For the followers of my blog, all three of you, I apologize profusely. I was trying to update it and link it to my website. Kind of an amazing one stop building information shop, but it seems the IT industry has cloned the building industry, nothing happens quickly or it just fails to happen.
That brings me to the blog layout, for a serious writer it makes no sense, there is no logical flow. A bit like reading a book backwards, makes no sense. I tried it with Tolstoy’s War and Peace, just ended up with a giant migraine and a huge disappointment as I then knew how the story ended and had no clue how it started. So I need to rethink how to write in blog format.
Back to the building story. Firstly you need to really understand why and where you are buying a plot of land to build on. Not just because it has a pretty view and a big tree and you can see a square inch of the sea if you climb on a ladder or in the big tree. Keep in mind what your neighbours can build and where and how that can impact your living and design.
Make sure you understand where North is, not so that you will be able to find your way when you move, because you don’t like your new house and building it was a rubbish experience. NO, so that you can orientate and plan your living space and views. It is really not nice in the winter when all your living areas faces south or are in the shade of your neighbours three-storey house uphill to the north and six metres away. Because if he or his designer was half clever they would have put the scullery, servants quarters and dog kennel on the south side. That is if you live in the Southern hemisphere and on Earth.
Also please understand what goes on underneath your stand. Most people just walk around admire the view, climb the tree to see the sea, but pays no attention to the huge granite boulder just peeping out from the soil and the swamp with the mosquitoes right in the centre. No it will not make for a cute natural koi pond, unless you have too much money and it is a really big stand. For most of us mere mortals it will turn into a financial nightmare, just to get a suitable foundation and drainage in there and that seriously impacts on YOUR COST PER SQUARE METER (there is that term again). It will also not be included in the provisional quote provided by your friendly builder. I am not kidding, it happens all the time, had it with my clients as well. They ended up with a house with a lot less expensive finishes.
So the moral of the story, know what you buy and why, before you sign any offer to purchase for buying a plot. No matter what the “nice” estate agent tells you.
