You're in the middle of having a custom home built, and it's exciting to see your dream being built right before your eyes. But you visit the job site, and it's the third day in a row nothing is happening. You think your builder, or his contractors, must be dragging their feet!
Honestly, nothing is further from the truth. There are two things you need to understand about your builder:
Your builder wants progress to happen on your house just as much as you do. He really isn't dragging his feet—that would be like you delaying your own paycheck.
But why didn't he pick up the phone on the first ring and why did it take him several hours to call you back? It's because he was busy on the phone doing the stuff we already talked about: preventing problems, solving problems, and herding cats. He's doing it on your behalf.
He will update you with meaningful information when he calls back, and he WILL call back. Why? Because he desperately wants you to be happy with your new home. He loves building homes, and he loves the happy looks on his clients' faces.
Keep in mind that lots of behind-the-scenes work happens during construction. That includes calls and meetings with contractors mentioned above, waiting on city inspectors to give the green light, waiting for contractors to finish the last job (which is running behind because of weather, unforeseen problems, changes, whatever) so they can move on to yours, etc.
When nobody is physically working on your house, think of it as being in line for a roller coaster: the ride is running, it just isn't your turn yet. But it will be, and it will be worth it.