Why a Parade Home May Not be Finished

Last year, following the Fall Parade, the Home Builders Association conducted a consumer survey. Although 88 percent of respondents said they had a good or excellent experience visiting homes, there were a few respondents who were not happy to visit homes only to find them locked or unfinished.

Because of this feedback, the construction status (foundation, frame, trim) of the home is now listed in the Parade guide and online. If there is no designation it means the house is finished.

We understand how frustrating this can be. The HBA is working to improve the process and reduce the number of unfinished homes on future Parades. There are several reasons why a home may be listed on the Parade but may not be finished.

Inclement Weather Delays
Mother Nature plays an important role in the home-building process. Framers cannot work in the rain. Foundations cannot be poured if it is too hot or too cold. Builders create a timeline for every home they work on, but there are some things they cannot control, including the weather.

Labor Shortage Delays
The home-building industry is currently experiencing an unprecedented labor shortage – from framers to flatwork. On average, a home takes six to nine months to build. Certain parts of the building process are sometimes delayed because there are no qualified people to do the job. This will cause all other work to be postponed as well.  The HBA is looking at ways to alleviate the labor shortage, but it may take a while before this issue can be completely resolved.

Customer Demand
Builders must submit their entry forms for the Parade approximately three months prior to the actual Parade. Due to the level of demand for new home construction (and the factors mentioned above) builders’ schedules sometimes get so backed up trying to finish current customers’ build jobs on time that they run out of time to finish their Parade homes.

Perks of Seeing an Unfinished Home
Believe it or not, there are some advantages to viewing a partially finished home. As an interested buyer, a home that is at the trim stage allows you to check the quality of work and craftsmanship of the builder and the home. Additionally, if you find a partially-built home and love the layout you can purchase that home and have the luxury of picking the paint colors, countertops and other finishes yourself.

Visiting a home at foundation stage is not ideal and the HBA has made its members aware that this can frustrate Parade-goers. We are working to improve the Parade experience for all and we hope you enjoy the Fall Parade. Look for our Fall Parade of Homes survey on our Facebook page and be sure to tell us about your experience.