Depending on your contract terms, you or your builder must furnish a site plan prepared by a surveyor. Take charge of this process where you can, because most of it happens long before construction starts. Some owners build a log home and timber home on one property, and a proper site plan is what makes a two-structure property legal, accessible, and buildable in the first place.
What a Survey Package Should Include
- Boundary location and marking, including corner monuments.
- Road location and access easements.
- Site plan showing the house footprint, setbacks, and utilities.
- Staking for the house, septic, and well areas.
- Foundation-wall check during construction.
- Final-location survey for the lender and the county.
Getting One Package Price
Ask a single surveyor for a package price that bundles every step above. Permit authorities and your lender require all or most of these services, and one negotiated package costs less than five separate call-outs. Get the recommendation from your builder, who already knows which surveyors produce clean drawings the county accepts on the first pass.
Timing the Survey Work
Order the boundary survey and site plan before you finalize the house location, because the setbacks and easements on the drawing can force the footprint to move. Staking for the house happens after grading begins, and the foundation-wall check happens the day the forms are stripped. Each step has a window; missing it means paying for a second visit.
Materials, Lead Times, and On-Site Storage
General contractors typically have several suppliers they work with regularly and a good sense of the lead time each one needs. If you are coordinating from a distance, learning how to design and build a home in another state changes how you handle inspections, deliveries, and local supplier relationships, because every shipment has to fit someone else’s calendar.
Why Ordering Too Early Backfires
Storage space on a job site is scarce, so most builders cannot stockpile materials that will sit for months. Suppliers invoice on delivery, and paying for materials that cannot be billed to the client yet is a cost nobody wants to carry. The right timing is order early enough to hold the delivery slot, deliver late enough that the material moves straight into the build.
| Material | Typical lead time | Order trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Timber package | 8-20 weeks | After final plans approved |
| Windows and doors | 6-14 weeks | After rough openings sized |
| Engineered lumber | 4-10 weeks | With the timber package |
| Roofing and siding | 2-8 weeks | After the frame is scheduled |
| Cabinetry | 8-16 weeks | After interior layout frozen |
Long-Lead Items to Lock Down First
- Custom timber package and millwork.
- Windows, doors, and specialty glass.
- Kitchen cabinets and countertops.
- Mechanical equipment with long build times.
- Site-built items such as stone and tile in custom colors.
Order Date Versus Delivery Date
Separate the order date from the delivery date in the schedule. The order date locks the price and the production slot; the delivery date locks the crane, the crew, and the storage plan. Builders who track the two dates separately avoid both late arrivals and yard clutter.
Pre-Wiring and System Decisions
The cheapest time to run wire, conduit, and rough-in plumbing is while the walls are open. Smart home technology is transforming modern residential construction, and the decisions that matter most happen before drywall goes up. Security, audio, lighting control, and network infrastructure all need answers at the plan stage, not after the house is finished.
What to Decide Before Framing
- Network drops in every bedroom, office, and common area.
- Security camera locations and doorbell wiring.
- Lighting control zones for open-plan spaces.
- Speaker rough-ins for audio in the great room and patio.
- EV charger capacity at the panel, even if the car comes later.
Rough-In Versus Retrofitting
Running a network cable during framing costs a few dollars per drop. Retrofitting the same cable through finished timber walls costs an order of magnitude more and can damage the finish you paid to protect. The same logic applies to ceiling speakers, bath fans, and heated floors: rough in now, decide on the hardware later.
Panel and Service Capacity
Ask the electrician to size the main panel for the loads you actually plan: EV charging, a workshop, heat pumps, and whole-house backup. A 200-amp panel is a common starting point, but timber homes with radiant heat and electric car charging often justify 400-amp service. Panel size is a plan-stage decision; changing it after the walls are closed means re-running feeders.
Structural Details and Material Choices
Advanced construction materials such as fiber-reinforced polymers, mass timber, and cross-laminated timber change what your builder can order and how far in advance. Confirm which products are specified in the engineered drawings, then verify that any proposed substitute meets the same performance numbers before someone approves a change order.
Engineering Reviews and Shop Drawings
Timber frames rely on connection details that a plan set alone cannot show. Shop drawings for joinery, brackets, and bearing points need a full review by the engineer before fabrication begins. Changes at this stage are cheap; changes after the timber is cut are expensive, because every re-cut affects the schedule and the budget.
Approvals and Submittals
- Collect the engineered drawings, calculations, and product data sheets.
- Send the full set to the engineer for review against the permit documents.
- Get written sign-off on every substitution before the material is ordered.
- Keep the approved set on site for the inspectors.
- File the final documents with the jurisdiction for the certificate of occupancy.
Documenting Substitutions
Every substitution needs a paper trail: the original spec, the proposed replacement, the engineer’s approval, and the price difference signed by both parties. Verbal approvals vanish the moment the inspector asks for the stamped drawing.
Sequencing the Build and Final Reviews
The checklist ends where construction begins. Walk the final plan set with your GC room by room, confirm the schedule against the lead times you locked in, and agree on how changes are priced and documented before the first excavation. These conversations are cheap on paper and expensive on a job site.
The Pre-Construction Meeting
- Confirm the permit status and the inspection schedule.
- Review the payment schedule and the change-order process.
- Set communication channels and response times.
- Walk the site boundaries and access points.
- Agree on waste handling, site rules, and cleanup standards.
Final Plan Review
Review joinery and framing details such as curved timber techniques in timber frame construction before fabrication begins, and confirm that every drawing matches the products you ordered. A signed, date-stamped final set becomes the reference point for every inspection, invoice, and change order that follows, so make sure the version you approve is the version everyone builds from.