Can I Build a Home on My Austin Lot?
Whether it’s land you’ve inherited or just a special place because of its unique geography or views, building a home on your own lot is the best way to ensure that your new space is just the way you want it, for the ultimate dream home. But how do you go about it? What are your responsibilities? How much does it cost? Will a home builder be able to help you?
We know you have lots of questions about the process, because we work with plenty of folks like you every day to build their dream homes—either on our lot or their own. Here’s everything you need to know about how to build on your Austin lot so you won’t overlook anything critical.
Selecting a Lot on Which to Build Your Home
Before you even break ground and start construction, you’ll need to pick the lot you want to build on, if you don’t already have one chosen. A view of the sweeping Texas Hill Country or of the meandering Lady Bird Lake are great, but there’s more to an ideal location than looks alone. Here are some of the factors to keep in mind when choosing a potential lot:
- Neighborhood: Does it seem safe? Is it convenient to your family’s jobs and schools? Is it close enough to amenities such as grocery stores, hospitals and vets? Is it in an up-and-coming area? If you desire a family-friendly area, be on the lookout for kids playing outside, and watch how the neighbors interact with each other.
- Topography: Building a home on a rugged piece of land is a romantic idea, but it’s not the most realistic—not until it’s been professionally assessed, that is. Your builder will be able to determine what work needs to be done before the breaking of ground, whether it includes tree removal, paving, leveling or other modification.
- Site orientation and features: It’s important to consider how a lot’s placement will affect your day-to-day life. Is your potential lot in or near an area with a heavy amount of traffic? This can impact your home’s sense of peace, and it can also create dangers for small children. Would you prefer a corner lot for more privacy and sidewalk space? If your potential lot is located at a T-intersection, or a lot that faces an incoming street, you’ll need to be prepared for the constant headlights of oncoming traffic.
Hire a home builder to Help You Build a New Home on Your Lot
Just because you’re building on your own lot doesn’t mean you have to go through more of the process by yourself. The earlier you partner with a trustworthy home builder—even before buying your land, if applicable—the more time, money and headache you’ll save. An experienced home builder will bring their expertise to the table, helping you determine the best placement of the home as well as whether or not you should build on a particular lot at all. Here are some critical elements they can help you address:
- Prepping your lot:You may need to remove trees, large rocks or other building obstructions or move earth in and out of your lot.
- Hooking up utilities: If gas, water and electric aren’t already routed to your new lot, your local utility companies will need to hook them up.
- Determining land logistics for water flow:Does your lot feature any slopes? How does water move about the property?
- Finding unseen ground conditions:This is one of the most important reasons to partner with a home builder early on. There could be issues underneath the soil that you don’t realize—for example, your lot may not be able to support a septic system. But having an expert by your side will ensure that these issues don’t go unchecked.
No more Googling “Can I build a house on my lot?” Here at Mangum Builders, we consider ourselves a dedicated partner in bringing your dream home to life, and that’s why we help you through the process of building on your own lot—from start to finish. We’ll visit your preferred lot to assess the placement of your home on the space, utility services, site costs, wells and septic systems, and more. After that, we’ll begin construction to deliver an extraordinary home that brings you your unique vision to life.
