Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Oct 01, 2013 9:01 pm Hi all We have all but finalised our plans for our new home, but am wanting some advice on what we could do for side access. Our block slopes down from the road. During the design stage, we had a flat area added to our driveway so that we could wash the cars, have somewhere to put the bins, trailer etc. (see green line on pic) Due to the slope the flat area is built up to the level of the driveway. But I am now really worried that this will significantly impede any side access to the rear of the yard - the contour in the pic doesn't show our whole block, the block drops down from the road to the house pad, then there is a steep drop off as shown but under that (cut off by the pic) there is probably another 1000m2 or so of moderate sloping hill that we figured to leave as bush but one day might want to partially terrace and landscape. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ To give you a better idea of how the house sits heres some 3d sketches: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ We would have to use the driveway side as the other side is not practical for side access. One way to help would be to cut in to the front yard instead (as per red line) and wash the cars there, park a trailer etc. which would probably cost a fair bit extra with retaining etc. but would preserve some level of access on the garage side of the house. What is more important? I am leaning towards the side access but don't like the idea of having to cut more of the front yard to do so! Re: Help with side access concern 3Oct 03, 2013 6:41 am Hmm you're right on having too much concrete to the front. Putting in steps shouldn't be a problem I was just thinking if we needed to get a dingo digger or similar it wouldn't cope with the slope, plus if we were getting soil or gravel etc in we would have to carry it all down the stairs! I can't see any way around this either. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get the best of both worlds? Re: Help with side access concern 4Oct 03, 2013 7:58 am I think the solution is not as difficult as you think... I'd just extend the batter on the southern side of your flat area so that the grade down towards your backyard is not as steep. Then you can simply have a path coming down from the flat area to the backyard that doesn't have as excessive a grade. Completed a knock down and rebuild in northern Melbourne. Handover completed 27/09/2013 and now moved in. Re: Help with side access concern 5Oct 03, 2013 8:02 am I'd still make the red side flat but turf it. Flat front to the house can be a bit neater and nicer and would still give you somewhere to wash the car and store a trailer when you're using the green side for something else. If I was to do anymore concreting it would extend down the the slope on the green side just past the worst of the slope. http://camdenbuild.blogspot.com.au/ by invite only please pm me Hi, Building a new place and I have limited space from garage to fence. 3130mm width, then opens up over 5000mm once I pass tmy garage. I need a fence that goes from… 0 3310 i had the my concreters concrete right up to the fence. I have pits all along my path, so the water tends to drain away from the house and into the pits. There's only one… 7 12719 |