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Special Tips for Building on Your Lot
Have you been thinking about building a custom home for years? Are you uncertain as to where you should build your custom home? Then this article is for you as we review what’s involved in building a custom home on your own lot. There are unique challenges to building on your own lot. There are also rewards when you find a place with a great view or a location you never thought you could live.
What you probably don’t realize are the various ways to find a buildable lot so let’s review them.
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Building in an active development is what most people do. Most builders and realtors are aware of active developments and if you’re not working with a builder or realtor, you can usually find these developments by talking to people in the town’s building department or stop by a few engineering firms that do developments. Or simply give us a call!
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Building on an improved lot in a completed development is sometimes possible but rarely are these lots on the market. You find them by driving around areas where you’d like to live, check the tax records to find the owner and call to see if they’re willing to sell.
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Building on a parcel of land for sale is more challenging and rewarding. Builders and realtors specializing in new construction are your best source of leads for these lots as they’re not always easy to find. Again give us a call to see where the up and comind recently platted parcels are. We have relationships with most developers around town.
What you probably don’t realize is how much work there is to prepare a lot for building. There are significant costs too so you’ll save time and money by working with an experienced builder who can guide you through the process.
In fact you’ll benefit the most by picking your builder first and having them help you pick the land where you’ll build. That’s because not every parcel of land is buildable and you’ll want to understand the costs to develop the land and balance this with construction costs that together fit within your budget.
Picking a Lot to Build Your Dream Home
You can start researching lots at the town’s Building & Planning Department. Approach them with respect and ask for their advice. Get a copy of the town’s zoning map and regulations, and ask about the most common problems when building on undeveloped lots. It’s better to get answers and opinions in writing in case there are disagreements later, e.g. when it’s finally time to get your building permit.
When building on your lot, you’ll find yourself having to deal with one or more of these restrictions.
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Are there any easements for things like power lines or access for emergency vehicles?
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Do you have the required road frontage and/or deeded access (may require a right of way) to reach your land?
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Are you in a flood zone requiring drainage or maybe part of your property includes wetlands that can’t be built on?
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Do you have the right zoning for building on your lot, e.g. you might be able to build a single family house that’s two stories but have to get a variance for a third story?
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Are you able to place your home where you want, and satisfy all the setback requirements?
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Do you need to adhere to any architectural guidelines if you’re in a historic district or development?
Checklist of Site Work Before You Build
Often after you’ve purchased your lot, you’ll want to modify your house design to leverage the best features of your lot. The view might be angled off to one side or the ground might slope and you’ll have to make changes to keep your walk-out basement. Take time to consider existing trees, which ones to keep for privacy and those you’re comfortable letting the builder remove.
Make a budget for site development so you don’t find yourself having to cut back on your dream home because of budget overruns early in the project. By making a budget up front, you’ll be able to make trade-offs like paying for a longer driveway to get the view from the ridge-top and running power lines above ground (if allowed by the town).
Here are the most common site work projects when building on your lot:
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Getting an updated survey to show lot boundaries accurately, including the driveway, house, well and leach fields.
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Bringing utility lines onto your land – electricity, natural gas, cable, Internet and telephone.
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Water that will require hooking up to the city or putting in a well.
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Sewage that involves hooking up to the city’s sewer system or putting in a septic field.
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Tests like a percolation or “perc” test to determine the absorption rate of your soil and design requirements for the septic system.
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Putting in a driveway to reach the house and digging trenches to run utility lines underground.
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Thinning out trees and other ground cover to match the landscaping plans.
Wishing you the best building your dream home.
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We Make All The Difference
knorman@jasdc.com
DiamanteHomes.com
Diamante Custom Homes • 5139 N. Loop 1604 West, Suite 102 • San Antonio, TX 78249
Phone: (210) 341-6430 • Cell: (210) 324-2755
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Diamante Custom Homes - Different By Design
Diamante Custom Homes was established in the Spring of 1992. Each Custom Home Builder has their own unique story of how they came to be. Diamante Custom Homes was born over 2 decades ago out of the inherent frustrations and miscommunications that plague the home building industry. As a company we wanted to hire the best of the best to ensure your custom home building experience is the best we know it can be. As a result we have structured the Design/Build process around our clients. We realize that today’s savvy home buyers have visions, dreams, and of course a budget.
We have become smarter about our design process over the last 2 decades constantly evolving. We know your vision and budget going in and make it a point to revisit the conversation in every design meeting. We pride ourselves on being skilled and up to date on today’s cutting edge technology, energy efficiency, and a streamlined methodology to designing & building the homes of your dreams. We are skilled at costing your project out through every step of the design process, some say it is an art, we like to call it “the way it should be! From your home’s architecture to interior design to purchasing to accounting to construction organization, your Design Build team at Diamante Custom Homes is ready to help with every facet of this unique experience!
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