With property prices at an all-time high, land development projects for residential purposes have proven to be lucrative investments. So it is not surprising that if you are looking to put your money into a venture that is bound to reap benefits for you in the long term, you could have already acquired a block of land and are now in the process of hiring a construction contractor to start the building process.

However, this is the easy part. Once you have found a lot, you need to determine if it is viable for the type of project you have in mind and this will entail several things. Therefore, before you break ground, here are some of the leading considerations you need to evaluate when embarking on a land development project.

1. The orientation of the lot

When embarking on land development for residential construction, many investors tend to focus on the types of materials that will be employed coupled with the architectural design of the structure and forget to consider the orientation of the lot. Yet, this factor has a direct influence on the overall appeal of the new building since it affects the degree of light that will stream into the home, the amount of privacy accorded to the residence, the levels of noise that will penetrate the property, and more.

For instance, if one side of the lot faces a busy road and the other has minimal exposure to sunlight, it would be imperative that you determine how to make this work before construction is underway. When contemplating the orientation of the lot, do not forget to consider the slope too. As a rule of thumb, the steeper the inline, the more work that needs to go into both land development and subsequent construction. Thus, you may want to consider extensive grading beforehand.

2. The condition of the land

The second predominant consideration to keep in mind before land development is the condition of the land. This refers to a couple of things. For starters, the state of the soil needs to be investigated comprehensively by a geotechnical engineer. This testing begins with sample collection so that the water levels are determined, while also establishing how pervious the soil is to water and subsequent shifting that would lead to foundation settlement.

In addition to this, the geotechnical engineer will also carry out quality testing of the soil, which works to determine if there is any contamination. If engineers find contaminations, they'll determine the best way to remediate the land before the construction contractors undertake the development project. Lastly, if there are any structures present on the property, perhaps a dilapidated shed or even a deteriorated house, the contractors will have to engage in demolition before development.

Contact land development engineers to learn more about the process. 

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