The average church construction project may require from three to four years to complete from initial consideration. First, the ministry needs are evaluated so that a determination can be made as to what facilities are needed. Then, an architect is hired to take these ideas and develop a conceptual design. The church should not allow the architect to “run ahead” by immediately developing construction drawings. A reasonable comprehensive project budget should be developed based on the conceptual design. Also, the fund raising process must begin. Most churches use a three-year capital Stewardship campaign as a major effort to raise the necessary funds. The campaign itself requires months of planning and organization. There are many consulting firms available to help churches. Only after congregational commitments have been verified can the final project budget be confirmed. Assuming the Stewardship campaign commitments have been received at the level necessary, then the formal construction drawings and job approval process can commence. This portion of the process usually takes about one year. 

The next phase may also require a year (or more depending upon your jurisdiction). During this phase the following items will be addressed: civil engineering, municipal approvals, detailed architectural plans, contractor selection, bidding negotiations, and obtaining building permits. At this point, the church is two or more years into the process, and construction has not begun. The construction phase itself varies according to the size and the complexity of the project, taking anywhere from nine months to a year and a half. It is very common for four years to elapse from the time the project is conceived until the building can be occupied. This is a surprise to many churches. Often by the time a church makes a decision to build or expand their need for additional space has become critical. The thought of waiting another four years can be very discouraging. Churches should approach their facility planning from the standpoint of a long-range plan. This Strategic Facilities Plan is a method by which the Church can anticipate and plan for needs ahead of time and implement successive phases of expansion in a way that minimizes space crunches over time.

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