Architect / Home Construction Feedback

[redpoint5]

There's a couple plots of land (cliff) for sale that I was looking at recently. It has maybe 10ft or so of flat ground before it steeply falls away.

The other houses nearby seem to have more usable flat ground before encountering the drop off, and they have walkout basements.

What are your opinions of building on a hillside like that, and how does that impact construction cost generally? Pros and cons of such a home? This particular plot looks east, with surrounding homes on North/South, and the street toward the west.

A 2+ sized garage is non-negotiable to me since that is the only "me" space.

My long term plan is to buy a house with plenty of land (maybe 5 acres give or take), but considering I have little time these days, can entertain the thought of living with no yard for ~20 years as long as a good park is nearby.

Attached are the 2 plots.

[redneck]

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Umm...

That’s not I would call a building lot.

It’s what I call the “shoulder” of the road.







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[redpoint5]

Probably why it hasn't been developed yet. I'm sure I would need to provide more details such as the grade of the slope. It probably falls away at 45 degrees. $125k for a cliff sounds expensive too.

It would require shoring and backfill to add more flat land, no?

I'm not serious about such a project, but would like a sense of what's involved so I can either write it off as not worth it everytime I see such a plot, or know what the tradeoffs are. I do really like the view and surrounding neighborhood (and no HOA). The houses across the valley are where the doctors live, and it is an HOA.

Here's the Google street view of the location:
https://goo.gl/maps/qK62gXr1Yx42

"Property has recently been partitioned into two building lots of 16,000 SF and 21,000 SF. $115k and $125k respectively."

Here's the Zillow photos:




The plot I'd really want nearby is sold already:
https://goo.gl/maps/rF9jPLutt9t

[redneck]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

A 2+ sized garage is non-negotiable to me since that is the only "me" space.

My long term plan is to buy a house with plenty of land (maybe 5 acres give or take), but considering I have little time these days, can entertain the thought of living with no yard for ~20 years as long as a good park is nearby.

Buy once, cry once...




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[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by redneck

Buy once, cry once...




>

Well the other consideration is that my grandparents and parents land (they are adjoining) is 25 acres, and I'd probably inherit that property at some point. It's 7 miles away as the bird flies.

That would fulfill my owning property desire.

We need something now though.

[Angel And The Wolf]

You can't build on the curb, so you would have to build on the slope part. Instead of raising the slope to level it, I'd scoop it out to create a large enough level pad lower down, then build a two story house with the second floor main level at street level.You probably want your garage floor on solid ground, not above a lower floor room, so, some of that dirt you remove for the two story can be used to raise a portion for a street level garage.

[redpoint5]

[Angel And The Wolf]

Of course, the Swiss alps designs would work, but are you giving up the garage? But look at the floor space you are giving up by not digging out the slope. I like the last two, looks like they did dig out.

[redpoint5]

It seems there are 3 basic ways to do it. One is to dig out until there is enough flat area to build, as you suggest.

Then one could do stepped down tiers.

Finally, the house can be on stilts and float above the hillside.

I'm guessing digging out is the most economical way to build, but I'd be curious to hear from an engineer/builder the various strategies and price differences.

I've got to have a garage, so I think digging out is the likely solution. My wife hates when the garage is the prominent feature of a house. I'd also be sad to lose height by digging.

[Angel And The Wolf]

OK, combination.
Dig out, and build your garage/workshop below street grade. (you might need a winding descending driveway)
Build on top of the garage/workshop for the living areas.