Choosing where to build is a very important component of your dream home. If you already have the property, great! However, if you don’t you’ll need to do some legwork.
In this step we’ll discuss all the things to consider when looking at properties for your new house.
For Step 2 see the article “Four Steps to Take Before You Design – Step 2: Determine What You Want“.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
You want to select an area that feels right. This could be another town, the same area you currently live, an established neighborhood, a new housing development, in town, or in the country. You need to know if you desire a serene location surrounded by nature or if you want to be in a neighborhood you can be comfortable in. If you’re retiring and relocating you’ll want a place you can relax and that’s affordable. If you like water you’ll want to find something near or on water such as a river, creek, pond, lake, or ocean. If you like hills and mountains, you’ll want property their.
For any location you’ll need to consider how easy it is to get around, where nearby services are located, and if you work elsewhere how easy the commute will be and what travel options are available. If you have or are planning to have kids you’ll want to know about the schools and nearby recreational opportunities such as parks and recreation programs. If you like to travel you might want property in or near a big city with a large airport.
Another big consideration for a lot of people is taxes and what services are provided for those taxes. Some may want bare bones taxes and can live without a lot of services, whereas others might be willing to pay higher taxes to get more services and to live in more urban areas.
Only you can decide these things, so be sure to put a lot of thought into this.
RESOURCES
There are a ton of online resources that can provide information on neighborhoods and towns that can include information such as cost of living, crime rates, typical incomes, etc. Such research can also give you a sense of what’s available for nearby services and recreation, what properties are selling for in the area, and the quality of school systems.
Once you hone in on an area you should look at Google Earth to look at nearby highways, railroads, airports, and industrial areas to make sure you won’t have too much noise and odor impact at your site.
Local real estate agents are a great resource as they have a lot of personal knowledge about towns, neighborhoods, services, and likely purchase costs (as opposed to list prices). They’ll also know if an area popular and ‘hot’, requiring a quick decision regarding putting in bids and what the cost impacts are of such a market.
THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY
Once you start researching you should begin to collect information and data on each area you’re considering. When you start to narrow in on the select areas to live or lots you want to consider to purchase you should look into the positives and limitations of each.
This analysis should include such things as ease of access to the location, nearby shopping, potential noise issues, the potential of good or bad views, potential odors from nearby factories (think chemical plants) or agriculture (think feedlots – pew!), and the opportunities or problems mentioned in the previous section.
UTILITIES
Each site you consider should be analyzed as to what utilities are available at the site. These could include public water and sewer, utilities such as power, electric, communications, gas, and trash service. If any of these services aren’t available you’ll need to look into the possibility of having the services brought to the site or look into alternatives such as water wells, septic systems, and other private services.
PUBLIC SERVICES
Look into the available public services such as fire, police/sheriff, schools, and recreation. What is the typical emergency response time to your site, especially if you’re outside of town? Do any of these services require monthly or annual fees rather than being covered by taxes?
ANALYZE YOUR SITE
Once you’ve narrowed down to a couple of sites or selected the site you want to purchase, you’ll need to do a detailed analysis of your site so that you’ll know of any issues, problems, or opportunities when you design and build your new home.
Get a copy of the site’s survey and use it as a base drawing for your analysis.
Your analysis should include all setback requirements, easements, utilities, and existing vegitation. You’ll then add such items as the path of the sun at the summer and winter solstices, primary wind directions by season, views, slopes, rock outcroppings, the primary approach to the site from a street or road, and any other items you notice or can obtain information on. Below will be further discussion on things to consider.
ZONING
Zoning is the process used by a local authority to determine what can be built on a property and any restrictions to the design and placement of a building on the property. If you are considering any site you should look into its zoning classification and then check on what’s allowed in that classification.
Zoning will typically require a building to be set back a minimum distance from the street right-of-way and the other property lines. It can also limit the size of house you can build, the maximum footprint size of the building, the maximum height of the house, the maximum amount of hard paving and roofed area allowed to help control water runoff, and many other requirements.
Some zoning, especially in older neighborhoods, might have requirements related to historic or special neighborhood designations.
If you’re working with an architect they can assist you with understanding the zoning requirements. Otherwise, you should check with your local authority. They typically have zoning information available online and can be available to help clarify the requirements should you have any questions.
PROPERTY
Any site you’re going to purchase should already have at least a basic survey showing the property lines, their direction related to true north, and their lengths. A property should also be surveyed to show utility locations, existing vegetation, ground slope, rock outcroppings, zoning limitations, utility or access easements on the property, and other items pertinent to the site. This latter group is likely to be done by a surveyor hired by you.
A detailed survey is a must for any sizable lot and especially any rural parcel of land. Such information is necessary in order to effectively design your new home.
BENEATH YOUR FEET
Your property will consist of soil and often some or a lot of rock. This material will impact how your house is to be designed and built. Soil comes in a wide variety of types, some of which are good to build on, while others such as clay or sandy soils (think beachfronts), can present challenges. Large outcroppings of rock could interfere with where you want to build, requiring removal. Some soils are so poor that they must be removed and replaced with good soil.
All of this can be analyzed through what’s called geotechnical investigation. A geotechnical engineer can be hired to do an analysis of the site, including soil borings at a variety of pre-determined locations to look into the types of soils down to a pre-determined depth. This analysis will provided guidance as to soil quality and how foundations should be designed.
THE SUN AND THE SKY
Each property will have a specific orientation to the cardinal points, and this orientation will be impacted by the paths of travel the sun takes throughout the seasons. This path will provide the direct sunlight available on the site throughout the year.
This knowledge is important for your home design so that you can have rooms you want direct sunlight in located appropriately. It’s also beneficial if you want to take advantage of the sun for solar heating or solar energy production.
The sky is important because that’s where weather occurs. You’ll want to know the primary directions of wind throughout the seasons so that you can take advantage of natural cooling in the warm months and protect from the winds in the cold months. You should also be aware of where storms generally come from so you can provide protection from them.
Please refer to our article “Adapting to the Elements for House Design” for more information on designing for the weather.
WATER
Water is very important to consider at your site. If public water service is not available you’ll need to know if you have access to groundwater that can be used for domestic purposes. This can be determined by the geotechnical investigation.
You’ll also want to know how groundwater works on the site as high groundwater will require special design for foundations and basements to remove groundwater away from those elements.
Water can also lead to the soil freezing. You’ll need to know the maximum frost depth for your area so that foundations can be designed to the appropriate depth so that they won’t be negatively impacted by soil movement (soil heaving) when the water in the soil expands when frozen.
Rainwater and snowmelt is also important to understand. You’ll need to know how the site slopes so that water can be diverted around the house to prevent damage to the home, and you’ll need to design for roof rainwater to drain away from the house. Neighboring lands can also be sloped such that water sheds down onto your property.
Understanding winter snow and winds is also important so you can design the site and house appropriately to address heavy snows and snow drifts.
Certain areas are prone to hail during summer storms, so understanding the frequency of such events can allow for an effective roof design to withstand or minimize roof damage.
ROOMS WITH A VIEW
Knowing the direction of good and bad views from the site can be beneficial in your design. You’ll want your primary daily activities in rooms with good views while placing utilitarian spaces such as garages and service rooms toward bad views. If good views are restricted by trees you might want to consider your living areas placed on an upper floor to see the views.
THE FINAL STEP
Read our article “Four Steps to Take Before You Design – Step 4: Determine A Budget” for your final pre-design step.
Top photo by Craig Klomparens courtesy Tilton Kelly + Bell.
Feature image of bay through trees by Cayl Hollis.
All other images by Cayl Hollis.
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