Choosing a lot for home building
When it comes to building a home, there are many things you need to keep in mind. But the first thing you will need to do is find a lot for building your home. In fact, this should even be done before you have finalized your building plans--site conditions such as drainage and soil can affect your overall cost as well as the design.
If you are choosing a lot in a development that is already planned, it will be all ready for building--the developers will have already taken care of that. This is convenient because you don't have to worry about getting the lot tested for drainage and soil types. But even if you are choosing a lot in a development, there are still things to keep in mind, such as:
- Will the house you want to build go with the style in the neighborhood? Are there specific requirements you must meet? Sometimes, people choose a lot in a development only to find a number of restrictions.
- Will your home be proportionate to the size of the lot? Is it so big you won't have any room left for a yard?
- Where does the sun rise and set? You might want to consider this when deciding which way areas like bedrooms will face.
- How much landscaping is required for the lot? What will it do to your overall costs and budget?
- Is the lot positioned by a street or road? Will you hear heavy traffic or have difficulty getting in and out of your neighborhood?
These are just a few things to consider. If you are not picking a lot that has already been developed for building, you will have other things to keep in mind. When choosing your lot, make sure you look at:
Soil.
The soil on the land will have layers with different soil types, and it's crucial your builder know what soil is there for the purposes of laying foundation. You will also need to know for landscaping purposes. As a general rule, codes for foundations are written for sand or gravel soils, so you want to make sure that is they type of soil you are building on. Other types of soils will are not ideal for building, and may have much stricter requirements if you want to build a home there.
Drainage
Drainage is a huge factor to be taken into account when choosing a lot for home building. The type of soil drainage, which depends on the type of soil you want to build on, will have an affect on your overall foundation. Soil from your excavation is often used to fill back against the foundation walls, but poor drainage will create pressure and moisture to your foundation. If you are building in an area that doesn't drain as well, such as silts or clays, you will have to bring in additional soil, such as sand or gravel. Drainage will also need to be taken into account for landscaping purposes.
Choosing a lot for your new home is one of the most important decisions you'll make, so it's important to invest plenty of research and time into finding the perfect lot. The above tips are just a few things to keep in mind when choosing a lot.
