Building on a slope will always be the most significant challenge when building houses. When starting the design, you need to focus on four main things, features and characteristics of the house, technical specifications, functionality, and aesthetic elements.
Why Elevations Matter From the Start
Incorrectly calculated elevations is a mistake often caused by using an outdated survey or not ordering a survey before starting foundation construction. A survey company comes and marks the elevations, setting elevation points so you clearly understand at what height your first floor, second floor, and so on are located.
If you don’t do this, the mistake will cost tens of thousands of dollars, you won’t pass inspection, and your house could end up at completely different elevations. On a slope, a mistake with the zero mark of the first floor could cause a wall to increase from 5 feet to 10 feet. Always look for these considerations before buying a lot.
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Why You Need a Geological Report
The second mistake is the absence of a geological report. Builders often try to save money and don’t order one, sometimes because they already know the type of soil present on the lot. If your soil is soft, you need to order a geological report, otherwise, your foundation may shift, crack, settle, or move in some direction.
The geological report will help your structural engineer create the right design and save you money, since without one, the engineer will often play it safe and design a reinforced foundation to avoid taking on responsibility. A geological report costing 3 to $4,000 can save you tens of thousands of dollars on your foundation.
Getting Drainage Right on a Slope
Drainage issues are problem number three. If gravel isn’t laid, the pipe will get clogged with silt and won’t let water through, eventually leading to destruction of the foundation and possibly its displacement.
On slopes, since water flows down in large volumes, high-quality waterproofing is essential, with several levels of drainage created depending on the height of the walls. The upper drainage collects water as a stream and diverts it to the side, with a lower level of drainage and sometimes an extra level around the footing area.
Why Concrete Pours Get Complicated
Mistake number four is multi-stage pouring. For houses on a flat lot, the foundation is usually poured all at once, but on a slope this is impossible, since concrete needs to be compacted, tamped down, and vibrated, which can’t be done if a wall is more than 10 feet high.
Pouring needs to happen in several stages, with a special joint created at the spot where a wall will go up, including a liner that creates a waterproof barrier.
Underestimating the Retaining Wall
There are several types of retaining walls, and with shotcrete technology, a huge, powerful footing keeps a wall upright against an entire mass of pressing earth. Water is the main destroyer of all retaining walls, so it’s about the blueprint, the drainage, and quality construction, otherwise, it will cost tens of thousands of dollars for reconstruction.
Calculating the Driveway Slope
Mistake number six is an incorrect calculation of the driveway slope. The most comfortable driveway has an angle between 5 and 10 degrees, while a driveway is considered uncomfortable if the angle is between 10 and 15 degrees. Calculations should start from the zero point where the car drives onto the driveway.
What to Know About Sewer and Septic
There are codes and regulations that determine the size of the house and number of rooms based on the area of your lot and the slope, since when constructing a septic system, the slope must be up to approximately 30%.
This combination between architecture and the size of the septic field is of immense importance, since without it you won’t be able to build your dream home.
HOA Rules You Need to Check
The next extremely important element is HOA rules and regulations, an organization that creates design rules that must be followed in that neighborhood, such as roof pitch requirements and facade materials. Before purchasing a lot, going to the area and observing the roofs, facades, and whether there are green caps can tell you what design challenges you will face.
Getting the Layout, Light, and Space Right
The third important element is functionality, the layout, how rooms are arranged, where windows are located in relation to cardinal directions, and how a person moves through the space. Rooms with windows are usually oriented to the southeast to ensure plenty of light and warmth, while garages and utility rooms are usually placed on the northwest sides.
On a slope, aesthetic elements like retaining walls, different levels in landscape design, and infinity pools that create a stunningly beautiful effect are frequently used, with the slope always dictating the design even from an aesthetic point of view.