Step 2: Choose your Lot

Whether you are building your home in a suburban development or a site with beautiful ocean views, you will almost always need to choose the land before you select floor plans or other details. You and the professionals you hire will need to investigate factors such as soil condition, drainage, zoning and building codes in the region.

Another important consideration is if the lot has town sewer or septic system. If the lot requires septic, you should find out: Will soils be suitable for septic system? Will percolation rates be fast or slow? Does the lot have a high water table? Will septic system need to be filled or pumped? In Massachusetts, the answers to these questions can mean a difference of up to $50,000 on a single family house lot. Never buy a lot without an accurate estimate of the septic system costs!

We recommend choosing your lot BEFORE you go too far with your home plans. It is important to have an idea of the architectural style you prefer to determine the size and characteristics of your building site. You may run into problems, however, if you select a specific floor plan too soon. 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.