The Complete Custom Home Building Process for Lincoln Homeowners

Building the home of your dreams is one of the most exciting decisions you will ever make. But for most people, it is also unfamiliar territory. You have a clear picture of what you want: open living spaces, a kitchen built for real cooking, a finished walkout basement, maybe a dedicated home office. What you may not have is a clear picture of how you get from that vision to your front door.

That is exactly what this guide is for.

At Murray Custom Homes, we have been walking Lincoln, Nebraska, families through the custom home building process since 2007. Whether you are just starting to think about a build or already have a lot picked out, understanding each phase before you begin gives you confidence, helps you make faster decisions, and protects you from the surprises that trip up first-time builders.

Here is a complete breakdown of what to expect, from your first conversation to move-in day.

Step 1: Initial Consultation and Budget Planning

Every successful build starts with an honest conversation. Before designs are drawn or lots are evaluated, you need to establish a realistic budget and communicate your vision to your builder.

At Murray Custom Homes, this begins with a free consultation. We sit down with you to talk through:

• Your must-have features vs. nice-to-haves

• Your target timeline and move-in goals

• Lot ownership (or help finding one in one of our communities)

• Financing options, including construction loans

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A note on budgeting in Nebraska: In Lincoln and the surrounding area, building a custom home typically runs between $160 and $300+ per square foot, depending on finishes and design complexity. Getting clear on your budget at this stage shapes every decision downstream.

Step 2: Lot Selection and Site Evaluation

If you already own land, great. Murray Custom Homes builds on your lot anywhere within our 50-mile service area, from Hickman and Waverly to Beatrice and Seward. If you do not yet have a lot, we can help you find one in one of our established communities.

Once a lot is identified, a site evaluation is conducted to assess:

• Soil conditions and grading requirements

• Utility access (water, sewer, electricity, gas)

• Zoning requirements and setbacks

• Nebraska-specific considerations like drainage and tornado shelter placement

Choosing the right lot is not just about the view. The site directly impacts foundation type, construction cost, and how your floor plan is oriented on the land.

Step 3: Design and Floor Plan Selection

This is where the custom home building process starts to get exciting. Working with our in-house drafting and design team, you will develop a floor plan that fits your life, not the other way around.

You have two paths here:

Option	What It Means
Select an existing floor plan	Choose from Murray's library and customize it
Design from scratch	Work with our drafting team to create something fully original

During the design phase, you will finalize:

• Overall square footage and room layout

• Number of bedrooms and bathrooms

• Basement type (walkout, daylight, or standard)

• Garage size and placement

• Special features like mudrooms, vaulted ceilings, covered patios, or flex rooms

We encourage clients to take their time here. Changes made on paper cost very little. Changes made during framing cost a lot.

Step 4: Material Selections and Finishes

Once the floor plan is locked in, you move into selections. This is the stage that most homeowners say they underestimated in terms of time, but also the one they enjoy most.

You will be choosing from a wide range of finish options, including:

• Flooring (hardwood, LVP, tile, carpet)

• Cabinetry style, colour, and hardware

• Countertop material (quartz, granite, solid surface)

• Exterior siding and roofing materials

• Interior paint colours and trim profiles

• Plumbing fixtures, lighting, and more

Murray Custom Homes provides design guidance throughout this process so nothing feels disconnected. Every selection is made with an eye toward how it works together across the whole home.

Step 5: Permitting and Pre-Construction

With plans finalized and selections made, your project moves into permitting. In Lincoln and Lancaster County, building permits are required before any construction begins. Your builder handles this on your behalf, submitting plans to the city and coordinating required approvals.

This phase also includes:

• Finalizing your construction contract

• Scheduling subcontractors

• Ordering long-lead materials

• Setting up your official build timeline

Permitting timelines in Nebraska vary by municipality, typically ranging from 2 to 6 weeks. Larger or more complex builds may take longer. Rushing this step is not an option, but working with an experienced builder who has established relationships with local permitting offices helps keep things moving.

Step 6: Site Preparation and Foundation

Once permits are in hand, your lot is ready to be transformed. This is the first stage of physical construction and includes:

• Clearing and grading the land

• Excavation for the foundation

• Pouring footings and foundation walls

• Waterproofing and drainage installation

Nebraska's clay-heavy soil is worth calling out here. It expands and contracts significantly with moisture changes, which is why proper site engineering and foundation work is critical. A quality builder will not cut corners on this phase regardless of timeline pressure.

Once the foundation is poured, it goes through a curing period before framing can begin.

Step 7: Framing

Framing is the phase most homeowners find the most visually rewarding. Walls go up, rooms take shape, and for the first time, you can walk through the physical space of your future home.

During framing, your builder completes:

• Floor systems and structural walls

• Roof system and sheathing

• Window and exterior door rough openings

• Exterior house wrap installation

A framing inspection is typically required before work continues to the next phase.

Step 8: Mechanical Rough-Ins (Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC)

With the structure framed, the interior systems go in before any walls are closed. This phase includes:

• Plumbing rough-in: Supply lines, drain lines, and vent stacks

• Electrical rough-in: Panel installation, circuit wiring, outlet and switch placement

• HVAC rough-in: Ductwork, returns, and unit placement

This is also when recessed lighting, smart home wiring, speaker pre-wires, and any other low-voltage systems are run. If there is something you want built into the home, now is the time to make sure it is planned for. Adding it later is always more expensive.

A rough-in inspection is required by the city before insulation and drywall can proceed.

Step 9: Insulation and Drywall

After mechanical inspections pass, insulation goes in throughout the exterior walls, ceiling, and any interior walls designated for sound control. In Nebraska, proper insulation is not just about comfort. Winters in Lincoln are genuinely cold, and summers are genuinely hot, so energy performance matters.

Once insulation is complete, drywall is installed, taped, mudded, and sanded. The home begins to look finished for the first time. Texture is applied, and primer coats go on.

Step 10: Interior Finishes

This is the longest and most layered phase of the custom home building process. All the selections you made in Step 4 are now being installed. Work happens in a specific sequence to protect each trade's work:

1. Cabinets and trim carpentry

2. Interior paint

3. Hardwood and tile installation

4. Countertop templating and installation

5. Plumbing fixtures and electrical devices

6. Finish hardware and accessories

Your home is coming together visually at a rapid pace during this stage. Murray clients are welcome to visit the site at scheduled times throughout construction to see progress firsthand.

Step 11: Exterior Completion

While interior work is progressing, exterior finishing happens in parallel:

• Siding, stone, or brick installation

• Roofing and gutters

• Driveway and garage apron

• Landscaping, grading and seeding

• Covered patio or deck (if included in your plan)

Nebraska weather can impact exterior timelines, particularly in early spring or late fall. Your builder accounts for seasonal factors in the construction schedule.

Step 12: Final Inspections and Punch List

Before you move in, the city conducts final inspections to issue a Certificate of Occupancy. This confirms the home meets all applicable building, safety, and energy codes.

At the same time, you and your Murray project manager will walk the home together for a final punch list review. This is a systematic walk-through where every detail is checked:

• Do all doors and windows open and close properly?

• Are all fixtures, outlets, and switches functioning?

• Are finish surfaces free of damage, gaps, or inconsistencies?

• Are all appliances installed and tested?

Any items noted on the punch list are addressed before keys are handed over.

Step 13: Move-In and Warranty

The build is complete. The punch list is clear. The Certificate of Occupancy has been issued. Now you get your keys.

But the custom home building process does not fully end at move-in. Murray Custom Homes stands behind every home we build with our builder's warranty program. We remain your point of contact for any issues that arise in the first year, and our warranty terms are clearly documented before you close.

We also walk you through how your home's systems operate, including your HVAC, plumbing shut-offs, electrical panel, and any smart home features, so you are set up to maintain everything properly from day one.

How Long Does the Whole Process Take?

Here is a realistic timeline overview:

Phase	Estimated Duration
Consultation and planning	2 to 4 weeks
Design and selections	6 to 12 weeks
Permitting	2 to 6 weeks
Site prep and foundation	3 to 5 weeks
Framing	4 to 6 weeks
Mechanical rough-ins	3 to 5 weeks
Insulation, drywall, finishes	8 to 14 weeks
Exterior, punch list, final	3 to 6 weeks
Total	9 to 14 months

Simpler builds on straightforward lots with quick permitting timelines can come in under a year. More complex designs or acreage builds with longer utility setups may run longer. Murray communicates milestones throughout every phase so you always know where your project stands.

Why Understanding This Process Matters

A lot of stress in custom home building comes from not knowing what comes next. When you understand the full custom home building process going in, you make faster decisions, you anticipate what you will need to choose and when, and you avoid the reactive mindset that leads to costly change orders.

The best version of this experience is one where you and your builder are on the same page at every step, moving forward with clarity rather than reacting to surprises. That is the experience Murray Custom Homes is built to deliver.

Ready to Start Your Build 

If you are considering a custom home in Lincoln or any of the surrounding communities, we would love to sit down with you. The first step is a free consultation where we can talk through your vision, your lot situation, and what the timeline looks like for your specific project.