A. What to check with local government agencies
The city government will normally rule you if you are building within the city limits. If it is outside the city limits, the county government will govern it. Even if you’re in the county, if you’re near the city limits, check with the city to make sure they don’t have jurisdiction over the property you want to build on. This has happened to students: they would be in the county, outside the city limits, and do everything according to the county government, only for the city to create a lot of complaints because the city was regulating certain requirements on the property. The county didn’t even tell them.
1. Office of the Tax Advisor
If the property owner does not have a survey, obtain a copy of the tax plan from this office. Check the property tax rate for the area.
2. The Planning Department
At the Planning Department, if they are doing their homework, they can tell you about future plans for your neighborhood and/or surrounding areas. This is good information because you may not want to live next to a future fertilizer factory or a new 4 lane highway that will be built in the near future.
3. The Zoning Department
At the Zoning Department, you’ll learn critical information like the minimum size of home you should build on the property, how far you should build from the street right-of-way, and how far you should build from your neighbor’s property.
You may have a dynamite 1,000 square foot house plan, but there are many areas, due to zoning, where you can’t build a 1,000 square foot house.
I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve seen people spend thousands of dollars designing their dream home. Then they go to the zoning department and based on the zoning they find out the distance from the street, called construction line, is, say, 30 feet. Tea setbacks o The distance you should build from your neighbor’s property line is 15 feet for side yards and 20 feet for back yards. When they now see the only legitimate place to build a house, based on zoning, they are shocked to find that there isn’t enough room on their lot for their dream home. Your only option is to request a variance to cross these lines. These variations can be very expensive, time consuming and are often denied!
If you don’t take a look at these things, don’t worry. Your future neighbors will be on the property at night and on weekends with a tape measure, and they’ll check it for you! If it is wrong, they will get a court order to stop the construction of your house. I tell them that in the city of Atlanta they are wasting taxpayer money by hiring inspectors: the neighbors are much better at this than the actual inspectors.
I remember a builder in Atlanta who built four houses in the million dollar price range. He was about to finish when he requested a variation to build along the construction line or, in other words, closer to the street. He played the game that forgiveness is easier to obtain than permission. What he didn’t realize was how powerful the neighborhood committee was in this area. The county’s final decision, “Tear down the houses.”
The frustrated builder threw up his hands, returned the houses and subdivision to the bank, and moved out of state. The bank came up with a very clever solution. They demolished a house and spent $350,000.00 to move the entire street. The remaining three houses were then at the correct distance from the street.
I know you find this hard to believe, but even I make mistakes. In the 1980s he was building a luxury home in an older part of Atlanta. The house was sold and was nearly finished when we did what is called an “as built” inspection of the lot. It turned out that one corner of the house crossed the construction line by less than a foot! Except for the survey, no one would have ever known about this crime. To avoid any problems with the title, lenders will want to correct these problems.
Unlike in the good old days when I went to the zoning department and they signed something so small, I had to request a variance. It took three months and a good sum of money to request this variation. Not to mention the new owner was supposed to be moving in by now.
At the dissent meeting, there were two powerful neighborhood committees with several hundred people saying, “Make him tear the house down.” They were very serious. Your logic: If you give this constructor a variation, you’re setting a precedent for all future constructors to be allowed a variation. Fortunately, I got the variation, but believe me; You don’t want to get caught up in this kind of situation.
Some people will build the house up to a building or line of separation. They don’t think about the roof overhang, a porch, a deck or any step. In many areas, no part of the structure can cross these lines.
on. Construction line and setbacks
The construction line is the distance from the street right-of-way. This can be confusing for a new builder. The street pavement may be 24 feet wide while the right-of-way may be 60 feet wide. Remember that the construction line is the distance from the right-of-way, not the street curb.
Also, don’t assume you can measure from the center of the street to find the edge of the right-of-way. Sometimes the street is not in the center of the right of way. The best thing to do is have your surveyor, when you measure the lot or update a previous survey, mark the building location and parting lines.
B. Subdivision of Covenants
If you are looking for property in a subdivision, check with the courthouse for subdivision agreements, which must be recorded, such as a deed.
Subdivision agreements can override city or county zoning. For example, city or county zoning may require construction within 30 feet of the street right-of-way, while the subdivision agreement may require construction within 40 feet of the street right-of-way. Get a copy of the agreements and read every word. You may be surprised at what you find.
4. The Building Department
Go to the Building Department and ask if there is any reason they know you can’t get a building permit on this property. A student bought a lot and waited about a year for construction to begin. He bought the plans from him, put together his loan package and applied for a loan. After closing the construction loan, he went to the building department to get a building permit and was denied. It turned out that his property was in the future right-of-way for a new highway that the county was going to build. He paid off the construction loan, lost what he paid in closing costs, and didn’t build the house. This is just one of the reasons he recommends that you get your building permit before you close on the construction loan. He knew it but he forgot it: a good reason to use a checklist.
While you’re at the Building Department, find out the fees and requirements for a building permit and pick up an application for a building permit.
For environmental reasons, tree removal is becoming highly restricted and regulated in many areas. In this department find out if there are any requirements, fees and/or restrictions related to cutting down trees.
the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] I would like to see all builders complete an environmental impact study. Check with the Building Department to find out if this is required in your area. For more information on EPA studies and housing recommendations, visit their website at www.epa.gov.
5. The Department of Health
on. water well requirements
Check if there are any potential problems when installing a well. Find out about the water quality in the area and whether or not you will need a filter.
Note: Check with a local well subcontractor in the area for any potential problems installing a well. Ask the well subcontractor what they think of the water quality in the area and whether or not you will need a filter.
B. Septic Tank Requirements
If you are going to have a septic tank, ask if there are any issues on this lot for a septic tank. Find out if the property has already been pre-approved for a septic tank.
6. The Department of Public Works
on. Sewing
Just because you see a manhole cover on the street, don’t assume you have access to a sewer line. There have been many times in Atlanta when there was a moratorium on sewer lines because the sewer plants were overloaded. Which means he couldn’t get a building permit.
You’ll want to look at the field drawings to see how deep the sewer line is on your property, but keep in mind that the contractor who installed the sewer line may not have buried it to the level shown on the drawings. It is best to remove the sewer cover on the property and measure the actual depth of the sewer line.
The reason why? Let’s say the sewer line is 10 feet below street level and the house you plan to build will be 15 feet below street level. If you didn’t know, most of this stuff flows downhill, not uphill. You could buy a sewer pump, but I’d rather not play with any sewer pump if I could help it. Similarly, if you plan to have plumbing in a basement, check to make sure the sewer line on your property is lower than the basement floor level.
For all of these utilities, make sure they are on your property. Just because there is a sewer line 10 feet away on your neighbor’s land, and the county would be happy for you to connect to this line, don’t assume all is well. Your neighbor may want you to pay him $10,000.00 to cross his property!
Also check to see if fees are required to connect to the sewer line. Ask if there are any problems connecting at this time. Ask them if they see any problems connecting in the near future.
b.water
Check the Water Department field drawing to verify that there is water on your property. Just because you see a fire hydrant on the street, don’t assume you have water on your property. That water line can stop at the fire hydrant and bringing it to your property could cost you a lot of money.
Check the fees required to connect to the water line and purchase a water meter.
Ask if there are any problems connecting at this time. Ask them if they see any problems connecting in the near future.
B. What to check with the utility companies
1. Electricity
Check electrical service at the property and any fees required to connect to power lines and purchase an electric meter.
Ask if there are any problems connecting at this time. Ask them if they see any problems connecting in the near future.
If your home site is more than 100 feet from the street, find out if there will be additional charges for this distance.
2. gasoline
Check gas service at the property and any fees required to connect to the gas line and purchase a gas meter.
Ask if there are any problems connecting at this time. Ask them if they see any problems connecting in the near future.
If your home site is more than 100 feet from the street, find out if there will be additional charges for this distance.