How to Choose the Right Building Plot for Your Future House?
Every construction project begins with the search for the ideal plot of land on which to build your own home. This step should not be overlooked and may be more difficult than expected, or even result in additional costs.
Find out what you should consider before making the right choice.
Draw up a list of criteria for your future home
The size of the plot, the orientation, the size of the garden and the house you desire, the number of floors you want, as well as the architecture and building materials, are all criteria that will influence your decision when looking for and purchasing a building plot.
Choose the location for the land
Even if you don't think about it when you are looking for a plot of land, always keep in mind that in real estate, you must always think about resale. Keeping this in mind will also play a role in your living environment. Indeed, you should favour locations close to schools and other amenities (transport, shops, etc.).
Ideally, your plot of land should have good road access: motorway, main road, while being protected from disturbances such as a railway line, an air strip, a road intersection, a roundabout or traffic lights located too close to your future house.
Take an interest in the current and future landscape of the site you are visiting so that your property is not depreciated.
In addition to the location of the land, another element to consider for your future quality of life is the quality of the internet connection.
Construction design: who will carry out your construction project?
There are two possibilities when buying a building plot: the plot is sold with an assigned builder or the plot is open to any builder of your choosing. In the latter case, you will be free to choose the builder, the architect and all the craftsmen who will work on your project.
Furthermore, if your land is located in a housing estate, you may be obliged to comply with a set of specifications that guarantee the homogeneity of the various buildings that make up the estate.
Check the amount of local taxes
When you visit a plot of land, it is important to find out about the amount of local taxes, housing tax, property tax, development tax and also the quality and price of water.
Preventing risks through risk assessment
The Natural Risk Assessment can be consulted to assess risks. It specifies whether land is located in an area with natural hazards such as floods, landslides, settlements, avalanches, fires or earthquakes. You can also look at your land from the air with an application like Google Maps to get an idea of its surroundings.
Study the local urban plan and the land use plan
The local urban plan and the land use plan are rich in information. The local urban plan will also allow you to check whether or not it is possible to build high buildings on the land surrounding your property.
You should also check that the plot of land you are interested in is not on a conservation land which would require, for example, for you to use a conservation architect.
Examine the topology of the terrain
There are certain elements and details to be aware of when visiting a property:
- The slope of the land
- The slope and the sunshine
- Vegetation and possible deforestation
Check the nature of the soil and subsoil
It is important to check that the quality of the soil will not affect your building project or that it has not been polluted in the past, which would pose a risk to your health. A geologist should be called in for this step. Have the land surveyor mark the boundaries.
Although this step is not compulsory and is somewhat costly, it is the only way to know the exact size of the land you are buying. So, before you call on an architect specialising in the construction of individual houses. Before building a house, have a surveyor mark out the boundaries of the land. This makes it possible to fix the size and specify the limits in an indisputable way.
In conclusion, although the ideal plot of land probably does not exist, paying attention to all these elements will nevertheless enable you to find the most suitable building plot for your construction project.