By skyforbes 
When it comes to building on raw land, there are several steps in the process before actually building a new house. In this post, we’ll talk about what those steps are and tips for success.
While buying raw land and building a new home from scratch may seem daunting, it’s a very rewarding process. When you’re working so hard to make your dream come to life, seeing all that hard work pay off is so gratifying.
Sure, there’s lots of ups and downs, and it’s definitely not for everyone. But if you have a vision, are willing to work hard for it and have some grit, chances are you’ll have a great experience.
If this sounds like you but you’re just kicking around the idea of buying raw land to build a house, check out our other posts about buying vacant land:
Buying Vacant Land – 7 Things You Should Know Before Purchasing Pros and Cons of Buying Vacant Land The Single Most Important Thing When It Comes To Property Development
Or, browse all of our Property Development posts here.
Generally speaking, when starting with raw, undeveloped land, there are five essential steps before actually building a new home. Let’s talk about what those steps are and tips for success. Most of these steps could really be done in any order, so this list isn’t necessarily in chronological order. Access, the first step on our list, however, is most commonly done first in property development, unless it has already been done prior to you purchasing the property.
The 5 Essential Steps in Land Development Before Building a House are:
- Access
- Power
- Water System
- Waste Management System
- Preparing the Building Site
Essential Step 1 Before Building a New House: Access
A road or driveway onto your property is almost always the first step in property development when you’re dealing with raw land. This step may be overlooked by some, as many parcels that are still considered vacant land do at least have access.
Ours however, did not, so this was our very first project when we bought our property. Each property differs in terms of how easy or difficult cutting a road is – some involve clearing brush or vegetation, and some driveways are longer or steeper than others.
Owner preferences also vary in terms of materials used – some roads may be dirt, rock, gravel, or pavement. Placement of the road or driveway is also an important decision that most owners will face. This is one reason why planning ahead for future development is so critical.
Essential Step 2 Before Building a New House: Power
The next essential step before building a home is getting power to your land. Most folks choose electricity via the utility company that supplies the area. However, solar or generator, or really any combination of these three power sources, might also be an option.
As mentioned previously, this doesn’t have to be the second step, necessarily. We actually just got power, making this our fourth step in preparing our land to build a house. Yes, it would have been more convenient to have power early on, but it’s just the way it worked out for us.
If you are considering going the conventional route and sourcing from the power company, make sure you explore all options for a line extension. There can be considerable cost differences between overhead and underground service, along with several other details.
We were able to work with our power company to compare the service options and cost differences in order to make the best decision for us. We highly recommend asking all the questions and making sure it’s the right choice for your property and budget, even if it takes a little longer to get the answers.
Essential Step 3 Before Building a New House: Water System
Water is a major component of property development, for obvious reasons. There are several different water sources that may be a possibility depending on the property.
The most common source in our area is well water, so we chose to drill a well. We hired out the drilling process, of course, but we did install the well pump and parts ourselves, so if you’re interested in that go check out our post on it here.
If you are considering drilling a well, it may be helpful to check around with your neighbors and see how deep their wells are and how many gallons per minute they get. It’s not certain that your well will be similar by any means, but it can give you an idea of what is common for the area.
Essential Step 4 Before Building a New House: Waste Treatment System
Another essential step in getting your land ready to build a new home is installing, or connecting to, a waste treatment system. For most rural properties, a septic system is the most common form of waste management. For more suburban areas, connecting to the existing municipal system is most common.
We haven’t tackled this project yet, but it will be our next (and final!) step in preparing for our new build. We will need a septic system, since there isn’t a sewer system close enough to our property. We don’t know what our timeline for this project is yet, but hopefully in the near future.
Essential Step 5 Before Building a New House: Preparing the Building Site
The fifth and final essential step in property development before building a new home is preparing the building site. This step can have many sub steps depending, again, on the individual property. If you are building on a sloped lot, prep work may include cutting a building pad and optimizing drainage. If you are building in a forested area, some clearing will probably be necessary.
And of course, there can be other foundational pieces that need to be in place for a particular home build. For instance, if the new home will have a drive-under garage, additional dirt work may be needed.
Our house site was relatively clear, but we did need to cut a building pad. Our best tip for that is to be present as much as you can when the dirt work is being done on your property. Heavy equipment can change the landscape fast, and it’s much easier to catch any mistakes or issues beforehand rather than try to put dirt back where it was.
Closing Thoughts
Well, that covers the five essential steps in land development before building a house. As I mentioned before, each property and each home is so unique, there may be extra steps or unforeseen hurdles to overcome in addition to these five steps. However, these five things are foundational for any new home build.
I hope this post was helpful to you. If so, please leave a comment below. I’d love to hear your plans or dreams about building from scratch, whether you’re just interested in it or right in the thick of it. And please, don’t forget to share!