New Home Lot Selection in Massachusetts
When you begin looking for a lot to build your future Massachusetts custom home on there are a few questions that you should consider.
"Due Diligence" Before Purchasing Your Lot:
As an example, I was contacted by a potential client through a referral from a previous client. This individual had already purchased a lot and based his decision on the lot sale cost and assurances by the seller with respect to the suitability of the parcel. At our initial meeting on-site I immediately identified at least 4 areas of concern:
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The site material (soil composition) located at the entrance to a long drive to the new home location was suspect; it appeared to be poorly drained. In the end we spent an additional $8,200.00 on the driveway preparation.
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There appeared to be wetland vegetation to the rear of the property. The client mentioned that the seller had indicated that the area in question was too far away from the proposed building site and of no consequence. I felt that it was close enough to require an RDA (Request for Determination of Applicability) filing with the local COMCOM (Conservation Commission). This came to be the case as I endeavored to secure the necessary permits to build the home. The result was a 6 week delay and $3,800.00 in costs.
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Although there was gas service available at the roadway, the road had obviously been newly paved within the last few years. It is typical for towns to refuse to allow any cutting of newly paved roads for 5 years except in the event of an emergency situation. This turned out to be the case. I was fortunate enough to plead our case to the local officials and devised a plan to access the gas main with very minimal paving disruption and repair. If I had not been successful the client would have had to change to oil or install an on-site propane storage service.
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Also, the driveway access would require the removal of a portion of very old stone wall along the roadside. This is oftentimes a subject of some concern with local towns. This turned out to be an issue; in fact, the road had been designated a “Scenic Road” with added requirements. It required a redesign of the driveway access, added drainage, a formal approval process in front of the local Board of Selectman: An additional 4 week delay and $2,200.00 expense.
As you can plainly see, a thorough and professional site development assessment prior to purchse would have well served my client in this case.
Our Massachusetts Lot Selection Services
- Lot Selection
- Property Evaluation
- Explain Potential Setbacks
- Explain Design Implementation
- Site Planning
- Square Footage Accomodation
- Explain Lot Marketability
- Lot Inspection
Why Massachusetts Should Hire Us For Lot Selection
Lot Selection is a crucial step in planning and developing your dream home. If your expectation of square footage, design criteria, and and affordability are all to be met, you should let the professionals at VBuilt Custom Homes assess, inspect and select the best possible lot to build on. And we don't just deal with the aesthetics of home building and planning, we'll assist you in issues of entitlement, enviornmental precautions and more.
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