When building a home from the ground up, there are so many things to think about. At the very beginning, you can only imagine having it built to your specifications with all the features you want included but you never realized how much there is to it. All the red tape and legal entanglements begin to make you wonder why you just didn’t look for one that ‘almost’ fit your needs. However, you’re beyond that point and it’s almost time to meet with the architect to draw up plans. With all there is to do, there may be some things that get lost in the shuffle, and since the actual building begins with the site work, here are some things you’ll want to remember.
Are You in a Flood Zone?
When it comes to site work, perhaps you are only thinking in terms of the ground crew coming in to take down trees and level the ground so that the foundation can be laid. While that’s a big part of it, it’s not everything. One thing to be aware of is building codes in the area where your home will be built. You will need to work with a civil design team that will do a bit of legwork for you where it matters most. If you are in a flood zone, then you will also need to have the ground built up enough so that it’s above that level. You won’t get a building permit without that one requirement! In fact, check this site out to learn more about what civil designers can do.
Accurate Surveying of Your Lot
Another thing which many people don’t think about is a better, more accurate surveyal of their grounds. It isn’t only about where your property lines are, but that is most important. Sometimes you want features that won’t work within the allotted space. For example, a built-in pool or a fence running the perimeter. You will always need to consider setbacks from the road and adjoining properties. An accurate surveyal will tell you exactly where you can run your fence and sometimes it will impact the kind of fence you install.
The Ecosphere
This is especially important if you are building out in some rural area. If you will be disturbing a natural habitat of an endangered species, you might need to either move the construction to a different part of your land or perhaps take other steps to protect that species. Sometimes you may even be required to ‘relocate’ them to other areas where they would be safe in a conservation zone. This isn’t often, but it can impact the time when and the location where your site work is done.
These are all things that many first-time homebuilders doing a DIY new build aren’t aware of. They can be important factors that can stall your project until you meet legal requirements such as when building in a flood zone. They are not impossible to correct, but they will take time to do so.
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