Mastering Difficult Lots: Your Guide To Building Your Dream Home
Owning a house is considered by many as a significant milestone in life. It symbolises financial stability and personal growth. It can also be a wise investment towards wealth accumulation and a future of comfort and security. For these reasons, many people align their resources and dedicate their income to achieve this goal.
If you have a particular design for your dream home, it’s wise to start with vacant land. A vacant lot is like a blank canvas—you can create whatever you want on it. Furthermore, you can optimise your resources when you buy a vacant lot, as it can be cheaper to build your own home than to purchase one in many locations.
When buying residential land, you may encounter what’s known as a ‘difficult lot.’ A difficult lot is considered unideal for building living spaces because of various factors.
You could be dealing with a difficult lot if it has the following characteristics:
• Irregular shape: A lot that’s neither square nor rectangular is considered an irregular lot. Some examples of odd shapes include triangular, narrow, asymmetrical, and corner blocks.
• Poor soil condition: Weak soil doesn’t have the physical and chemical characteristics needed to support building foundations. Unstable ground can be a risk factor, as it can cause fissures or uneven floors.
• Sloped: Lots with a 20% incline or more are considered too steep. Sloped land can be costly to build on because of extra work in levelling or construction.
• Rough terrain: The lot is covered with huge trees or rocks that need to be cleared before construction starts.
Apart from these aspects, some areas are deemed undesirable for home construction because of being prone to natural disasters, such as floods or bushfires.
While there may be some challenges along the way, a difficult building block can be turned into an ideal living space and cherished property. For instance, you can acquire help from experts in difficult lot development to turn your dream home into reality. Aside from this, proper planning and wise allotment of resources can make a huge difference.
How to deal with a difficult lot
Here are some steps you could take to make the most out of a difficult lot and turn it into a valuable long-term investment:
• Learn the characteristics of your property: Ask your realtor or a land surveyor about the characteristics of the vacant lot. Find out the pros and cons of building a residential space in the location and see how you can address potential issues that may arise later on. Most states in Australia require full disclosure of any problems in a property for sale. To protect your investment and find the best property for your dream house, verify information and prepare questions for property owners before finalising your purchase.
• Consult with home and land experts: Working with non-standard building land will require careful planning and design, and it would be wise to seek help from experts in this field. Consult home and land experts in your area, and explore construction solutions that would suit your vacant lot and dream home. It would be the best place to start, especially for first-time homeowners.
• Understand residential building requirements in your area: Before you start building your dream home, it’s vital to learn about the safety and regulatory requirements in your area. Doing so would help you determine if your dream home design is feasible for the location and avoid violating safety codes in your region.
In Australia, for instance, building codes and regulations often require that houses be designed to withstand the regional climate dynamics to ensure safety, comfort, and sustainability. Hence, identifying your climate zone is one of the first steps you must take before creating your house plan.
• Prepare a customised house plan: If you’ve purchased an irregular lot before creating a house plan, it will be wise to tailor the design to the characteristics of your building block. Doing so will help you optimise resources, avoid safety hazards, and build a house that best suits your location and preferences.
You can also consult with home designers who are experienced with difficult lots. Standard house designs may not be well-suited for irregular lots, so you may require help from professionals with expertise in customisation.
• Optimise your space: Living in an irregularly shaped lot may come with limitations, but it shouldn’t stop you from optimising your living space and using its uniqueness to your advantage. Find ways to optimise the natural light available in the area or create functional spaces outdoors. Your creativity may come in handy for this part, and you can also acquire professional assistance to make the most out of your new property.
Conclusion
Building your dream home in a difficult lot is possible with the right house plan, sufficient preparation, and wise alignment of resources. Don’t hesitate to consult with home and land experts, conduct research on your vacant lot, and explore design and construction solutions. By doing these, you’ll achieve the home that you desire and make the most out of your investment.
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