How to Pick a Lot to Build a Modular Home
At Westchester Modular Homes Construction Corp., we’re often asked how to pick a lot for your dream house, and what to look for and avoid. Of course, there’s much to consider! So we’ll begin with the classic chicken-egg question:
What comes first, the lot or the house plans?
It’s definitely the lot first, and then the house plans. That doesn’t mean you can’t keep a dream house on the back burner while you wait for a piece of land that knocks your socks off. It just means that wherever you end up buying, you’ll likely have to make some adjustments. If you don’t fully understand the quirks of the land, you may face extra compromises. You may also face a much more expensive modular home build.
For example, many common house plans assume a flat lot, or at most a few steps from, say, the garage to the main part of the house. However, land with a little bit of a grade could create a completely different scenario. It might even lend itself to a garage under the house, or a detached one. If you buy land with lots of rock ledge under the surface, that’s an entirely different digging situation. Ditto wetlands.
How Zoning Affects Where You Pick a Lot
Many people buy land because they were smitten with the view, the neighborhood, the slope down to the pond. Then they realize the orientation of the lot really wouldn’t work with a certain kind of house. Or they learn that the area has specific zoning regulations. Some only allow you to build certain widths, heights, lengths, and square footage of homes. In other cases, the location is just past the town’s connection to a town sewer. There may also be septic limitations on the number of bedrooms they wanted in the house.
While we’re talking about zoning, is part of your dream plan to have multiple structures on the property? Many local rules and regulations determine what you can build and what you can add (accessory dwellings). They also cover what you can store there (certain work vehicles or facilities) and what you can do to your property (wetland or other natural resources restrictions that restrict land changes). Finally, they can limit what you own (chickens or other animals). So the short answer is: The land definitely comes first.
Some people come in excited about, say, a piece of land near water, mountains, or any number of desirable natural features. Everything about it seems perfect, from the elevation and view to the perspective on the sunrise and sunset. And maybe it is. But maybe there are a lot of unknowns, too. Some things just can’t be done. So it’s better to know before you’re the proud owner of a lot that’s really a dream campsite.
Get Professional Help to Pick a Lot for Your Modular Home
We’re just saying, talk to professionals first. We can tell you about adjustments we can make to the plans to make it work, even if it’s a little different. We can also help you pick a lot that works for your needs. And if you’re really not sure where to start, our in-house realtor can assist you with your property search. They can narrow down your search and even show you only lots that fit your needs.
Contact us today for a complimentary consultation.
