5 Reasons You Need a Lot Evaluation Before You Build 
For many homeowners, a parcel of land may appear to be easily buildable, but could later prove not to be. Many have learned the hard way that ignorance can be expensive. And though the idea of selecting land and building a new home is a dream homeowners have had for years, it pays to get a lot evaluation before you even consider breaking ground. Here are 5 reasons you need a lot evaluation before you build your custom home.
1.) Water
Water is often the most difficult site issue to understand and predict, according to buildingadvisor.com. Surface water, including runoff from rain and snow, can cause erosion and flooded basements if not properly managed. Subsurface water can interfere with septic systems and flood basements, often in the spring or rainy season when the water table is highest. Both issues can be dealt with using proper grading and drainage techniques.
2.) Sewer
Homebuyers need to explore all options before building on just any piece of land. Nearby bodies of water could be contaminated by your sewer septic system, an aspect many homeowners forget to take into account before building their custom home.
3.) Slopes
A steeply sloped site can substantially raise site development costs a lot. If the site where you want to build your custom home drops about six feet over the width of the house, you will likely need a deeper foundation on the low side. Lack of knowledge about site slopes could lead to erosion, poor drainage, and other expensive building issues.
4.) Soil
Certain types of problem soils can make a site challenging and expensive to build on. You can get a pretty good idea of the soil type by examining a handful of soil taken from below the topsoil, the dark, organic matter that’s usually no more 6 to 10 inches deep. Granular soils are ideal for building and drainage, but clay soils can prove to be more difficult to build on if not carefully tested for load bearing ability. Soils with high clay content tend to hold a lot of water and drain poorly.
5.) Emergencies
Choosing land to build your custom home on requires more than visualizing what the perfect view will look like. You need to find out if the land you’re considering building on does not fall on fault lines or is not affected by mudslides, floods, and other natural disasters. Also, you’ll want to make sure you’re building your custom home near service locations like hospitals and police stations in case of emergencies.
Getting a lot evaluation on your own can require additional funds for hiring surveyors, engineers, and even obtaining zoning information from the Building and Planning Department. Fortunately, Crystal Creek Builders will first meet with clients to evaluate their land before building a home. The building site will be evaluated according to topography, views, rocks and other unique features. Best of all, we offer free lot evaluations. For more information about our free lot evaluations please contact Crystal Creek Builders today or visit https://crystalcreekhomes.com/lot-evaluation/.
Crystal Creek Builders
www.crystalcreekhomes.com
928-445-3200
