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Just because the building site is clear and ready to go doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be an easy build. With so many considerations that effect site preparation, demolition and construction, it’s easy to see why many sites can be a problem to build on. Use this guide to help you associate the additional costs, time and problems that may occur when your property is difficult to access for building. This way, you and your builder are on the same page when it comes to building your new home of your dreams.

Sloping Sites

Often the most controversial building site, a sloped site can cause drainage problems, foundational concerns and added materials that significantly increase overall building costs. Drainage is always an issue with sloping properties but can easily be remedied with the installation of an underground drainage system or forming the properties soils to a suitable grade with fill dirt or through excavation. Retaining walls can be added where sloping properties are too great and level land is required.

When sloping lands affect the placement of footers and foundations, stem wall construction, post and beam or split-level design options can offset the structures foundation to meet the requirements of the sloping land. While these construction methods propose alternative methods to constructing on difficult sites, the costs associated with these techniques can increase costs exponentially as the degree and grade of the slope increase.

Sloping properties also cause problems with labour and materials. Cladding, roofing and other exterior based construction projects can have a difficult time setting up scaffold, ladders and work stations to cut and assemble materials on sloping grounds. By increasing costs and challenging tight work schedules, sloping grounds add to the overall cost of the project in this manner as well.

But it’s not just the house that has a problem with sloping building sites—what comes in and out of it can have a tough time with sloped sites too. Electricity and water lines may need extra help getting up, down and across steep slopes, increasing the costs as the grade increases. Septic tanks and sewage lines are particularly susceptible to sloped condition problems and concerns. Some sloping properties may only be able to support a small septic tank, making the amount of bathrooms in the structure very limited.

Small Properties

Restraints from tight property lines between neighbours can be a building site that is difficult at best to work with. Finding good real estate to place materials, workers and the building itself can prove to be challenge even for the most seasoned of builders working on a small lot. Careful planning and proper delegation of authority can all make or break any construction project on a small property within close proximity to its neighbours.

Waste materials can become a big issue on the small lot. With little room for disposal containers, continual dumping of smaller containers requires additional costs per load hauled from the site. Recycling many materials often helps alleviate some of the concerns with too much garbage onsite.

A great way to deal with the many problems a small property can cause is to create an action plan for each phase of construction. Knowing exactly where and when materials are to be delivered during each phase of construction is the key to keeping difficult site problems (and budgets) in check.

Often a new home owner will not put a great deal of thought into their landscape until the house is well under way. That is a mistake. This is something that you need to put some thought into at every stage of the building process.

Where Does Landscaping Play into the Build Process

Landscaping should be considered at every decision point of your home building process.

• Site selection – You should consider what type of landscape you desire when you choose your site location. Do you intend to have a country type landscape that will not only house your family but live stock and family pets? Do you intend to have a classy suburban type home with features such as a pool for entertaining outdoors? These things will all play into the lot size needed, location, and distance from neighbors.
• Home plans – Again, the size and shape that the home will take up and allow for vegetable gardens, pools, driveways, patios, flower beds, clothes lines, and other amenities you may have in mind should be considered.
• Budgeting – Because it is actually outside of the home itself, landscaping is often put off until a later date. While this is a viable alternative, consider performing some of the lower cost items that will make a significant difference sooner rather than later. For example, if you intend on have a tree line for privacy, the sooner you can plant those trees the quicker you will achieve privacy.

To Do It Yourself or Not To Do It Yourself

Some areas of landscaping must be outsourced for the common home owner, such as installing an in-ground pool. However, many homeowners actually enjoy gardening and working in their yard. If this is the case for you, have a go at it and enjoy yourself. If it is not, be very careful when you select a professional to handle the project for you. It is very important that you have a clear understanding of what your budget is and what your expectations are. This includes a time-frame for completion and a little cash reserve for those unexpected costs.

Get your estimate in writing and make sure that the price is firm spelling out what is and is not included. Landscaping is one of those areas that it is very easy to approve little extras that do not seem to amount to much, but when they are totaled at the end they can be very significant.

Do Not Skimp On a Driveway

Try to include a driveway in your budget. Although it can amount to a little chunk of change, not having one can be a major hindrance. In the case of an incline, you may have to park on the street if there is one. Foul weather can make it very messy and dirty.

There are a lot of different aspects to consider from the beginning to the end of the building process. If you or your family spends much time outdoors, landscaping can be a pretty significant characteristic of your home. Do not get so caught up in the house itself that you neglect to consider the layout of the yard.

Besides possibly pre-qualification procedures for financing your project, site selection is the first step toward building your new home. It is one of the most important steps and one that you should not take lightly. It requires considerable time and research to make an educated choice that will not create many regrets later. Site selection is one of those steps that can not be changed later and will affect every step of the building process.

Steps to Site Selection

Although site selection is one of the more challenging chores associated with home building, it must be tackled. There are several steps to the site selection process:

• The most obvious and fun aspect is finding a lot that suits your needs.
• Soil testing
• Identifying environmental concerns
• Determining how utilities will be accessed from the site

Finding a Lot that Suits your Needs

You must find an available site that is in a location that you like and in which you will enjoy living for a considerable amount of time. It’s a good idea to talk to your potential neighbors, and ask around to find out if there are any problems to speak of in the vicinity. It must be appealing to your eyes and large enough to meet your needs. Investigate to find out if it has the potential for any future upgrades or amenities that you may desire.

Soil Testing

Soil testing is incredibly important for many reasons. First of all, you must determine its composition and ability to support the structure. You must establish the absorption and drainage rate of the soil. The absorption rate will indicate how well the soil will handle septic and water. One such test is the perc test and it will help determine where a septic field would have to be placed on the property. This is another reason that these steps should be performed before a site if purchased if at all possible.

It is important to identify the water table to determine where foundational footings and basement slabs should be placed. The water table includes the surface separating the upper layer of non-saturated soil and the lower layer of saturated soil. Engineers or site planners must test the mottling or color of the soil in the pit for this purpose. It is also pertinent to determine the soil type as sand and gravel drain much better than clay or silts.

Identifying Environmental Concerns

This is one area that many potential home builders really don’t see as vital, but overlooking it could be disastrous. With all the pollution around today, it pays to take a little time to be sure that your potential site isn’t on or near any kind of contamination site or other environmental hazard. Finding out after purchase can mean either a ton of money to rectify or a complete inability to build on the site.

Determining How Utilities will be accessed from the Site

Because accessing utilities from your site can prove very costly, it is necessary to check into how close the nearest utility connections are. Generally speaking, the further you have to run lines to tie into existing utilities, the more money it will cost you.

Site selection is not as simple as finding a nice looking lot for sale. Take your time and do your research. It is not a good place to find error later as it can be costly and devastating to the project overall.