Planning Your Development of Vacant Land

Planning a development is my favorite part of the whole process. This is where you get to be creative and design exactly what you want down to the very last detail. From the location of the driveway to the floorplan of the house…even the landscaping to make sure you have trees planted in the perfect spot to provide shade but still protect your views. This is an opportunity to be a visionary and create your dream. Have fun with it and don’t hold back. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the big items to consider in the planning phase.

Different Types of Structures

The best place to start in the planning phase is to determine what you want to build. In chapter 2 we talked about starting with the end in mind and determining what to do with your land. The type of structure you decide to develop will have the largest impact on how you proceed with the development. Whether it’s a log cabin, a tree house, a tiny home, a yurt, or a single-family home, your options are endless. New concepts are coming out every day with more and more affordable options to choose from. Below we will look at some of the most common types of structures being built today.

Single Family Home

A single-family home, commonly referred to as an SFR (Single Family Residence), is the most common type of home in the United States. An SFR can be built out of a number of different types of materials and methods, but there are a few things to consider when evaluating if an SFR is what you are looking for. First, there are several different foundation types, but the three most common are Slab, Crawlspace and Basement. A slab foundation is literally a slab of concrete at grade level and is usually the most affordable type of foundation. A crawlspace foundation does not have a full basement and can cost a little more in the short term but can be more conducive to certain climates to prevent cracking and costly repairs depending on the climate and how expansive the soils are. A basement foundation is usually the most expensive type of foundation but provides more livable square footage, storage and flexibility with home space.

Outside of the foundation, there are almost endless options. Most homes are stick built, meaning they are wood frame and less than 4 stories, but many single-family homes are built out of concrete or steel. There are also homes built out of other alternative materials like sod, plastic or aluminum…and the list goes on. The key differentiator is that single family homes are built on site and on a permanent foundation.

Modular Home

A modular home is a home constructed off site and later assembled on the property. It’s important to note that modular homes are different from manufactured homes primarily because they are affixed to a permanent foundation. Modular homes are usually built in a factory-like setting with each component installed prior to delivery including plumbing, electrical and gas.  Once the home is ready to be installed, it is often moved in sections or modules and the final assembly takes place on site. Because modular homes are built in a factory-like setting, they can be completed in significantly less time with arguably a higher quality because they are in a controlled environment and are often required to meet even more strict codes and regulations than a traditional single-family home.

Manufactured Home & Mobile Home

A manufactured home is also commonly referred to as a mobile home. Both are constructed off-site and are transported to the property for installation. However, by definition, manufactured and mobile homes are not permanently affixed to a permanent foundation and are required to have a wheeled chassis.

Tiny Home

There is no official definition of a tiny home, but they are commonly referred to as being a smaller home (less than 600 SF) built off site and usually are built on a wheeled chassis or a trailer. Tiny homes can be attached to a permanent foundation, but most municipalities still view tiny homes similar to a manufactured or mobile home and are treated as such in their code.

The Design Process

This is where the creative vision meets reality. Unfortunately, our wish list of what we want isn’t always feasible whether it be financially restrictive or otherwise – and a lot of those items are discovered in the design process. There are a number of professionals that you can engage to help with the process including Land Planners, Landscape Architects, Architects, Engineers and Contractors or Builders.                                       

Land Planners

Land planners are able to take a completed survey and design the overall plan for the property. They will evaluate the zoning code and incorporate all set-back requirements and other restrictions to show you the potential building envelope, landscaping requirements, and everything that needs to be incorporated into the land plan. If you don’t want to use a professional land planner, you could just as easily take your survey and sketch out exactly what you want to do with the property. Once you take the land plan to the building department, they will confirm if the current plan meets all the requirements and restrictions or if any changes are needed. Your land plan should include everything you plan to develop on the property, including the house or primary structure, sheds or outbuildings, your well or water source, sewer or septic, driveways, fences, trees, etc.

Landscape Architects

Landscape architects are not to be confused with architects, although many architects also provide landscape architecture in their scope of services. Landscape architects specialize in everything outside of the structure in your land plan. They work with your land planner if they didn’t develop the land plan themselves and design the landscaping for the entire property. While they help with selecting trees and foliage and general landscaping for the property, they also help with some of the more complicated items including access roads and walkways, drainage and detention, and any retaining walls.

Architects

Architects are licensed professionals that help design, plan and develop the structure you are intending to build. Architects go through extensive training to ensure their design meets code requirements and include all the necessary components like the electrical and plumbing fixtures, hot water heater, and furnace just to name a few (there are over 3,000 different components in the average single-family house). They will help you translate the vision of what you want to build while ensuring all zoning rules and building code requirements are met. They will develop a complete set of architectural plans that are reviewed and approved by the building department and include specific instructions on how the structure should be built.

Engineering

There are a number of different types of engineers out there, but when building a home, you will be working with a structural engineer to ensure the property meets all structural requirements. Structural engineers and architects work hand in hand to ensure the plans being drawn will meet all structural requirements. Structural engineers will also work with the contractors during the build offering advice on the technical aspects of the building. Note, if the structure you are building isn’t very complex, you likely won’t need a structural engineer, or their involvement will be very limited.

Contractors & Builders

The role of the Contractor/Builder is defined in your agreement with them, but they can handle the entire build from start to finish, or just specific parts of the build. Usually they provide all the materials, labor, equipment and consultative services for the entire project. Contractors usually hire specialized trades for each specific component of the work being completed, like a plumber, electrician, framer, etc. General Contractors should be licensed and able to take the plans created by your architect and deliver the final product. We talk a little bit more about Contractors in chapter 10.

The Planning Department

Every county and municipality is different but permits and plans are usually approved by the planning department. The planning department establishes the guidelines and regulations for all buildings within the county or city. They also establish the strategic plan for the growth and development of the area. This includes developing and adopting the zoning code and building requirements. We highly recommend taking the time to become familiar with the planning department as well as the zoning code for your particular property to understand exactly what you can and cannot do.