Selecting the right site is a critical decision that affects the long-term enjoyment of your log home plan. With many pitfalls awaiting you, not knowing about them could turn building and living in your dream log home plan into an alarming nightmare. While most future homeowners have a clear idea of the style and size home they want to build, selecting the right site can be rather tricky.

Your new home can remain a constant joy once you have carefully researched the major criteria for a suitable home site and have checked into each one of them completely. Because knowledge is power, consider the following important factors to consider prior to choosing the perfect site for your log home floor plan.

Affordability

Though there are certain exceptions, generally it is recommended that you don’t spend more than 20 percent of the total cost of the house and land on a building site. For example, if you have $120,000 to invest in a house, you should spend no more than around $24,000 for the land.

Local Area

Selecting a home site for your log home plan that is accessible to work, schools, churches, hospitals, shopping and other everyday functions is always a popular choice because of the convenience. Although this type of locale may seem appealing, be sure to ask pertinent questions. For example, if the area is incorporated, what is the total annual property tax in that municipality? Also, remember that it is not the tax rate that matters, but the total tax. While one town may charge the tax rate on 100 percent of the fair market value of your property, another town may charge the tax rate on only 60 percent of the fair market value. When you find out the total tax, you can decide whether you can and want to pay that amount annually in property taxes.

Another important question to ask is what municipal services are provided, such as police protection, fire protection, sewer and water? Although that quaint little town of Sunset Vista may be a pastoral delight, it won’t be very helpful when you need police, have a fire or need to bring in your own sewage systems and water.

If you have children, you will also want to find out how good the school system is. One way to discover in advance the quality of the school district is by checking out the quality and size of the local library. The state of the local library is often a decent indication of how much emphasis is put on education in the neighborhood.

Neighborhood

Hang out and spend some time in the neighborhood you are considering, especially during the times people are coming and going. Is the neighborhood too small or too big for your liking? Are the streets fairly desolate or well traveled?

Zoning

Pay a visit to the local planning office and ask to view the map designating residential, industrial and commercial areas and check out residential density. Don’t risk building if there is a possibility your next-door neighbor could be a fast-food restaurant or industrial plant. Make sure the property around your log house plan will not be less valuable and significantly more crowded than your own.

Site Accessibility

Will you be able to easily access your home site in severe weather? Is the street or road alongside your property adequate? If you want to build your log home plan deep in a valley or high up on a hill, you will need about 10 feet of driveway for every foot below or above the street level.

Improved & Unimproved Ground

Ground improved lots are located where roads and utilities are already in and the home site is ready to build on, so these lots naturally cost more. Before you purchase an improved lot, go to your local municipal offices to see if there is any restrictions regarding the size or style of log home plan you can build.

Unimproved ground has to be improved at your expense, which means quite a bit more than clearing your land and preparing it for building. You will be required to pay all or some of the cost to bring in sidewalks, streets, utilities, street lights and fire hydrants. Once again, you should find out exactly what you are getting into at the local planning office.

Soil Conditions

The only way to tell what the soil is like beneath the surface is to hire a civil engineer to check it out for you. If the engineer suspects trouble, he may recommend soil testing. Though soil testing can cost you, consider that you are about to invest a major amount of money and you don’t want to put it into unstable land. Further, a good civil engineer can determine if your property drains properly so that water and sewage flow away from it and not into your yard and house.

Buildable Area

Setbacks are dictated by local building regulations such as how far in from the lot boundaries you log house must be and easements, which are strips of land reserved to access adjoining properties or utility lines. Of course these will reduce the buildable area of your lot, as do trees, rocks, slopes and other land features that are not easily removed. Low ground needs to be filled in and hills must be cut down, and both cost money. Be sure there is enough buildable area to accommodate the log home floor plans you want. Most builders are knowledgeable about home sites and can be invaluable during the lot acquisition process.

Title Search

Lastly, make sure the firm or person that sells you the land owns it free and clear. Your lawyer should order a title search and study the report to ensure that your ownership will be total and that you are aware of any and all restrictions on the type of house you can build.

To be completely sure, you may want to purchase title insurance that will protect you against any legal hazards the title search did not find.

If you do all the above, you are sure to find an enjoyable home site for your log home plan you will be proud of.