Building your dream home is an exciting experience, but it comes with many decisions, including the location of your home. One of the most critical decisions is whether to build on steep land or flat land. While flat land may seem like the easier option, steep land offers unique benefits, such as breathtaking views and increased privacy. However, building on steep land can come with additional costs compared to flat land. In this blog post, we’ll explore the cost differences as a percentage of building on steep land versus flat land.
According to research articles, building on steep land typically incurs additional costs of 10- 20% compared to building on flat land (Garnham, 2018; Langlois, 2019; Pacione, 2018). These additional costs are primarily due to site preparation, foundation, and retaining wall construction. Site preparation costs can include site clearing, grading, and drainage. The foundation costs can be significantly higher due to the need for deeper and more complex footings, piers, and foundations (Wakely and Ho, 2019). Retaining wall costs can also be significant, particularly if the land is unstable or subject to erosion (Lin, 2019).
However, building on steep land can also result in cost savings in terms of reduced land acquisition and grading costs. Flat land is typically more desirable and therefore more expensive to acquire. Additionally, flat land may require grading and drainage to ensure proper drainage and to avoid flooding. In contrast, steep land may already have a natural drainage system, and grading may be minimal or unnecessary (Wakely and Ho, 2019).
Aside from the unique views and privacy, building on steep land can offer other benefits, such as reduced noise pollution. Steep land is often located away from main roads and highways, resulting in less traffic noise. Additionally, building on steep land can offer opportunities to create unique home designs that take advantage of the natural terrain.
Final Thoughts
Building on steep land can be a great option, but it’s important to consider the additional costs. The overall cost differences between building on steep land versus flat land depend on the specific site conditions and the design of the building. Careful planning and budgeting are essential to ensure that the additional costs are properly accounted for. However, building on steep land can offer unique benefits that may outweigh the additional costs, such as breathtaking views and increased privacy.
In conclusion, when deciding where to build your dream home, consider all the benefits and costs associated with building on steep land versus flat land. We hope this blog post has provided you with valuable information to make an informed decision.
