How Long Does It Take to Build a Luxury Custom Home in Utah?

This guide breaks down what influences your custom home timeline in Utah, including design, permitting, design selections, and builder availability, so you can plan your next move with clarity. We also explain how our process at Marshall Homes keeps things moving seamlessly.

Here's an overview of what we're going over: 

What’s the Typical Timeline to Build a Custom Home in Utah?

For most luxury custom homes in areas like Salt Lake City, Draper, or Park City, you can expect the full build timeline to span 12 to 24 months. Keep in mind that this includes your entire process, from design to the final walk-through, not only construction.

The exact schedule depends on your site, architectural complexity, permitting process, and how quickly design selections are finalized.

At Marshall Homes, we believe a smooth build starts long before construction begins. We take the time to thoughtfully plan your architecture, navigate permitting, and finalize key selections upfront, so there are fewer surprises once work is underway.

That early clarity keeps projects moving forward and ensures your home truly supports the way you live, not just how it looks.

What Are the Steps to Build a Custom Home in Utah?

Planning a luxury custom home in places like Salt Lake County, Draper, or Park City? Understanding the full building process is the best way to avoid unexpected costs, delays, or decision fatigue. 

Here’s how your custom home takes shape:

1. Initial Consultation Call

We start with a collaborative call to get a sense of your goals, budget, and overall vision. If we're the right fit, we'll guide you into our structured process with clarity from the start.

2. Concept Design Service 

You'll receive a custom space plan, a realistic early budget, and a draft schedule. This is where we bring your lifestyle and architectural ideas to life, balancing inspiration with cost from day one.

3. Preliminary Building Service 

Next, we finalize your design, nail down selections, complete drawings, and secure the necessary permits for your Utah location. This is the phase where your future home becomes real on paper.

4. Construction Service 

You’ll see your home come to life on time and on budget. We provide transparent communication, onsite walkthroughs, and access to your dedicated online portal for updates, documents, and payments.

5. Post-Construction Support

Your relationship with us doesn’t end on move-in day. We back your new home with a warranty and ongoing support for 12 months, ensuring that your investment continues to perform beautifully.

What Affects the Custom Home Construction Timeline in Utah?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how long it takes to build a luxury custom home in Utah. From the mountains of Park City to the neighborhoods of Draper and Salt Lake County, every site and build presents its own timeline variables.

Here’s what has the biggest influence on your custom home timeline:

1. Lot Condition: Tear-Down vs. Raw Land

If you're building on raw land in Draper or the outskirts of Salt Lake City, you're likely facing fewer upfront hurdles.

While you'll still need a soils report, site prep, and utility planning, the process often moves faster than demolishing an existing structure.

Tear-downs, on the other hand, require demolition permits, possible asbestos or lead testing, and coordination with utility companies for disconnection. In more established or hillside neighborhoods, tight property lines and protected trees can add additional complexity. Both routes are viable, but they follow different paces and we account for that in your schedule early on.

2. Local Permitting Timelines

Every city in Utah has its own permitting process, and timelines can vary depending on the season, scope, and location. Some cities, like Park City, may have stricter zoning and design review requirements, especially in view corridors or conservation districts.

Marshall Homes handles all permitting and follow-ups for you, but it’s important to plan for some variability. Submitting complete and coordinated plans early helps reduce back-and-forth and keeps your project on track.

3. Architectural Complexity

The more custom your home, the more time it takes to design and build. Multi-level layouts, custom steel features, floating staircases, and extensive window packages all require extra design coordination and more time in the field.

Our in-house design team integrates construction feasibility into every phase, which helps streamline the process.

Still, complexity equals time, especially if your vision includes high-end materials or unique architectural elements.

4. Interior Selections Timeline

Every tile, light fixture, faucet, and flooring material impacts the build schedule. Waiting to make those decisions until after construction begins can cause major bottlenecks especially with current lead times for luxury finishes.

That’s why Marshall Homes starts selections early in the process. We walk you through decisions in logical phases, so materials arrive when needed, and your construction timeline stays intact.

5. Trade Availability

Utah’s construction market has cooled slightly, but skilled tradespeople, especially those focused on high-end custom work, are still in high demand.

If a project isn’t well-coordinated or changes happen last-minute, it can cause delays in scheduling key trades like framing, electrical, or tile.

Because we commit to trade partners early and issue clear scopes of work, we're often able to lock in timelines others can’t. That said, even with the best planning, scope changes or delays in selections can create scheduling ripple effects.

6. Your Decision-Making Pace

It may not seem like a major factor, but your responsiveness has a real impact on the timeline. Delays in approving layouts, material selections, or change orders can extend your schedule by weeks or more.

Our process includes milestone deadlines and proactive guidance to help keep things moving.

We're here to support you through every decision, but thoughtful, timely choices are key to a smooth build. Rushing, on the other hand, often leads to changes later, which can set the schedule back and increase costs.

A Smoother Build Starts with the Right Partner

No two custom homes are the same, but with the right team and a detailed plan, your timeline can stay on track.

At Marshall Homes, we walk with you through every step, keeping communication clear and decisions aligned. Our process is built to keep surprises at bay, simplify choices, and respect your time. If you’re thinking about building a home in Salt Lake County, Draper, or Park City, we’re here to help you make it happen.