Why you need a lot evaluation before building your custom home
For many homebuyers, the idea of selecting land and building a new home is a dream they’ve had for years. The allure of living where you want, on land you may have dreamed about for years is an understandable dream for many. However, a piece of land that looks gorgeous to the buyer’s eye may look like trouble to an experienced builder. Picking a parcel of land to build on is about more than a lot that offers the views you want. There are a lot of options to consider before buying and building. Here’s why you need a lot evaluation before building your custom home.
Slope issues: A little slope is nice for aesthetics and site drainage, but 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.
Soil problems: Soils have a mix of particles from extremely fine clays and fine silts to course sand and gravel. Soil types are a less obvious to the eye concern, but 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.
Water worries: 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.
To many homeowners, a parcel of land may appear to be easily buildable, but prove not to be. Many have learned the hard way that ignorance can be expensive. If you’re looking to build a custom home in Prescott, you should get a careful assessment of the feasibility and cost to build on the parcel of land you’re interested in before building. Going at it 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.
We are a full service design-build contractor with a team to fully meet all your needs from plans through completion and have been doing so for over twenty-five years. Contact Crystal Creek Builders today and schedule an appointment.
Crystal Creek Builders
www.crystalcreekhomes.com
928-445-3200
