Finding Land

Via Blu Homes

LOT SIZE

Blu homes fit on almost any lot, and are also great for teardowns. Typically, we recommend lots of 5,000+ sqft. and 40’+ wide. Blu frequently does teardown projects in infill areas, and verifies our delivery and site plan within a delivery assessment. Larger lots can be fantastic, but often require longer utility runs. When you have found a potential lot and ordered a Conceptual Study, we create a site sketch that accounts for local planning department requirements.

LOT PROPERTIES THAT AFFECT BUILDING COST

Besides the cost of the land itself, taxes and closing costs, your Blu team will help you estimate and identify costs driven by the land location and characteristics:

  • Proximity and cost of utilities such as electricity, gas, septic/sewer and water/well, all of which require permitting and construction
  • The cost and extent of site development; for example, steeply sloped lots increase excavation, grading, and foundation costs significantly but can include the extra square footage of a “walk out” or fully finished basement
  • Additional design features, such as decking, trellises, finished lower levels and site-built connectors
  • Environmental restrictions such as wetlands, conservation, or coastal areas
  • Access to the site for delivery and installation.

RESOURCES YOU SHOULD REQUEST

We recommend that you request the following resources from the seller before you put an offer on the land:

  • Boundary survey that contains property lines, setbacks, contours (topo map), location of utilities (water, sewer, electrical, septic restrictions) and environmental restrictions (wetlands, conservation land, etc.)
  • Soils Report (if applicable) will detail geology and seismic data so a structural engineer can determine necessary foundation requirements
  • Planning Dept. Regulations (using your site’s Assessor Parcel Number or ‘APN#’)
  • Find out if your local jurisdiction requires any special planning reviews such as Design Review, Historical Review, etc., from the local building department;
  • Photographs of your site in .jpg format.