How Property Slope and Access Affect Your Home Designs
Ask A Builder:
Preparing for a custom home build starts with acquiring land, and that land is quite often not entirely ready to simply plop a foundation down and begin building. In fact, site work to get a property ready can account for 10-20% of the build budget.
The slope of the property is a big factor in this, and we’ll unpack that in today’s post. (Along with a couple other details that play into the build process.)
First, what specifically do we mean by slope?
In construction terms, the property’s slope means how much the ground rises or falls over a given distance.
Understanding the slope(s) on your property early helps your builder and designer:
Determine the right type of foundation
Plan for water drainage and erosion control
Estimate costs related to excavation, retaining walls, or backfill
Suggest home layouts that make the most of your natural elevation
Building on Flat or Gently Sloped Land
These shapes tend to be more budget-friendly to build upon, and offer flexibility in layout. Simpler foundation types like crawlspaces or slab-on-grade are straightforward here.
A crawlspace foundation is especially common in the Triad area. It elevates the home slightly above ground level, which allows for easier access to plumbing and electrical systems. This provides a natural buffer against moisture.
With a gentle slope it’s possible to grade the site for proper drainage, without the need for extensive excavation or retaining walls.
Other benefits of flat or slightly sloped sites include:
Easier access for construction equipment, which can help keep labor costs down
More options for outdoor living areas: patios, porches, and gardens that don’t need special supports
Simplified driveway and garage placement, since elevation changes won’t complicate access
That said, even flat land needs a thoughtful approach. It’s still important to consider drainage, soil quality, and access to utilities.
Building On Steeper Slopes
A skilled home builder will work with the terrain rather than against it. Rather than trying to flatten the entire area, which can be extensive, another approach is to incorporate that steeper slope into the foundation.
One of the most common solutions is a walk-out basement design. This approach partially embeds the home into the slope, allowing for a lower level that opens out into the yard.
Positioning the foundation strategically creates benefits such as:
Natural light in the basement
Scenic views from multiple levels
Covered patios or tiered outdoor spaces
Steeper sites also allow for split-level homes or designs that “wrap” the contour of the land, giving the home a unique character that flat lots can’t always offer.
However, it’s important to understand that steep lots often require:
More excavation and grading, which increases labor and equipment costs
Retaining walls or engineered supports to manage soil stability and drainage
Careful foundation planning, sometimes involving multiple levels or custom footings
In short, a slope adds both potential and complexity. The extra planning up front can lead to a truly one-of-a-kind home—but it’s important to work with a builder who’s experienced with this kind of terrain and knows how to navigate the permitting, design, and engineering considerations involved.
Other Important Property Considerations
Aside from the property slope, here are some other things to be conscious of when looking at properties, or when reviewing a property you recently acquired. Each of these can affect the available building options, permits needed, and additional usage considerations.
Flood Zones
If your lot is located at the bottom of a slope or near a body of water, it’s important to check whether it falls within a designated flood zone. Homes in these areas often require:
Elevated foundations or piers
Engineered drainage systems
Additional permitting and insurance considerations
Even if the land isn’t officially in a flood zone, poor drainage can still create long-term problems. This is another benefit of building a custom home, since you can take preventative measures early on that aren’t always prioritized during spec home neighborhoods.
Easements and Shared Access
Easements are portions of your property that may legally allow utility companies — or even neighbors — access for things like:
Sewer lines
Shared driveways
Electrical or water service
An example of where this could come into play is if you have power lines on your property, or other county-owned resources that their personnel would occasionally need to enter your property to access. Or if your driveway is the “main” driveway that one or two other neighbors’ driveways break off from. They would obviously need to access part of your property and driveway to reach their own properties.
Easements affect where you can build, which may affect your ideal home placement, driveway orientation, or future plans for outbuildings or fencing. It’s essential to identify any easements during the land evaluation process.
Public Utility Access
In similar fashion, whether or not your property has access to public utilities affects your build. For instance, if your property connects to city water and sewer services it carries one set of plumbing tasks. If not, and you’re operating from a well and septic system, that’s a different set of plumbing tasks.
If the property had not previously been connected to city/county electrical systems, new power lines may need to be run. That’s something to establish early on, and requires some additional steps.
Walking The Property With Your Builder
Once you’ve selected your builder, it’s a good idea to walk the property with them. A personal, feet on the ground view of things can reveal aspects that aren’t always obvious on topographical maps or surveys. This even includes observing how the sun moves across the property.
While many builders are brought in after land has been purchased and plans have been drawn, a builder can better serve you by walking you through these earlier steps in the process.