Has anyone built on an elevated lot of land before?
Joey_V
Posts: 8,570
I can see how there can be some good in living higher up and above most of the neighbors... I was just wondering if there was anyone here with experience either living or building on an elevated plot of land?
I am looking at a piece of land where the front door will be between 10-15 feet above street level.
Thanks -
I am looking at a piece of land where the front door will be between 10-15 feet above street level.
Thanks -
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Comments
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Think about the landscape, that's pretty steep for cutting the grassSome final words,
"If you keep banging your head against the wall,
you're going to have headaches."
Warren -
Think about the landscape, that's pretty steep for cutting the grass
The front yard will be tall/steep, but the grade will probably be a 4:1 given 2 retaining walls.
The back yard will be flat as a pancake.
I wish I took a photo of the lot from the top of the hill... it's quite nice a view.Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
Worse is think about the driveway. Hard on transmissions if to steep, let alone ice/snow issues. Could also add as much as 2 percent to overall cost for utilities, leveling, and stabilizing the foundation.
Agree with warren that landscaping can also be more challenging, but now your going into resale value, which really shouldn't be of a concern right now. -
Driveway. Will the garage be front or side entry? You can have a switchback driveway or a side sweep depending on lot size and set backs. 15' elevation differential isn't that much for an acre lot. But if in a close set sub div...your front yard will be nothing but concrete and terrace.
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King Joey, living above his subjects while blasting music on them. LOL. Just kidding.
At least you won't have to worry about floods from those torrential Texas rains.
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Three 20 amp circuits. -
Is your nose not high enough Joey?
I'd love to live on a hill. My old house was something like that but probably not to the extent that you are talking about. I would rather have the shade over height... Something my old house lacked since it sat up so much higher than all other houses to the west.
That's it, I'm going to nab your BE10 next time I'm over.
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Driveway. Will the garage be front or side entry? You can have a switchback driveway or a side sweep depending on lot size and set backs. 15' elevation differential isn't that much for an acre lot. But if in a close set sub div...your front yard will be nothing but concrete and terrace.
Side entry. It has to be... the incline from sidewalk to front of the house would be too much for a driveway. It took us a long time to figure out the appropriate house plan for the lot, we figured out that the only way to make it viable would be to place the garage towards the rear, thus allowing the driveway to be longer and the incline be less.
Basically, the driveway has to rise up 10-15ft in whatever length it can be.
If the garage were at the front of the house, like typical homes...
1. At 25ft from sidewalk, you're looking at a rise that is way too steep. That means I'd have to push the house back and I'd lose backyard space. 15ft/25ft means an impossible driveway... we would need the house about 45ft back... and the house probably 15ft high to make it a 3:1 slope. Which is still not good.
With the garage towards the back...
1. Gives me about a 60-70ft driveway before it flattens out at the garage pad... which means it would be closer to a 5:1 slope, even if the house is 25ft from the front. Plus, extra driveway to host those Polk getogethers!
The lot is challenging per the builder (I met with 3)... but is the only lot avaiable for private sale in my area.
Hence, I'm doomed.Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
King Joey, living above his subjects while blasting music on them. LOL. Just kidding.
At least you won't have to worry about floods from those torrential Texas rains.
Yeah, my house will just slide away on a landslide when that occurs lolMagico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
Front yard? No.
Terraced waterfalls. Yes. Then pump the water back to the top. Does not actually use much water. -
My concern would be with draughts and foundation cracking. Must be engineered correctly2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
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erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a -
A drive under garage would put your TOS about even with the road. You then have to spend more on retaining.Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!!
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No Bueno!
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^^^^LOL---WTH is that
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erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a -
A drive under garage would put your TOS about even with the road. You then have to spend more on retaining.
We thought about that, the cost would be high however. One builder wanted to
Build an underground garage... Like a single entry point with space for 4-6 cars underneath but that would be a ridiculous amount of money for the neighborhood as the comps won't support it.txcoastal1 wrote: »My concern would be with draughts and foundation cracking. Must be engineered correctly
Yes, we are putting piers.
The builder said a house on a hill would be better off than a house in the bottom that pools water. Also, there's a small road behind the lot that will allow for a stop gap for rainfall so all I have to worry about is rain hitting the house rather than rain seeping underground and washing us away.
Basically, it's safer than low level homesMagico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
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Joey, you need an architect from outside of flat Texas.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Joey, you need an architect from outside of flat Texas.
The guy has built in hilly parts. Uses an architect in New York.Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
Here's the lot fellas, gives you a better idea.
0.68 acres. It's a little pie shaped, but it fits a majority of plans.
157' in the front.
140' at midpoint. 225' at the left, 95' on the right.
Garage and driveway would have to be on the left.
On the right is green belt.
The rear is a street but small and only to a single subdivision with 50 homes so no traffic. Golf course beyond that to the rear and front.
Honestly, there is no other lot for sale... I can't be choosy. And every lot has a compromise. Either it's narrow and deep or has a huge house behind it etc...
Gotta work with what you got I guess.
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You can see the hillMagico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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Ummmm...ok. The solution seems pretty simple to me, drive comes straight off the street to a two car garage at basement level. The basement level will be main access point for daily use. I've lived in two houses like that. Even my current house has a basement level garage, but it is on the backside this time.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
We thought about basement level garage but my wife vetoed the option of stairs coming out of the garage. For groceries, it would be a pain to have to lug up multiple flights, it's like we're back at the apartment.
So the builder suggested an elevator.
I think building the garage in the back would allow for a less steep slope, probably 5:1 grade if the house pad is 10 ft above street level. that gives us about 60 feet to go up 10 feet.... actually that's 6:1.
Should be a gentle slope. Plus, with the garage to the side, we shield the backyard from the neighbors to the left.Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
Basement garage
The elevator you always wanted??? all the way to 2nd floor???2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
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erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a -
txcoastal1 wrote: »Basement garage
The elevator you always wanted??? all the way to 2nd floor???
That's true... the elevator I always wanted.
How would a basement garage look though...Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
My biggest problem is that the basement garage would truly cost an arm and a leg... I think probably 200,000 between the structure and all the drains. He said, it has to look like this:
houzz.com/photos/334447/Viewridge-Craftsman-Spec-traditional-other-metro
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Honestly, I would love something like this but it wont get approved by the hoa
houzz.com/photos/5330976/Westlight-House-contemporary-exterior-seattleMagico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R -
A house between two streets!?!
Can you do a curb cut and bring your driveway in on the backside of the house. Looks like the back street is higher.
Why work with what you have? Find another lot. With all the money that you're going to spent on lot improvements, you'll never see any of that cme back when you sell the house.
I'll be the first.......Texas is a big state. Keep looking.Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!! -
Joey, you need an architect from outside of flat Texas.
Louisiana ? This ?
IMO, if one has to start talking about "retaining walls", it might be time to start thinking along other lines.
Sure, I've seen decorative retaining walls, built to a minor degree.
And I've seen retaining walls built around here that just scream, "See You in about 10 Years !". Very well built, to be sure, BUT ..... they're holding back land mass the size of Delaware.
Plus, retaining walls mean a drop off of some sort. You have a young daughter and, IMO, perhaps young children and drop offs don't exactly mix.
Just my 2 cents worth. Unless this particular neighborhood has some mystical supernatural feng shui associated with it, you might due well to keep your options open.
...... I'm increasing my post value to ..... 4 cents worth.
Sal Palooza -
This would be a viable plan with the garage to the rear (has to be flipped to the left however)....
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NEVER.....EVER live anywhere that has an HOA.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk
