Framing a house entails a lot of time, work, and effort on the builders’ part. It is not an easy job. If you’re wondering how long does it take to frame a house, you have landed on the right article.
Let’s take a look at how long it takes to frame houses of different sizes, the estimated cost, and how hard it actually is. Read ahead to learn more about framing a house.
How long does it take to frame a house?
The amount of time that it takes to frame a house largely depends on the area of the house, the number of carpenters involved in the project, their working hours, location, and more. On average, it takes about 5 to 8 weeks to frame a house, depending on the size of the house and the workforce.
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The time it takes to frame a house largely depends on the size of the house itself. Let’s take a look at how long it takes to frame houses of different sizes:
1000 sq ft:
The time it takes to frame a house of 1000 square feet will depend on the number of carpenters involved, and the hours they are putting in.
If you have a team of three to five carpenters working on a house of 1000 sq ft, then it will take less than a week to frame the house.
1500 sq ft:
The time it takes to frame a house has several factors associated with it. You’ll have to consider the number of workers involved in the project and their working hours.
Estimating that there are about three skilled workers working along with two helpers, it will take roughly seven days to frame a house of 1500 square feet.
1600 sq ft:
On average, it takes three experienced workers, working alongside two to three helpers, about seven days to frame a house of 1600 sq ft.
You can speed up the process if you can increase the number of experienced carpenters working on the project.
2000 sq ft:
If you have a team of five to six carpenters working on a house of 2000 square feet, it will take them roughly about two weeks to frame the house. That is considering that they work for at least forty hours a week.
3000 sq ft:
Let us consider the standard workweek. That is, if a crew of five to six experienced carpenters follows a forty-hour workweek, then it will take them about three to four weeks to frame a house and pass the inspection.
And working at that rate, they can complete building the entire house in five to six months.
3500 sq ft:
It will take a group of five carpenters working alongside their helpers between one to two months to frame a house of 3500 square feet.
5000 sq ft:
It takes a crew of experienced and skilled carpenters about five weeks to frame a house of 5000 square feet. To make it quicker you might have to appoint a larger crew or increase their working hours.
2 story house:
The time required to frame a two-story house mainly depends on its area, location, number of workers, and more.
Generally speaking, if you’re framing a two-story house measuring between 1900 to 2100 square feet, it will take about 7 to 8 days. Framing a two-story house of 4000 square feet may take about one month.
It will take longer if you’re building a larger house.
How long does it take to frame a roof?
There are several factors that contribute to determining how long it takes to frame a roof, including the size of the house, the type of the house, location of the establishment, number of carpenters involved, and more.
Framing a roof may take something between 3 to 4 weeks. However, be warned that bad weather can delay the process and it may take even longer then. Once the roof is framed, you will not have to worry about bad weather any longer.
Is it hard to frame a house?
Yes, it is rather hard to frame a house. In fact, many people consider framing to be the most difficult part of building a house. It takes a lot of time and effort to frame a house properly. And bad weather can make the job even harder.
Framing a house is not for the weak and unskilled carpenters. It determines the strength and durability of a house, so you will have to be rather experienced to get the job done properly.
Can you frame a house by yourself?
Yes, you can definitely frame a house by yourself. It will save you about 40% to 50% cost of what you’d have to spend otherwise. However, you should know that framing a house can be a very daunting task.
It will take a toll on builder-owners, especially if they have no previous experience of framing a house.
You can begin the project by building an outdoor shed. Such a project entails everything that framing a small house may involve. So it will give you a good experience beforehand.
If the project proves to be too difficult for you, you can always hire a subcontractor who will take care of the project for you.
How to frame a house by yourself?
Framing a house often proves to be a rather daunting task. Note that the frame of different parts of a house is built separately and later joined together. Following these steps, you can easily frame a house by yourself:
Frame the house from the floor up:
The first step to building the frame of a house involves framing the base of the house. Make sure to firmly place the sill plates on the base of the house. Now the floor joists will stick to the plates.
At this point, install a girder at the foundation to provide support for the frame. Girders are typically made of wood, supported by footings and the foundation of the house.
Wall construction:
Now focus on constructing the frames of the wall. Walls are framed by attaching sole plates to the subflooring. Make sure to nail the studs to the sole plates. Then nail the top plates to the studs.
Frames of walls are constructed as a single piece. And if it’s a long wall, you can make them in sections and later join them together.
Square the frame:
At this point, you will have to square the walls by measuring the walls diagonally from corner to corner. Once you have squared the walls, you can install a temporary brace that will help hold the walls still.
Raise the walls:
Once you have braced the walls, squared the frame, and held the structure straight, it is now time to raise the walls upward. Simply take the walls close to the edge, slide them, and tilt them upward. It is a rather easy step.
Now you will have to anchor the braces. Before that, make sure that the walls are correctly positioned in their places.
This way, construct the next walls, raise them, and brace them into place. You can easily build the frame of the house by following these simple steps.
How do I estimate the cost of framing?
The cost of framing a house involves several components. Consider the square foot of the house and the various complexities involved in the project.
There is likely to be a subcontractor who will take care of the framing project. They will provide the labor for the project. You will have to consider the labor cost.
Then there is the cost of materials. You will have to pay for the wood, roof shingles, house wraps, doors, windows, and everything else that is required to complete the framing.
Now let’s take a look at the cost per component. The labor cost may vary between $2 to $12 per square foot. This will vastly depend on the location you’re building at. But the average labor cost in the country is between $6 to $8.
As for the material cost, it will depend on the area of the house, and the type of house you’re building. Some of the newer designs involve steel framing while most of the conventional designs still use wooden frames.
Depending on the current price of the materials, you will have to count between $3 to $12 per square foot for framing materials.
Is a timber frame house cheaper to build?
Yes, timber frame houses are cheaper to build. They also take relatively less time to build. Timber framing is quick and comparatively more cost-effective than other framing materials, which makes them very demandable among homeowners and builders.
Final Thoughts:
It takes about 5 to 8 weeks to frame a house on average. This number may vary. The time mainly depends on the size of the house, its type, location of the house, the number of carpenters involved in the crew, whether you’re building it yourself or hiring a subcontractor, and so much more.