How to Know if Land is Buildable​

Here is the place for some real due diligence. Local zoning ordinances, shoreline regulations and stormwater controls put in place by local jurisdictions to comply with state and federal requirements may make your project unbuildable on your particular piece of property. So before going ahead, it is necessary to have full knowledge of how to know if land is buildable before doing anything.

It is very important to the development of any construction project to know if the land is buildable. This enables your plans to adhere to local rules and prevent hefty errors.

Check Zoning Laws

First research zoning regulations for the land. These decide and define what type of structures can be built in there. Contact your local planning office to confirm the zoning designation. Check public records as well.

Verify Access to Utilities

Essential utilities such as water, electricity and sewage systems that a buildable land requires to access. Talk to utility providers and make sure you are connected. Adding them may significantly increase your costs if they aren’t.

Conduct a Land Survey

A professional land survey will give you useful information about boundaries, topography and even restrictions. It shows things like wetlands, flood zones, or steep slopes, that might limit what’s possible on a building site. Surveys also prevent boundary disputes.

Review Permit Requirements

Certain land needs special permits to build on. For instance, you may need grading or check an environmental concern. Find out from your local permitting office what you need to meet specific requirements for the property.

Look at Deed Restrictions

Private rules telling people how to use the land are the deed restrictions. They could be a building’s height, material or maybe even structure size. Check the deed to see if there’s an abutting restriction.

Final Thoughts

There is research, and preparation regarding knowing if the land is buildable. Familiarize yourself with zoning laws, identify where utilities exist, and have a survey or two done to make sure there aren’t any surprises. Check all the legal papers and call up the experts. By doing this, it ensures that your project gets off to a good start and doesn’t end up having wasted time.

Before you sign any contracts with builders or manufactured home providers, be sure to get a feasibility study done on your property. A good feasibility study will uncover all these regulations and let you know how long it will take to get the required permits. Some jurisdictions can take up to one year for a permit if there are a lot of land issues connected with the property.

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