We are sharing our realistic DIY home build timeline. My husband, along with help from friends and family, is doing most of the building himself. We have sub contracted out some things, but here is a recap of what we have completed. You can see Part 1 HERE, and Part 2 HERE.
November 2025
November was a slow roll. Our roofers came on the 12th to start installing our permanent roof. We went with a black metal roof. On the 15th, my husband installed our beautiful windows. On the 16th our first door went in. On the 24th, our French doors went in. This was an upgrade for us, and an easy decision when we saw them in person in the showroom. These will allow for easy access into the house with furniture, and more importantly, a BIG Christmas tree! The windows and doors truly make it feel more like a home.
December
On December 9th, we set our fireplace insert into our fireplace surround. On the 11th, my husband started on our metal siding. We used the same black metal as we did for the roof. On the 14th, I decided our new home needed a Christmas Tree, so I foraged our property for the perfect tree. Our electricians were also working hard during this time. On the 20th, we put cedar shakes on the other gable. The cedar helps to break up the black on black, and adds character. Two days later, we started on our front porch. We used Trex decking boards in the color Toasted Sand, and its compliments our black exterior so well. On the 27th, my husband tackled the siding on the high side of our house.
January 2026
On January 6th, we put support beams under our front porch. On the 19th, I went and picked out a slab remnant for our pantry countertop, and our laundry room countertop. Insulation was installed on the 20th, and that’s when it really started to look like a home. You could not easily see the size and feel of each room. I also met with a cabinet designer at Lowe’s to design our Diamond Cabinets.
February
On February 2nd, the sheetrock team came and hung sheetrock. I will never forget walking in and seeing actual walls. I cried happy tears because it all began to feel real. On the 13th, our tile samples came in. We also began thinking about our interior wall color. In mid February, I took a trip to Vegas with the Lowe’s Content Creator team, where I got to see all of the new and exciting things coming to Lowe’s in 2026. I also found inspiration for our new home build. When I returned, it was time to nail down a paint color! Follow along to see what color we chose. We wrapped up February but completing the ceiling of our outdoor seating area. My husband also put me in charge of plastering a cinder block wall that’s visible from our main level. So I took a trip to Lowe’s to grab all of the supplies I would need.
Up to Date
We are currently a little over a year into our DIY home build. I will continue with monthly updates so you can see our progress. Our current move in date goal is by May 30th. Do you think we will be in by then? Follow to see if we meet our goal date.
