Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Aug 26, 2012 7:30 pm Hello! First time building.. I will try to explain it best I can, though it is hard when I don't even know what I'm talking about, sorry. We have bought a block of land now building. Our land is 16 meters wide and 32 meters long. The land isn't 100% flat. There is a slight slope in the front yard. With our house plans and the minimum set back, we would be left with at least 4 meters from the back fence to the back wall of the house. When our plans got drawn up properly it turns out we only have a 1.6 meters backyard. I've asked the building company why and they pretty much said the set back had to be further back because of this slope.. We have our alfresco area on the side of the house and also a small garden area but it would be nice just to have some grass out the back enough for a small dog.. Any way, my questions are, I've heard of getting sand compacted where the slope is so the slab can be further forward?? If it's possible, Is something like this expensive to do? Just would like to know of any solutions to getting the most out of our land and gaining more backyard.. Thanks in advance! Builder Plunkket Homes. Preliminary Agreement 19/05/2012. Pre Start 13/08/2012. Building License 15/02/2013. Re: :(Slab set back too far back, no backyard, slight land s 3Aug 26, 2012 8:28 pm i think bstar is probably right. coz you can build on a slope, but site works will be more $$$$. [then it may also add in extra footings required - not 100% on all the technical/engineered side of it all, but its not just a case of moving the house forward.] if you havent signed final drawings you could ask them to bring it forward, but just expect a cost difference. Re: :(Slab set back too far back, no backyard, slight land s 4Aug 26, 2012 8:57 pm BIGZ There is a slight slope in the front yard. BIGZ I've asked the building company why and they pretty much said the set back had to be further back because of this slope.. Or, if it's indeed too much of a slope, AND if you have the extra money, AND if you don't have some silly timeframes etc., why not asking them to quote. Another option (again, only if it's not too late or if there are no some timeframes or other issues in sight) is to look at the house design. We've seen way too many houses with designs which were not taking into consideration the size of the land (or the orientation, for that matter!). So you have plenty of houses where a slight footprint/design modification would have gone a long way in gaining a bigger backyard. Another super common design puzzle is when the kitchen window looks into the dead side of the house (other people's walls or fences) all while your perfectly available backyard wall stays solid and put !!! A really easy thing not to stuff up - just by rotating the kitchen elements (if at all needed!) My signature is distracting people from my wise posts ... Re: :(Slab set back too far back, no backyard, slight land s 5Aug 26, 2012 9:36 pm I will Definitely get a quote. I think it will be worth paying the dollars for a bigger backyard. And wouldn't it add more value to the house and land also? I wouldn't know how to give you an exact measurement or degree angle but maybe at the most it's a 20 degree angle Builder Plunkket Homes. Preliminary Agreement 19/05/2012. Pre Start 13/08/2012. Building License 15/02/2013. Re: :(Slab set back too far back, no backyard, slight land s 6Aug 26, 2012 10:56 pm Some estates require a minimum 2m, I find that surprising as my easement at the back of the house is 2m. Do you have an easement at the back? Re: :(Slab set back too far back, no backyard, slight land s 7Aug 26, 2012 11:09 pm 1.5 I'm pretty sure. With the alfresco on the side of the house it still inst enough of a backyard I'm hoping they will give me a quote on filling up the slope with soil and compacting it down. I just hope they don't charge an arm n a leg! Builder Plunkket Homes. Preliminary Agreement 19/05/2012. Pre Start 13/08/2012. Building License 15/02/2013. Re: :(Slab set back too far back, no backyard, slight land s 8Aug 26, 2012 11:28 pm Def get a second opinion! This will significantly reduce you house/land value and re-sale we be harder with a setback like that. Sometimes builders just say there is no other way hoping you will just agree. Our block depth is the same, we have a 2m easement and just under 5m to the back fence. Our fall is slight only 300mm. Be interesting what your slight slope is? And can they cut in, instead of fill? I'd take the plans/drawings to someone else to look at. Re: :(Slab set back too far back, no backyard, slight land s 9Aug 26, 2012 11:34 pm Thank you for clarifying that for me. I thought it would reduce the resale value just wasn't sure thanks If I'm building with Plunkett Homes, who would you recommend I show my plans to for a second opinion? Builder Plunkket Homes. Preliminary Agreement 19/05/2012. Pre Start 13/08/2012. Building License 15/02/2013. Re: :(Slab set back too far back, no backyard, slight land s 10Aug 26, 2012 11:43 pm I'm no expert sorry But civil engineers would be the professionals. You would have to pay for their opinion. Have you signed a contract yet? I would even take the drawings to another builder to get a 2nd opinion. Or post the plans showing the elevations here on homeone. If your able to find more money to get more backyard you should do it. Good luck! Re: :(Slab set back too far back, no backyard, slight land s 12Aug 27, 2012 9:14 am Hi bigz! When we first got our plans drawn up they had split the house so there would be steps in the middle of the house as the front would be lower than the back of the house. We weren't happy with this and told them, they ended up cut and fill method of the soil to give us the house on one even level (apart from the garage that is lower than the rest of the house. The only reason they drew up the plans with the split was so we would avoid costs as we had a land slope. So there are ways around it if you are willing to pay Goodluck! www.tinas-cakery.com Building a Monte Carlo with Fowler Homes. Our Build Thread --> https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=49218 Re: :(Slab set back too far back, no backyard, slight land s 13Aug 27, 2012 10:15 am Are you able to post a pic of your site plan with contours? Certainly possible to position your house where you want but with a slope will require cut/fill and retaining walls and/or using a split level house design, all depends on the amount of slope really. Build Thread: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=57639 Re: :(Slab set back too far back, no backyard, slight land s 14Aug 27, 2012 12:33 pm Is it poss to move the house over so the side with the alfresco has a bigger yard,have to read back as your block maybe to skinny for this. If its not this may save earthworks costs & solve the prob. It means you may have a wrap around yard out the back but still one that is big If i remember right (my folks built up there) the soil is mostly sandy,but extra sand to fill can be quite exy. And i would get another opinion. Post a pict & those in the know will/maybe able to help. Block bought 1st RBC X! 2nd Ventrua,Keeper! Pstart 18/7/11 Ethwks jan 2012 Slab Bricks- finished 7/6 Roof Trusses 15/6-cbond 21/7 viewtopic.php?f=31&t=41185 Re: :(Slab set back too far back, no backyard, slight land s 15Aug 27, 2012 12:35 pm Ok forget what i said about moving the house over no room. Block bought 1st RBC X! 2nd Ventrua,Keeper! Pstart 18/7/11 Ethwks jan 2012 Slab Bricks- finished 7/6 Roof Trusses 15/6-cbond 21/7 viewtopic.php?f=31&t=41185 Re: :(Slab set back too far back, no backyard, slight land s 16Aug 28, 2012 1:46 pm I spoke to the builder yesterday arvo. Our back yard is 2 meters and if we were to move the house forward and pay the extra (10-20k depending on how we chose to do it) for cut and fill, retaining walls, lowering the garage and adding steps etc, we will then have a 3.3 meter backyard. Not worth it.. I didn't even know till now that, that's all we'd be gaining. We have a very big house and not going to spend the extra money when we will only be gaining an extra 1.3 meters. I'm glad I looked into it because now I know all my options.. We do have hour house as far to the left as we possibliy can so we do have more room around the alfresco area which is great. Better than nothing. We will eventually look into getting a fence for the front yard as our second backyard area. I hope this will add to the re sale value.. Builder Plunkket Homes. Preliminary Agreement 19/05/2012. Pre Start 13/08/2012. Building License 15/02/2013. Re: :(Slab set back too far back, no backyard, slight land s 17Jul 06, 2013 10:06 pm Looks like that is the only reasonable choice you have BIGZ. Use your front yard later on Re: :(Slab set back too far back, no backyard, slight land s 18Jul 07, 2013 2:47 am bradster181 Looks like that is the only reasonable choice you have BIGZ. Use your front yard later on Naw thank you I agree! I posted this awhile back and this is definitely what Im doing now and it works perfectly Re: :(Slab set back too far back, no backyard, slight land s 19Jul 07, 2013 11:28 am In that case where are the pictures of the progress to feed the picture piggies on homeone.... Need advice on the backyard plan above. Should I excavate and cut all of the dirt to level with the house slab or semi-excavate as per photo above? Both left and right… 0 18962 The OP has gone The latch and striker are definitely not aligned but there was no point trying to help the OP understand that. Hence the reason they are no longer with us. 12 3978 Hi All, We have recently purchased a sloping block (3.5m fall building envelope, 6m overall). Just wondering if you know of any good builders that you would recommend for… 0 888 |