1 Lot Size. It is true, size matters, but not that much.
It’s not the lot size that matters; it’s the aesthetic of a build site. There must be a good marriage between the site and the structure built on it. Where people often go wrong is seeing a home design they love that looks great in a specific setting, build it on a site completely inappropriate for that structure. Did you consider the angle of the lighting? Does your dream house work well facing north if your site dictates that your house must face north? Changes and adjustments are always made for a house to work on a site.
2 Location. Stay true to your surrounding geography.
Think about it – if you’re a lover of the New England Cape style but live in the South, alterations in home design and materials will need to be made in order for the house to work in its surroundings. It’s a simple concept but one that can go overlooked. This is where the final appearance of the property can go very right or very wrong. Stay true to the surroundings and the final look and feel of your home will bring years of pleasure.
3 Site Topography. Integrate your home design with your site.
Don’t worry – it’s not that complicated. Getting your house sited correctly is intuitive. However, it is part of the building equation that often doesn’t get proper attention.
When a house is finished and there is a sense something isn’t quite right, it’s too late to easily remedy the cause. This happens when a build site to is not taken into consideration while designing the home. If you begin designing your house before you’ve purchased your site, that’s fine. However, be prepared to tweak the layout to take full advantage of your site once you settle on a build lot. The site should always set parameters for the house, NOT the other way around.
While the beauty of each home presented in this article is evident, it is important to consider why these homes are so appealing. A happy marriage of a house to a build site takes the home from nice to a design that is fully integrated with the site.
