Site Selection
the selection of the right site to build your new dream home is as important as the new custom home design you select, this section will give you a quick overview of what to look for
Perth Property is generally driven by a number of factors including amenity (beach, river café, shopping, parks etc.) location ( prestige value and amenity as well as work location), school catchment areas private or good public (this is a very important factor even if you don’t have school are children and is used a lot by R/E agents, Applecross SHC zone etc.) lifestyle ( walk to the beach, café strip, into the city, stadium etc.) prestige, snob value, achievement and respect.
Clever home designs can help with refining your selection of the right site for you and your family.
Some useful considerations are as follows.
Value of the land, and in the instance that the site has an existing home on it, are you paying a premium for the old house on the site? Generally, to demo a home would be between 15 to 20K depending. If I was asked to give an estimate on a site with an old home on it, normally I would put the land value by the $ per M2, then put 3 years rental return, of the old home on top of the land content. Clever home designs use a licensed valuer to help you ascertain the real value.
Uniqueness of the property, what has this parcel got, that sets it aside or is
rare, thing like views, street value, aspect, and amenity will all add value? Clever home designs have experience in the selection, particularly in the western, oceanside and riverside suburbs.
Overview, how long will you live here for? Is it an emotional purchase or a
commercial decision, how will it value after the build? If you’re in for the long haul this is not as relevant but still needs to make sense. Clever home designs also use this information in the design brief.
Cost of preparing the site, including site works, retaining walls, are we going
to undercut the adjoining structure or land? Chemical injection and piling can be expensive, at clever home designs, we have a site works check list that may help.
Complexity of adjoining neighbors is something that can be challenging, find
out before you offer, who and in some instances, what is next door, a bottle of wine or a walk with the dog always pays dividends, and sometimes it may act as a circuit breaker if there has been a falling out between existing neighbors.
Cost implications affected by site selection
Adjoining properties including any physical impact or surcharge on the site, overlooking, pool position, over shadowing, retaining on the boundary or close and fences, this is covered in the site works check list by clever home designs.
Rear Sites - If you are proposing to build on a rear block or a block accessed off a laneway in a brownfields area. Not all laneways may be considered suitable for vehicle access, delivery of materials or have enough storage space on site
BAL (bushfire assessment) if your site is close to a park, coastal vegetation or bushland you may be required to upgrade the home to meet the BAL assessment on the site, normally just a cost factor but it can take into account what materials you intend to use, again clever home designs can email you a check list on this particular item.
Sloping Sites - If the slope on the site appears to be more than 2m going up or down to the naked eye or as seen on a survey. Sometimes using the slope to gain an advantage in the design and workability of the home, clever home designs have a lot of experience in interesting sites.
Retaining walls can be expensive and implead the amenity of the site but can with the right planning value add to the home. Sometimes clever home designs will use a number of tools to maximize the site including, retaining on the boundary, step downs in the home and buildups under the home to manage the retaining and sloping sites.
Public Facility - If there is a school, park, shopping Centre or some other facility that has an impact on the traffic or volume of people in the area. Construction needs to determine if traffic management, site fencing or any other considerations will need to be put in place during the build that may limit our design options or needs costs allowed for in the build.
Power lines - If we are proposing a double story home then all jobs require an assessment, if the block slopes up towards the rear than this will also be required for single story designs to assess the need for shrouding.
Fence Removal - If it appears, we may need to remove existing fencing during the build then the impact on the neighboring property needs to be gauged. The existing levels and structures already in place can impact on what we can design. This will be required if we are proposing to build any part of the home on the boundary. Most people like the idea of new fences around their new home, but the installation of them can be very complex and expensive in the established areas particularly masonry fences, clever home designs can help manage this process with you.
Unique Situations - If there is a Bus stop or something else unique on the site.
Undercroft/Cellars - If you are proposing an undercroft garage, or cellar or something similar than a site assessment on the suitability of this will be required. keep in mind the driveway gradient when your proposing an undercroft garage. Also keep in mind the implications the digging in will have on the adjoining properties, again talk to clever home designs prior to purchasing to ascertain whether your expectations can be achieved on the particular site.
Setbacks - If you are proposing a front setback of 4.5m or less. Site access and storage space needs to be considered. Clever home designs have a construction management template that may be of use when looking at the tighter sites.
Coastal conditions- coastal conditions like wind and salt cause huge damage to homes and things like steel, glass, roof structure and waterproofing need to be upgraded to stop your new home turning into a maintenance program, most of these precautions can’t be retrofitted, clever home designs has a checklist that may help but it’s our experience that
Soil conditions- this can be one of the biggest costs issues things like capstone, plastic soils like clay or peat or something that has occurred previously on the site like a swimming pool filled in but not compacted. clever home designs has some information that may help, generally the builder will put a provisional sum on site works, but if you have some knowledge as to what to look out for it will help in ensuring the sum is realistic.
Shire requirements- things like heritage listings of heritage precincts, design guild lines or things contained in the towns TPS can have an impact not just on cost, but what you can build on the site. Sometimes a client will come to clever home designs and find out that what they had in mind, just can’t be built because of shire restrictions. Clever home designs have some info called shire cheat sheets that may help with this.
Adverse possession this is a nasty thing that comes up sometimes if a structure has been built incorrectly and has remained for over 12 years, talk to clever home designs about this one if it comes up, and we can work out a plan of how best to resolve the issue.
Services extension of sewer lines, power run ins, bio systems etc. can get expensive if it’s not factored in, clever home designs has a site check list that may help with this.
Information that can help in site selection
Site contour survey in AHD levels
Anything that was signed for at the time of settlement, i.e. restrictive convents, DAPs, easements, heritage listings, adverse possession
Shire zoning, TPS specific to the area, setbacks required, street trees, curb condition, side entry pits, foot paths and traffic management.
Photos of site including down the fence lines, across the other properties, services, and conditions of adjoining structures.
Solar aspect including large trees, north aspect, wind protection and overshadowing by adjoining structures
Adjoining properties including any physical impact or surcharge on the site, overlooking, pool position, over shadowing, retaining on the boundary or close
Solar aspect including large trees, north aspect, wind protection and overshadowing by adjoining structures.
Dial before you dig is a government website that has a wealth of information contained therein, including power, water, sewer, phone lines etc., well worth getting a report.
We are happy to give you advice or help with any of the above items and possibly it would be best prior to the offer being presented.
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I look forward to being able to help.
