As I drive around the Seacoast of New Hampshire for work-related activities I have
been noticing a phenomenon concerning new home builds. Building lots that were once
considered undesirable are now being built on. The seacoast of New Hampshire and the
Southern Maine coastline have become desirable areas to live in, and the new construction
home industries have been strong for the last decade.
The purpose of this blog is to focus on sound building fundamentals and methods of
construction. My concern for these new construction builds is that new homes dismiss the
fundamentals of building sound, long-lasting homes on the land that they sit on, because
either there is a rush to start a project or an absence of property to build on.
Therefore, what are sound building lots for homes to sit on? Topography would be
my number one concern when buying a building lot. Water runs downhill; therefore, I
would look for a lot that has a defined topography, in which the house would sit on the
highest elevation. IBC and standard building code dictate 1”/10’ of slope around the
perimeter. In my opinion, this minimum dictated by building codes is not adequate for a
long-lasting build in the New England area. I would prefer a 4”/10’ slope to ensure
snowpack and drainage are defined.
The second fundamental that I would search for when choosing a building lot is
ecology, especially the soil. Soils are so underrated by homeowners and builders when
choosing a building lot for a home. Try to avoid clay-based soil, because it’s likely that the
building is a candidate for foundation issues. Also, clay has poor drainage properties for
lawns.
The last fundamental that would be a deal breaker when purchasing a building lot is
not having a southern exposure house. Southern exposure for a home provides bright
natural light all day and warms your house up through radiation, which is an important
heating detail for a home in New England.
Please consider American Building & Design for your next remodeling project