Tips on Choosing the Final Site for Custom Homes in Greensboro, N.C.

When looking to build new custom homes in Greensboro, N.C., most people are often faced with two major questions: how the house should look, and where should it be built. However, several people tend to focus on designing the house first, before even choosing an ideal location for the style they want. Architecture expert and About.com contributor Jackie Craven explains why carefully choosing the initial site should always be top priority:

You can always design a home to suit a landscape, but you may not be able to alter a landscape to accommodate the specifications of predetermined house plans. The configuration of rooms, the placement of windows, the location of the driveway and many other design elements will be affected by the land you build on.

In other words, when it comes to building new homes in Greensboro, N.C. The lot selection is as an important factor as the design and the two should go hand in hand. Avoiding further complications during the construction phase is possible by considering these site-hunting factors:

Soil – Many geologists—and quite a number of builders, perhaps—are fond of a certain bible verse—Matthew 7:26—which goes: “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.” A house built on unstable land is foolish, indeed. In choosing a site, knowing the specific type of soil is critical as different variants drain and retain water in their own ways, vastly affecting their abilities to bear structural loads.

Affordability – In financing a custom home project, expenses regarding the site should never be ignored. There might be several exceptions along the way, but prospective custom home owners are recommended to allot a maximum of 20 percent of the project’s total cost on the land.

Solar exposure – In working with professional builders, such as R&K Custom Homes, the way the sun shines on the lot should always be included in the planning. For instance, those who’d like to let in as much natural light into their homes as possible could rest easy with a site that gently slopes southward. A properly oriented house actually saves on HVAC bills as well.

Accessibility – Unless the house is actually intended to be a secluded abode far from the stresses of urban life, then full and easy access to commercial, educational, and other essential establishments is a preference and a major priority among many property owners..

(Source: Where to Build? About.com)