Before You Buy a Lot in Charlotte, NC: 10 Things to Check Before Building a Custom Home

Is this lot buildable?

1. Determine the Actual Buildable Area

The total size of a property is not the same as its buildable area.

Front, rear, and side setbacks can significantly reduce where the home may be placed. Easements, floodplains, stream buffers, tree-save areas, septic fields, and neighborhood restrictions can reduce it further.

Before purchasing a property, review:

• Zoning and required setbacks

• Recorded easements

• Maximum lot coverage

• Building-height restrictions

• Stream and water-quality buffers

• HOA or architectural requirements

• Historic-district requirements, when applicable

A large property may provide less usable building area than a smaller lot with fewer restrictions. Do not purchase land based solely on the assumption that a particular plan will fit.

The home, driveway, garage, outdoor living areas, drainage, and landscaping all need to fit within the usable portion of the property.

2. Evaluate the Slope and Topography

Slope is one of the largest variables affecting site-development and foundation costs.

A sloped lot can provide excellent views or create an opportunity for a walkout basement. It can also require additional excavation, taller foundation walls, retaining walls, waterproofing, drainage work, and soil removal.

Important questions include:

• How much does the lot fall from front to back?

• Does the property slope toward or away from the proposed home?

• Will retaining walls be required?

• Will the driveway be excessively steep?

• Is there enough room to grade around the house?

• Where will stormwater flow?

Small elevation changes can be difficult to judge while walking an undeveloped property. A topographic survey provides a much clearer understanding of the land.

At Everett Custom Homes, we recently completed two different custom homes at the same time on neighboring lakefront properties. Although the specifications were comparable, the homes differed by more than $75 per heated square foot because of differences in design and site conditions.

One property was relatively flat, while the more expensive project involved several feet of slope. This is a good example of why custom-home costs cannot be determined by heated square footage alone.

3. Check for Floodplain Conditions

Floodplain research is important when purchasing property in Charlotte—even in established, highly desirable neighborhoods where buyers may not expect a flood risk.

Some properties around Myers Park and Freedom Park are located within or near mapped floodplains, particularly along Little Sugar Creek, Briar Creek, and nearby tributaries.

That does not mean every property in Myers Park or around Freedom Park is in a floodplain. Conditions can change from one parcel to the next, and even neighboring homes can sit at very different elevations.

Before buying, determine:

• Whether any portion of the property is in a mapped floodplain

• Whether the proposed home location is affected

• Whether the driveway or access could be affected

• Whether minimum finished-floor elevations apply

• Whether floodplain-development permits will be required

• Whether flood insurance may be required or advisable

• Whether the property has experienced previous flooding

A beautiful street, established homes, mature trees, and high property values do not eliminate the possibility of floodplain restrictions.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg provides an interactive floodzone map that can be used for preliminary research. The exact parcel should then be evaluated by the appropriate professionals.

4. Investigate the Soil and Foundation Requirements

Soil conditions can be another unexpected issue in areas around Myers Park, Freedom Park, and Charlotte’s creek corridors.

In our experience, it is not unusual to encounter soft, variable, disturbed, or poorly bearing soils in some of these locations. Some properties require more than a conventional footing and foundation system.

Depending on the findings of a geotechnical investigation and the design of the home, an engineer may recommend a deep foundation system—commonly referred to as pilings—to transfer the weight of the home through weaker soil to more competent material below.

The recommended system might include driven piles, helical piles, micropiles, drilled piers, or another engineered solution. The appropriate system depends entirely on the soil conditions, loads, groundwater, site access, and structural design.

Potential soil concerns include:

• Soft or unsuitable soils

• Uncontrolled fill

• Buried construction debris

• High groundwater

• Shallow rock

• Poor soil-bearing capacity

• Saturated soils near creeks and low areas

Pilings and other engineered foundation solutions can add significant cost. That is why a geotechnical investigation may be one of the most valuable due-diligence steps for a large custom home, creek-adjacent property, low-lying lot, basement, or site with questionable soil.

Do not assume that an existing house proves the soil is adequate for a substantially larger and heavier replacement home.

5. Understand How Water Moves Across the Property

A lot does not need to be in a mapped floodplain to have a drainage problem.

Water may enter from an uphill neighbor, roadway, drainage easement, undersized culvert, or large area of surrounding land. Walk the property after a heavy rain whenever possible.

Look for:

• Standing water

• Erosion channels

• Wet or soft soil

• Sediment deposits

• Storm drains and culverts

• Low areas with no visible outlet

• Neighboring properties that drain toward the lot

• Water stains on an existing structure

Drainage should be considered before the home is designed. The elevation of the house, garage, driveway, patios, pool, retaining walls, and landscaping must work together as one water-management plan.

6. Verify Utilities and Septic Requirements

Never assume utilities are available simply because homes exist nearby.

For municipal water and sewer, verify:

• Where the lines are located

• Whether taps already exist

• Connection and capacity requirements

• The distance from the home to the connection

• Whether street or pavement work will be required

• Whether additional easements are needed

If the property requires a septic system, confirm that the soil is suitable and that there is enough room for the primary system and required repair area.

A large property does not automatically guarantee approval for a large home. Bedroom count, soil type, topography, wells, property lines, and water features can all affect septic design.

7. Review Easements and Property Restrictions

An easement gives another party the right to use a portion of the property for a specific purpose.

Common examples include:

• Utility easements

• Drainage easements

• Sewer easements

• Access easements

• Shared driveways

• Conservation easements

You may own the land within an easement but still be prohibited from placing a home, pool, retaining wall, or accessory structure within it.

The property may also be subject to HOA guidelines, restrictive covenants, historic-district requirements, exterior-material standards, garage-orientation rules, and tree-removal limitations.

These restrictions should be reviewed before the home is designed—not after plans have been completed.

8. Consider Trees, Clearing, and Construction Access

Mature trees contribute tremendous character and value to established Charlotte neighborhoods. They can also affect where the home, driveway, utilities, and outdoor spaces may be located.

Consider:

• Which trees should be preserved

• Which trees conflict with the proposed home

• Critical root zones

• Local tree-protection requirements

• The cost of removing large trees

• Neighboring trees that extend over the property

• Whether construction activity could damage trees intended to remain

Construction access is equally important. Building a custom home requires room for excavators, concrete trucks, cranes, material deliveries, trade parking, and debris removal.

A narrow urban lot, steep driveway, low utility line, tight turn, or mature-tree canopy may complicate access and increase construction costs.

9. Include Teardown and Existing-Site Costs

In neighborhoods such as Myers Park, Dilworth, Cotswold, Eastover, and SouthPark, the best available lot may already contain an older home.

A teardown can be an excellent way to build in an established neighborhood, but potential costs include:

• Demolition

• Environmental or asbestos testing

• Utility disconnections

• Foundation and driveway removal

• Septic-tank abandonment

• Tree protection

• Debris hauling

• Erosion control

• Repair of sidewalks, curbs, or streets

• Removal of unexpected buried materials

An existing home may also provide clues about the property’s drainage history, foundation conditions, utility locations, and previous flooding.

It is important to evaluate both the land and the structure that will be removed.

10. Calculate the True Cost of the Lot

The true cost of a lot is more than its purchase price.

It is:

Purchase price + site-development costs + restrictions + design limitations.

Consider two properties:

Lot A

• Lower purchase price

• Significant slope

• Poor soil requiring pilings

• Long utility connections

• Extensive tree removal

• Difficult construction access

Lot B

• Higher purchase price

• Predictable grading

• Suitable bearing conditions

• Utilities nearby

• Favorable drainage

• Good construction access

Lot A may initially look like the better deal. By the time construction begins, Lot B may be less expensive and may allow for a better home.

A knowledgeable custom home builder can help you look beyond the listing price and understand how the land may affect the complete project.

Should You Choose the Lot or the House Plan First?

In most cases, the lot should influence the design of the home.

A truly custom home should respond to:

• The shape of the property

• Topography

• Views

• Sun orientation

• Street approach

• Neighboring homes

• Significant trees

• Drainage patterns

• Outdoor living goals

Purchasing a plan first and then searching for land can create unnecessary compromises. The home may technically fit but fail to take advantage of the property—or require expensive site modifications.

The strongest projects occur when the architecture and land are considered together.

Pre-Purchase Lot Checklist

Before the due-diligence period ends, consider reviewing or obtaining:

• Boundary and topographic surveys

• Zoning and setback information

• Recorded easements and restrictions

• Floodplain and stream-buffer information

• Preliminary utility information

• Septic evaluation, when applicable

• Geotechnical investigation, when appropriate

• Tree and clearing requirements

• Preliminary driveway location

• Grading and drainage considerations

• Builder and architect input

• Preliminary site-development budget

Not every property requires every item on this list. The important thing is to identify concerns before your ability to cancel the purchase has expired.

Build With a Better Understanding of the Land

A custom home begins long before concrete is poured. It begins with understanding the property.

The right lot should support the design, lifestyle, budget, and long-term goals of the homeowner. Evaluating slope, drainage, floodplains, soil, utilities, access, easements, and restrictions can prevent expensive surprises and lead to a much better finished home.

If you are considering purchasing property, building on land you already own, or completing a teardown and rebuild in the Charlotte area, Everett Custom Homes can help you understand the factors that should be evaluated before design and construction begin.

Everett Custom Homes builds fully custom residences throughout Charlotte, Myers Park, South Charlotte, Weddington, Marvin, Waxhaw, Lake Wylie, and surrounding communities.