Septic System Questions - How to Buy a Lot
When purchasing a lot, there are two important septic system questions that need to be answered.
First - does the lot perk? If the answer is yes, great!
Second, how many bedrooms is the lot rated for? You'll want to make sure the rating supports the number of bedrooms you want to build.
But what if you've already purchased a lot that is rated for a 3 bedroom septic system, but want to build a 4 bedroom home?
There are several options that may allow you to build a four bedroom home when your septic system permit only allows a three bedroom home.
First, and probably least expensive, what do you plan to use that fourth bedroom
for?
If that extra bedroom is planned to be an office instead of a bedroom, a few small changes may need to be made in order for your home plan to be approved by the county.
In general, a bedroom has an egress window (a window you could open and escape out of in case of emergency), a closet, and a door, and may also be adjacent or close to a bathroom.
But if your builder converts the bedroom to an office by removing the closet and expanding the doorway to either a wide opening without a door or possibly even a pair of French doors, this could allow you to gain approval to build the floor plan.
If the fourth bedroom is upstairs, your builder may be able to convert it to an open bonus room or loft. You'll still have the living space, but it may need to be much more open than originally noted in the plans.
A second option is the use of a panel block septic system instead of a standard septic system.
This system can expand the capabilities of a standard system to support at least one extra bedroom.
But it can also add 25% to 75% to the cost of installing a septic system, depending on how close the original plan came to supporting that fourth bedroom. It does need to be approved by the county, and a lot of factors can come into play, such as soil type and requirements that vary by county.
Each case is unique. In order to make a decision and go over the available options, bring a copy of the septic system permit with the system requirements to a trusted builder.
You may also be interested in these Raleigh new home lot resources:
Floor Plan Modifications - Let Us Show You How We Can Design/Build Your Floor Plan
How to Find a Lot - Top 12 Questions to Ask
Build On Your Lot in the Raleigh, NC Area
Green Home Lots - What Makes a Lot Good for a Green Certified Home?
Finding Your New Home in the Raleigh Area
Stanton Homes makes it easy! We'll guide you through the entire process - select from thousands of different floor plans, and hundreds of different locations, with a focus on new custom homes in the upper $100s to the $500s. Custom design build options available too!
Call 919-278-8070 or visit www.StantonHomes.com to find out more about new homes in the Raleigh area today.
 |
 |
 |
 |
Articles copyright Stanton Homes 2006-2011. Unauthorized use is not permitted. Provided for informational purposes only, no claims are made by Stanton Homes regarding the validity of any statements. Please note: all listing information per MLS, and current as of posting date. Information subject to change. Stanton Homes does not make claims to ownership of any lot listings, but can work with homebuyers to purchase available lots and build. Home plans to be approved on an individual basis, subject to neighborhood restrictive covenants and lot restrictions. Ask for further information regarding any community, lot or floor plan. Photos represent typical homes and details of each neighborhood, to help highlight different options available in the Raleigh/Triangle area. No claim of ownership is made to homes or land pictured.
Well Said. I also like meet the builder. How is that working out? I was recently through you area looks like its still pretty busy up there.
Good post Penny and well explained. It looks as if you are really busy there in NC. How is business?
Chip - the Raleigh area is continuously rated one of the best places in the US to live, and I'm not surprised - it's beautiful, green and lush, with plenty of job opportunities, lots of great universities, and no shortage of things to do on the weekend.
Our "Meet the Builder" events allow potential homebuyers an opportunity to ask all kinds of questions, before they sign a contract with any builder or even spend money to purchase home plans. Building or buying a home doesn't have to be a scary process.
Thanks great info! Lots of customers as well agents don't know enough abut septic systems.
Good information and good advice. Thanks for sharing.
Good Post!
Michael - Home sales are slower than at the peak of the market, but still quite steady. Raleigh never saw the crazy appreciation that some areas of the country did, just a nice average of 5-6% per year. And Raleigh just got named as the Best Place to Relocate To
Chip - We're happy to be able to answer questions for anyone who is even starting to think about building a home, or is just plain interested in the process. We want to help educate buyers about the process, and that seems to be appreciated.
Good information here. I didn't know about the panel block system. Interesting.
Sonja - There are so many variations depending on the city, county, lot, soil conditions, and size of home that it takes a lot to keep track. We stay certified so that we understand the latest trends and all the different options.