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FINDING THE RIGHT LOT FOR YOUR CUSTOM HOME

What do you need to know to buy just the right lot for your custom home? Before you go to settlement on that “perfect lot,” you need to know the answers to several important questions.

Your purchase contract for the lot should include a 60 or 90 day “study period” in which you can review the lot to make sure it meets your needs. Find a reputable building industry professional to work with — either an architect or home builder. During the study period, get answers to the following questions:
What is the zoning of the property under contract?
What are the side, rear, and front setback restrictions under this zoning classification?
Are there any restrictive covenants or title issues that will affect what you want to build?
Where are the utilities? If electric, gas, cable, and phone are not “at the lot line,” do easements exist to bring them to your lot?
Does the lot have access to public water and sewer service? Do easements exist? If yes, what are the tap fees? If “no,” you will need some answers regarding wells and septic fields.
Is there any existing flood plain or Resource Protection Area restrictions on your lot? Local jurisdictions have become much more restrictive in their interpretations of your rights with these areas. If your lot slopes significantly, you may want to obtain field run topography survey, as most of the aerial topography surveys at government jurisdictions are inaccurate.
You will need a preliminary grading showing the location of the house, septic field, well, utilities, and driveway. All of the proposed improvements must meet the zoning, setback, and health-department requirements of your jurisdiction. You will now be able to determine if there is any specific site problem. These could include:
A significant need for fill dirt (or an excess)
Insufficient area for the required improvements
The need for extensive retaining walls
The process may sound daunting, but if you can work through the issues, building a custom home can be a truly rewarding experience.

Finding the Perfect Lot
What if you have not found that “perfect lot?” Local Realtors and custom builders are great sources of information about high-quality, desirable, and “build-able” lots. Most individual lots and small subdivisions are purchased and developed by small builders. Realtors and builders often know about prime lots of which the general public is not aware.

DESIGNING YOUR CUSTOM HOME

One of the biggest challenges custom home buyers face is how to select the right design for their new home. Creating a list that prioritizes your needs is a good starting point. The following criteria are essential when selecting a home design.

Lifestyle
Do you entertain frequently? Do you have plans to grow your family? Do you need rooms to which you can retreat for privacy? Think about the time you presently spend in rooms and why. For example, do you find your kitchen has become the family gathering place? If so, you may want to consider a hearth room as part of the kitchen.

Size
Square footage does not always equal usable space. When designing room sizes, carefully consider the seating areas and how furniture placement will affect the overall feel of the room. Do you want two separate seating areas or one larger conversation area? How will the room flow into other rooms? In many instances, volume ceilings provide spaciousness to a room that floor square footage doesn’t.

Openness
The openness of a floor plan creates a special feeling in itself, especially when volume ceilings are added. When natural light is shared from room to room and dramatic views are maximized, a sense of airiness is achieved. Open plans work well with traffic flow, but also channel noise from one room to another. Therefore, you may want to allow for a private room such as a library or garden room.

Views
Consider the views from each room of the home. Important factors to consider include the location of neighboring houses, extended view corridors, special plant life, and sunlight. Recording this information will help ensure that your home’s windows maximize the lot’s view potential.

Planning
Planning and prioritizing are key elements when narrowing down the search for a new custom home design. Keeping these criteria in mind should help you reach your goals.