Counter Line means .... ??

kanchi7880 · May 14, 2007 12:23 pm

Hi Guys,

Few more questions for an experts ...

I recently visited to a block of land. I saw a lot diagram and there was a line crossing it. I asked that guy what does that mean. He just told me that it called a contour line but he doesn’t have a good idea about it?

Question: Does any one have any idea what does contour line means when it passing through a block of land??

I also saw a construction company last weekend and they told me that when you select a block of land please make sure that you check with your building engineer or adviser, because if there is a fall (slop) on block of land it cost you to make it level before starting construction.

Question: we cant expect any land has to be 100% flat .... so how much slop is generally allowable ??

Question: How much is it cost to level a block of land ?? Any estimate you received or any study you did ?? (e.g. block of land is 600 sqm and slop is 1.0 m or more - worst case scenario)

Regards,

KanChi

mattwalker · May 14, 2007 12:52 pm

Kanchi,

The line could have been a contour line but it could also be an easement line. Be careful!!

If there is a contour line passing through the land it means the fall accross the whole block is less than or equal to 200mm of rise and fall.

Most bigger builders will not build on a fall greater than 800mm.

Our block (600sqm) with a fall of 1200mm had site costs of around $25,000 but this would depend on the builder.

Matt

kanchi7880 · May 14, 2007 1:07 pm

mattwalker

Kanchi,

The line could have been a contour line but it could also be an easement line. Be careful!!

Matt

I thing that wasn't an easement line because a guy told me specifically that there isnt any easement in his block. And if I am not making mistakes then easement is for sewage at any face of the land block and it is about 1.5m to 2m and you cant construct over that area... please correct me if I am wrong.

mattwalker

Kanchi,

If there is a contour line passing through the land it means the fall accross the whole block is less than or equal to 200mm of rise and fall.

Most bigger builders will not build on a fall greater than 800mm.

Our block (600sqm) with a fall of 1200mm had site costs of around $25,000 but this would depend on the builder.

Matt

It means that there just one contour passing through a block of land means 200 mm rise or fall. If two then 400 mm, 3 then 600 mm ... m i right ??

You mean that your block of land has almost 6 contours ... ??

mattwalker · May 14, 2007 1:16 pm

Kanchi,

You are correct about the easement. It generally is a straight line along one edge of the block and can be as deep as 3 metres.

Again you are 100% correct about the contour lines. The space between each set of dotted lines is 200mm of rise or fall.

My block had 10 contour lines down one side and 8 down the other, not to mention the 5 left to right!!

I was lucky and found a good builder.

Matt

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kanchi7880 · May 14, 2007 2:33 pm

I am looking for land at this stage. I am planning to go for a block of 600 sqm to 700 sqm.

For land, I saw few communities developed by the land estates, i.e. The Chase.

Lands are also available around such community too ... from private seller... Not exactly in community but around such communities. And seems cheaper then what community offers.

Does anyone see any advantages to buy a land in community other then pre-developed infrastructure like roads, schools, parks, etc??

Does community offers any advantage over the other private or single land??

kanchi7880 · May 14, 2007 2:37 pm

mattwalker

Kanchi,

You are correct about the easement. It generally is a straight line along one edge of the block and can be as deep as 3 metres.

Again you are 100% correct about the contour lines. The space between each set of dotted lines is 200mm of rise or fall.

My block had 10 contour lines down one side and 8 down the other, not to mention the 5 left to right!!

I was lucky and found a good builder.

Matt

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But you might have really good deal because I saw many times that land with few contours is quite cheaper then flat.

So you must get it in really good deal and that covers your cost of $ 25000 for making it flat.

mattwalker · May 14, 2007 2:51 pm

Kanchi,

we wanted the views, hence the contour lines!!

Matt

kanchi7880 · May 14, 2007 3:05 pm

mattwalker

Kanchi,

we wanted the views, hence the contour lines!!

Matt

I think its fair enough. To get a view you have to sacrifice with slop.

Hai I just saw your website link. You design custom Home Theater system. I saw few system in Simonds House in Berwick, has Benq Projecter with Screen.

Do you know how much that system cost me including sound system?

Sorry for an offbit question but I am really interested to know a cost of Home Theatre System I saw in Simonds Home.

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I am looking for land at this stage. I am planning to go for a block of 600 sqm to 700 sqm.

For land, I saw few communities developed by the land estates, i.e. The Chase.

Lands are also available around such community too ... from private seller... Not exactly in community but around such communities. And seems cheaper then what community offers.

Does anyone see any advantages to buy a land in community other then pre-developed infrastructure like roads, schools, parks, etc??

Does community offers any advantage over the other private or single land??

Yak_Chat · May 14, 2007 3:20 pm

Contours is a common mapping term used to indicate a rate fo fall, and make sure they indicating the scale on the plans, because it might not always be a 200mm contour interval.

Some builders are prepared to work with slope issues, others are not.
I recently saw 5 sets of plans from one builder all made to suit sloping blocks and they would build aon any block up to a certain slope ratio.

Others said they were not interested.

It's a case of the slope and the views will be nice, but comes with it issues of drainage, site preperation costs etc which will be up. Then there is the option of a split level house that has less preperation costs but the house is not all on one level, but often less site prep costs.
The the soil type will also determine what you can do with it, ie the degree of slope it will support etc.
I would NEVER buy a block of land from plans or photos alone. Sure that will give me an idea, but when spending lots of $K on a block of land, I'd fly drive etc to make sure it was what I wanted first, and that will then tell you what it is like and what you can do with it.

Talk to some builders, which should have some guidelines as to what the maximum fall rate is that they will build on.
Beware of the cut and fill ratios, because the house can then be buried into a hill and not get the winter sun, water seepage issues etc etc.

There are lots of things on the web re cut fill, house site slope design issues etc. For instance and this is no recommendation at all - I just found this company which might help you leanr more about what you are after.
http://www.tullipanhomes.com.au/company.asp
So do your own search and see what you learn.
Cheers
Steve

ahuang · Jun 06, 2007 4:30 pm

Might also want to have a chat with council. Builder can put in any design, but it's council (and your neighbours...) who approves it.

Make sure the builder has experience with your council. Might waste lots of time if the builder doesn't understand or not familiar the council's requirements...

When we approached Eden Brae, the sales doesn't understand the way our council calculates the ratio of floor space coverage we can build and their design is a lot smaller than other builders. We dump them straight away, even though they latter admits the mistake...

Cheers
Allan
http://building-our-first-house.blogspot.com/