The construction stage is almost always the longest part of building a house. Within this stage, framing often takes the most time, lasting anywhere from one week to a couple of months, depending on the home's size, the crew, and the time of year. Other parts of the construction phase include pouring the foundation and installing doors, windows, a roof, siding, drywall, and flooring. The planning and design phase can also be very time-consuming, sometimes taking months or even years, especially for a custom home. The final finishing process, which includes painting and installing trim, is typically shorter than the construction or planning stages.

In the U.S., original and converted carriage houses are most often found in New England, New York, and other parts of the Northeast. New construction carriage houses can be found across the country, and are often added to properties with Colonial-style homes for additional living, storage, or work space, although they can be found in many different styles.

Pole barns and carports are similar in that they rely on posts for support and are often not connected to a primary structure. The main difference between the two is that pole barns usually include walls that surround the entire perimeter of the structure, while carports generally remain open on three or four sides. It’s possible to insulate garage doors and even exterior walls on pole barns to create a comfortable workspace, and it’s a bit more secure for storage purposes. However, carports are more affordable.

The term “cottage” is subjective, so there’s no rigid definition, but it generally refers to a small home with simple and purposeful architecture that embraces nature and focuses on charm over everything else. Cottages are typically 1 or 1 1/2-stories tall, usually with gabled roofs, and are built out of natural materials that help make the structure a part of the surrounding nature rather than something that stands out from it. A big part of what makes a cottage a cottage is the decor, which includes natural materials from the nearby area.