The holiday season has a way of revealing what we truly want from our homes. As families gather, travel in, and settle in for warm celebrations, homeowners often notice what works—and what doesn’t—about their current living space.

Maybe the kitchen feels tight when everyone’s cooking together. Maybe hosting overnight guests is stressful without a proper guest suite. Maybe the living room feels crowded or the layout just doesn’t fit the way your family gathers.

For many in Wichita, KS, the holidays spark a familiar thought:
“Next year, we should really be in a new home.”

And if you want to be celebrating in a brand-new custom home by 2027, the reality is clear—
you need to start the design and planning process now.

Custom home timelines are already filling, and the sooner you begin, the sooner you can break ground, move in, and enjoy the holidays in a home built just for you.

Below, we’ll explore why starting early matters, how the winter season is the ideal time to begin planning, and what steps now can mean for your future holidays in your new Wichita home.

1. Holiday Gatherings Reveal What Your Future Home Should Be

Much like Thanksgiving traditions highlight kitchen, dining, and hosting needs, the entire holiday season puts your home to the ultimate test.

You might notice:
• A kitchen that doesn’t allow multiple people to cook at once
• A dining area that feels cramped when you host extended family
• A lack of guest space for visiting relatives
• A living room that can’t comfortably accommodate everyone
• Limited storage for holiday décor, coats, or winter gear

These challenges often become the inspiration for building a custom home—one designed around how your family truly lives, celebrates, and grows.

But to transform those holiday frustrations into next year’s comfort and convenience, the process needs to start early.

2. Why Starting Now Matters: Custom Home Building Timelines Are Filling Fast

Custom home construction in Wichita isn’t a quick process—and that’s exactly why starting now is essential. A carefully planned, expertly built home takes time, and builders’ schedules fill up early.

Every month you wait to begin the design process pushes your future move-in date farther out.

Here’s what slows down the process (and why beginning early keeps your timeline on track):

Custom Home Builders in Wichita Are Booking Out Months in Advance

Top builders often schedule work a year ahead. Delaying your start may mean missing the 2025 design cycle and pushing construction—and your move-in—into 2027 or later.

Permits and Approvals Add Weeks or Months

Local permitting, site evaluations, engineering, utility planning, and architectural reviews all take time. Starting now helps prevent your project from being delayed by seasonal backlogs.

Material Lead Times Still Influence Construction

Certain fixtures, custom cabinetry, windows, and specialty materials may require long lead times. Early planning ensures availability and avoids settling for alternatives.

Design Takes Time to Perfect

Floor plans, structural adjustments, selections, and interior design decisions are important and deserve thorough planning—not rushed choices.

Every month you hesitate today becomes another month waiting to live in your future home.

3. Why Winter Is the Best Time to Start Planning Your Custom Home

Many future homeowners in Wichita assume spring is the best time to start—but in reality, winter is the ideal season to begin the design phase.

Designing in Winter Lets You Break Ground in Spring or Summer

By beginning now, you give your architect, designer, and builder time to:
• Create and finalize your floor plans
• Complete engineering requirements
• Work through selections and interior design
• Submit and secure permits
• Order materials with long lead times

When spring arrives—traditionally the best time to start construction in Wichita—the project can move directly to site preparation and breaking ground.

Waiting until spring to start planning could push construction to late summer or fall, which often delays move-in until well into the following year.

Winter planning = spring construction = sooner move-in.

4. Looking Ahead: Imagine the Holidays in Your New Home

One of the most powerful motivators for homeowners is imagining how different next year—or the year after—could feel in a custom-built home designed for comfort, hosting, and connection.

Picture holidays marked by:
• A kitchen designed for multiple cooks working together
• A dining area that comfortably fits everyone
• A spacious great room perfect for gatherings, games, and relaxing
• Guest suites that make overnight visitors feel at home
• A warm, inviting entryway that handles winter traffic with ease

Starting now makes this vision a reality much sooner—and keeps your timeline from drifting into another year of frustration in your current space.

5. Final Thoughts: The Longer You Wait, the Longer You Wait to Live in the Home You Want

The holidays remind us how important home truly is. And while dreaming about your future home is easy, making it happen requires taking the first step at the right time.

For Wichita homeowners planning to build:
That time is now.

Beginning the design and planning process this winter positions you for a spring or summer build, helping you stay on track to move into your new home as quickly as possible—ideally in time to celebrate the holidays in the space you’ve always imagined.

If you’re ready to explore your options, start planning, or learn more about building your custom dream home in Wichita, KS, now is the perfect moment to begin.

Your future holidays will thank you.