Custom Build Timeline for the Texas Hill Country

A clear, phase-by-phase Hill Country build timeline with weather-smart tips.

Due diligence, jurisdiction, finance, and preconstruction planning

A predictable custom-build schedule starts before design. Begin with objective due diligence: a current boundary/topo survey, a soils report, and utility feasibility. Walk the lot after a rain to see how water moves and note view corridors, slopes, and live oaks to preserve. Build a one-page permit matrix listing who reviews what—city vs. ETJ vs. county—and in what order. For owners near Austin or San Antonio, use city/ETJ portals to understand processes even if your lot sits outside city limits; for example, Austin’s development services pages show typical forms, review steps, and inspection types: Austin Development Services Department. Rural and ETJ parcels often add OSSF (septic) approvals and driveway/culvert permits to the critical path. Next, assemble your financing and documents. If you’re using a construction loan, confirm draw schedules match milestone timing (slab, framing, dry‑in, rough‑ins, finishes). Obtain builder’s risk coverage before mobilization; the Texas Department of Insurance offers a plain‑language overview: TDI: Builder’s risk insurance. Create a procurement plan for long-lead items—windows/doors, roofing, HVAC equipment, electrical gear, appliances. Place orders early and document model numbers in your spec book so field crews install what you approved. Finally, sequence submittals to avoid dead time: HOA/ACC design approvals, then permits, then utility applications. Keep stamped plans, approvals, and inspection sign‑offs in a shared digital folder and a weatherproof site box. Clear communication with inspectors and neighbors smooths reviews and reduces delays; introduce the superintendent’s contact info on your site sign early.

Milestones from survey and permits through foundation and dry-in

With permits in hand, sitework begins. Stake the house and driveway, install a stabilized construction entrance, and schedule pre-construction meetings with key trades. Sequence the early milestones so cuts happen once: trench power, water (or well sleeve), low-voltage, propane, and drains in a shared corridor where allowed; then build the pad and set forms. If your driveway connects to a state-maintained road, confirm approach/culvert approvals before concrete trucks arrive; reference standards here: TxDOT driveway permits, design, and materials. Foundation follows soils and engineering. On many Hill Country lots, that means a post-tensioned slab or a slab/beam on drilled piers; schedule inspections for forms, reinforcement, tendons, and under-slab plumbing before pour. Photograph subsurface work and keep cylinder tests and stressing logs. Next, framing and sheathing progress to “dry‑in”: roofing underlayment, windows/doors, and WRB installed with taped penetrations. Rough‑in trades (MEP + low voltage) start only after the shell is weathered-in to reduce rework. Coordinate energy inspections (blower door/duct testing) in line with your jurisdiction’s adopted code; many Texas jurisdictions follow IECC pathways—overview resources live at TDLR Mandatory Codes overview. While structure rises, parallel-track long-lead items: windows and exterior doors (often 8–16 weeks), roofing, primary HVAC equipment, electrical gear (meter bases, transfer switches), and custom cabinetry. Maintain a weekly look‑ahead with suppliers. For a homeowner-friendly overview of typical residential construction phases, see NAHB: What to Expect During Construction.

Permits, utilities, and insurance to keep schedule on track

Weather and logistics shape Hill Country schedules as much as drawings do. Build a weather-smart plan around regional patterns: spring storms and late-summer downpours can stall pads and framing; occasional winter cold snaps affect concrete and finishes. Track forecasts via the National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio office at NWS Austin/San Antonio forecasts and protect critical path: stock silt fence and berms, cover lumber, stage pumps/tarps, and cure concrete within spec when temperatures dip. Permitting and inspections deserve float. Erosion/stormwater controls, driveway tie-ins, and OSSF (septic) reviews can introduce extra steps. Texas summarizes construction stormwater requirements here: TCEQ Construction Stormwater Permit Overview. Align utility timelines early—many homesites are served by Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC); their new service steps outline design meetings, easements, and meter‑set sequencing: PEC new service steps. Inside the home stretch, schedule insulation, drywall, trim, cabinets, tile, paint, and final fixtures. Keep a living punchlist and confirm life-safety items (smoke/CO, tempered glazing, stair/guard heights) before final inspections. If your community emphasizes night skies, install shielded, warm-CCT exterior fixtures (see DarkSky International) and verify HOA/ACC sign-offs match installed selections. Close out with as-builts, manuals, and a maintenance orientation. A realistic, weather‑aware plan—with two to three weeks of slack across the long-lead and inspection phases—keeps your Hill Country build predictable and low‑stress.