Building a new custom home starts with choosing the right approach. Panelized construction systems offer a clear, organized path compared with traditional stick building. Each stage is designed to keep your project on track and get you closer to move-in day.
If you’re exploring construction methods, it helps to understand how this system actually works. Knowing the steps ahead makes the process less overwhelming and more predictable.
Here are the six steps of panelized construction systems, giving you a look at what happens along the way to your finished home.
Panelized Construction Systems: 6 Steps to Building Your Home
An optimized home building method, the panelized construction process comprises six steps:
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Design & Planning
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Engineering
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Manufacturing
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Shipping
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On-Site Building
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Your Final Home!
Let’s take a look at what’s involved in each of these steps:
1. Design & Planning
The longest and most daunting part of the process, and the real advantage of working with a Barden Independent Dealer as a single point of contact.
Working with your independent dealer, you’ll design every detail of your floor plan and home design to fit your needs and make adjustments to fit your budget. Through our in-house design department, you can adjust and revise your custom plans as many times as necessary until you’re satisfied.
Using prices quoted by your Independent Dealer, you can seek financing for your home. Whether you work with our financing partner or a lender of your choosing, this is the time to get pre-approved for your project.
Resource: Learn more about the available custom home financing options:
Meanwhile, you’ll work with your dealer to select a lot suitable for building and prepare it for construction by having it completed with necessary utilities and excavation.
When you’re ready to build, Barden will supply more detailed plans that can be used to obtain building permits. At this stage, you’ll also work with your dealer to select all of the products, materials, and colors to make your home truly yours.
Although we carry thousands of national name brand products, we allow our customers to source their own if they can’t find what they’re looking for from our selections.
What is accomplished during the design phase:
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Meeting your independent dealer
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Working with your dealer to find suitable land (if they don’t own land)
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After land is purchased, it has to be connected to utilities and approved by the local municipality to be suitable for building. Dealers assist and advise for all of this.
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Designing their home through the dealer and our drafting department
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Initial phases with simple plans until layout is correct.
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More complex drawings next
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Final stage is selecting materials/products/colors
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Design phase goes along with budgeting and securing financing. Plans can be modified to fit a budget. Customer can use pricing estimates to start looking for financing if needed. Financing finalized right before construction.
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There isn’t a particular order to any of this, every situation is different.
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Working closely with your dealer turns ideas into a clear plan that fits your goals, timeline, and budget.
2. Engineering
After the design phase is complete, the home plan drafts are passed along to our in-house design department.
Our expert staff carefully ensures that all the selected materials are perfectly suited to handle their intended purpose for the home. Many factors are taken into account, such as:
- Building codes
- Safety regulations
- Energy efficiency standards
When applicable, our design team accounts for regional concerns -- such as load-bearing for average area snowfall amount, or windows that offer greater resistance to high winds and drafts.
After the final engineered home plan featuring our Fast Track Framing System is complete, it is digitally rendered utilizing our Mitek E-frame engineering program. The software accounts for a variety of considerations, including load-bearing points and lumber/truss plate requirements during manufacturing. It essentially offers a 3D puzzle model for the manufacturing team to work off of while on the floor.
What is accomplished during the engineering phase:
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A precision-engineered model for the manufacturing team to work from
- Every detail is reviewed to give homeowners lasting strength, safety, and comfort in their finished home
3. Manufacturing
Once the plans are finalized, work begins by our manufacturing division, North American Truss, to produce the components of the home.
Everyone on the floor follows the digital design plan for the home, which ensures precision during every step of the manufacturing process.
A variety of machines and technology are used are during manufacturing, including:
- Tiger Stop Computerized Measuring Saw
- Intelligent Building Software (IBS), Tables, and Stapling Bridge
- Virtek Lasers
- MiTek RoofTracker
Combined with North American Truss’ highly skilled workforce, the tools and technology used to manufacture panelized home components greatly reduce the chance of human error.
Additionally, due to the materials being stored and assembled in a factory, the integrity and quality of building materials are maintained without the risk of weather degradation.
Further Reading: For a full look at our manufacturing process, check out our Behind the Scenes of Panelized Construction article.
What is accomplished during the manufacturing phase:
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Wall panels are built
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Roof trusses are built
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All components are wrapped, labeled, and stacked in order for shipping
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Precision manufacturing gives homeowners dependable quality and faster progress once construction begins.
4. Shipping
Your new home’s components are carefully loaded onto our trucks and shipped directly to your job site in several loads. The loads are delivered precisely when they are needed to limit the lumber’s exposure to the elements.
What is accomplished during the shipping phase:
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Materials arrive to the build site intact and ready for speedy assembly
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Thoughtful scheduling keeps the build moving smoothly so homeowners see steady progress without unnecessary delays
5. On-Site Building
Each truck driver is equipped with a set of the building plans that corresponds with the components they are transporting. Once they arrive, they are passed to the foreman of the building crew, who can unload and begin assembly.
Since each component is labeled in accordance with the floor plan, builders can quickly assemble the pieces together accurately. Again, this step is similar to building a giant 3D puzzle.
The first load of manufactured components is delivered as soon as the foundation is completed on-site. Using our Fast Track Framing System, crews first construct the shell of the home and interior walls. This step is followed by roofing, doors, and windows to make the house is weathertight to ensure the incomplete home isn’t damaged by the elements while construction is completed. All of this takes around a week, never more than two weeks.
After that is completed, it is finished just like a standard stick build house -- with various crews coming in to complete their part of the job.
What is accomplished during the on-site building phase:
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The home is assembled in accordance with the plan agreed upon by the team during the design phase.
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Watching the home take shape in days gives homeowners confidence that their vision is becoming real and move-in day is approaching.
6. Your Final Home!
Once the on-site building is complete, you’re ready to move into your new Barden home!
The precision-engineered panel building process reduces the chance of costly repairs down the line, such as drafty windows or drywall cracking from high snow loads on the roof.
You can truly relax and enjoy your new home knowing that every detail was taken care of.
What is accomplished during the final phase:
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The completed home reflects the design, materials, and craftsmanship chosen throughout the process
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Homeowners gain the satisfaction of seeing every decision come together in a space built for their life and future
Panelized Construction Systems FAQ
Here are answers to common questions about panelized construction systems and the home building process.
Q: How long does the entire panelized construction process take from start to finish?
A: Most panelized homes take several months to complete. The design and planning stage is the most time-intensive, since it involves finalizing plans, financing, and permits.
Once production begins, things move faster. Manufacturing happens indoors while site prep is underway, and on-site assembly usually takes one to two weeks. The overall process is typically quicker than a traditional stick build.
Q: What kind of customization options are available within panelized construction systems?
A: Homeowners can personalize layouts, materials, and finishes to match their style and needs. The design team works with you to refine every detail until it fits your vision.
Because each panel is made for your specific plan, panelized construction systems allow creative freedom while keeping the build efficient and well-organized.
Imagine what's possible with panelized construction systems
Building a custom home is a major step, and the way you approach it matters. Panelized construction systems offer a clear structure, combining design flexibility with a streamlined building method.
Instead of worrying about delays or guesswork, you can focus on what really matters: creating a home that reflects your style and needs. Each stage of the system is designed to keep progress moving while maintaining quality.
When you picture your future home, think about how panelized construction systems can make that vision more achievable.
See What Your Future Home Could Look Like
Take a look at our floor plans to start picturing how panelized construction systems can bring your ideas to life.
This article was originally published in March of 2019 and was recently updated to reflect current industry trends.
