While the construction of a house usually takes anywhere between 3 and 12+ months, buying and building your home can often take much longer. First, you need to get a feel for the lay of the land and decide what features your house must include. From there on, you might be designing the house with the help of an architect. This process can take a while, and be more costly than the alternative, but might get you the bespoke home you are looking for.