“How soon can I move in?” A fair question — and the honest answer is: a villa project takes at least a year, often more. Here are some concrete benchmarks, and above all the on-the-ground realities that people tend to leave out.
Structural shell benchmarks
With full resources and a well-prepared file:
- ~6 months for the structural shell of a 300 to 500 m² villa with no basement;
- +2 months if you add a basement (earthworks, concrete walls, waterproofing…);
- ~1.5 months per additional floor.
These estimates are deliberately conservative: things can move faster if the workforce is scaled up significantly.
And for a fully finished house?
The structural shell is the skeleton. To fully finish your house (interior fit-out, finishes, exteriors), count on 12 to 24 months instead.
The on-the-ground realities (sometimes hidden from you)
In Morocco, there are things you can’t imagine until you’ve actually set foot on a construction site:
- The Eid periods: the country slows down, even comes to a standstill — count at least 20 cumulative days over the year.
- Public holidays, which add up on top.
- Rain: sites shut down (many workers come from far away, often by moped).
- Plan changes: every modification means back-and-forth between the architect and the engineering office. Doing things over takes time.
My philosophy
Let’s be clear: I’d rather have a minimum of delay in exchange for maximum quality. Delays are eventually forgotten. The result, on the other hand, is something you’ll see in front of you every single day.
Two things to plan for very early
Good news: it’s your architect who handles most of the administrative side. On your end, there are two points you absolutely must not miss:
- Having all the plans (architect + engineering office) — without them, nothing moves forward properly.
- Water and electricity on the plot — this can take an enormous amount of time. Anticipate it as early as possible (we can help you with this).
A well-prepared site is a site that doesn’t stop. And that’s the best way to stay on schedule.