Is building on stumps still a viable option for new homes on sloping lots?
Yes we have 3 metre fall over the building envelope, 4 metre fall over the entire block, and we are building on stumps - it is just a matter of finding a private or smaller builder who already build this way, as all the big volume builders have set ways of doing things and will cut, fill and slab (and charge you an arm and a leg for it) no matter what you prefer because that is the way they have designed their system.
Most of the small builders I have talked to prefer stumps (especially on a block with a slope) because they can do it themselves rather than hiring subcontractors, and it is quicker than excavating etc etc. My advice is to get off the display home path and start researching other builders, (concentrating perhaps on builders based in areas that are slopey! ) - it's a bit scarier, but it does dispell all those 'silly' myths about stumps not being viable They can definitely be a great deal cheaper when it comes to a sloping block.