You have just found your dream block in the Mornington Peninsula with sweeping views of Port Phillip Bay. You can imagine the design of your new home sunken into the hillside with uninterrupted walls of glass facing the water. The only problem is you had to abseil off a cliff to get onto the block, rabbits roll down the hill when they try and hop, and bees get altitude sickness from the height.
Ok maybe the block isn’t that bad, but building on a sloping site can be daunting. I’m sure you have heard the horror stories of unexpected site costs, building quotations way over budget or leaking basements and retaining walls. These stories are often real and without exaggeration. So how do you know if you should purchase the block or walk away from it? How do you select a builder and building designer who can manage these increased risks and costs? And what are the best construction and design principles to use?
Purchasing the block:
The first step is to talk to a builder and building designer before purchasing the block. Let them know what you are hoping to achieve, your overall budget, design aspirations and amenity requirements. A good builder and building designer will be able to assess the block and advise on expected build costs, construction risks and factors that may limit its building potential.
Ask the selling agent if the property has a geotechnical report. This will advise on soil conditions and recommended foundation designs. This will help your builder and building designer determine potential site costs.
Look at neighbouring properties, particularly properties directly between you and any potential view. Assume any vacant block will be built on soon with the largest and tallest home possible. If the neighbouring property is an older dwelling, there may be an increased chance it will be knocked down and replaced with a larger home. Will this limit any potential views on your block? A good building designer will be able to model what a future neighbouring property would look like as per the local planning scheme and show you the potential impact on your view line.
Selecting a Builder and Building Designer:
When selecting a builder and building designer for a sloping site, experience is crucial. People only know what they know, and when it comes to high-risk construction sites, there is nothing better than experience. Have they designed or built a property on a similar sloping site? What challenges were they faced with and how they overcame them? Do they have experience with high retaining walls, waterproofing, and basement construction, and if so, which systems have they used? Selecting the right design and construction team for your home is the best investment you can make. Great design will focus construction costs in high-impact areas, great construction will extend the lifetime of your build, and both will add to the future resale value.
Best Construction and Design Principles for Sloping Sites:
When it comes to sloping sites the best construction and design principles reduce construction costs, reduce risk of construction failure, and provide the best design outcome. The number one design principle is to work with the land. Designing a home that works to the contours of the land will reduce site costs and provide a natural indoor-outdoor flow. The next thing to consider is minimising risk. Retaining walls are almost inevitable on any sloping site, but constructing them outside the building envelope, or providing a serviceable space between the retaining wall and your home will allow for future maintenance, inspecting damage or faults and will mitigate potential damage to your home. And finally, I always recommend using tried and tested systems that your designer and builder have first-hand experience with. Maybe you saw some great product online, at a local home show, or featured on a reality TV show. However, using a system that your builder isn’t familiar with will only add increased cost and risk of failure.
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