Building on Sloping Block Costs

If you’ve found a sloping block to build your dream home but you’re worried about costs associated with building on a sloping block. There is no denying the fact that it can be expensive to build on sloping blocks as compared to building on a relatively flat block but it doesn’t mean that you can’t get your dream house on a sloping block. This article is a guide, you do need to get a professional opinion from experts before you sign a contract for the construction of the house. Here is what you need to do in order to figure out the overall costs of building a house on sloping blocks.

Building on Sloping Block Costs

There are a number of factors that will affect the overall cost of building on sloping block. Here is a list of some of the important factors you need to take into account in order to fully understand the costs involved in building on a sloping block.

First and foremost, it is important for you to understand that site survey on a sloping block needs to be more rigorous which means more expensive as compared to site survey of a flatter block. The surveyor needs to pay special attention to the soil stability, drainage of the block as well as wind exposure in order to make sure that everything has been taken into account before the construction begins. In certain cases, a structural engineer may also be required in order to streamline the construction process.

Foundation Design

When it comes to sloping blocks, the most important part of design is the structural design. The foundation design is particularly important as there are a number of ways of approaching foundation work. In many cases, a single concrete slab may be poured or a slab may be combined with a timber subfloor or a split slab may be created for the foundation. All these different approaches have their own advantages and disadvantages along with varying costs.

As far as choosing the right technique is concerned, it is imperative to hire the services of an experienced and reliable sloping block builder in order to choose the right type of design. An experienced builder will help you choose the right design by explaining the various pros and cons of different approaches, depending on your budget as well as the block itself. Experienced builders typically offer a variety of flexible designs that have been specially created for sloping blocks.

You also need to take into account the fact that homes that are built on sloping blocks are typically much more exposed to the elements, especially the wind which means stronger and more costly materials are needed for making the home. A home that is built on a relatively flat block receives much more protection from the surroundings as compared to a home that is built on a sloping block.

Excavation Work

One of the major components of higher costs associated with sloping blocks is the cost of excavation work. A level platform needs to be created for the slab and excavation may be needed in order to create the level platform. This adds to the cost. Also, soil stabilisation may be needed in certain cases for which the builder will need to build retaining walls. In simple terms, building a home on a sloping block usually involves levelling, flattening and stabilisation of the ground, and all of these processes cost a lot of money.

When a building is built on a slope, drainage becomes especially important as soil erosion may be caused by water collecting at the bottom of the slope. Therefore, it is important to discuss water run-off with the builder before you begin any process. In certain situations, a pumping solution may need to be installed in order to get rid of the excess water quickly to avoid any kind of damage to the property in the long run.

Another component of costs involved in building a home on a sloping block is the cost of getting materials to the site. If the access is tricky, it will definitely add on to the costs. Therefore, you will also need to take into account the cost of getting the material to the actual building site.

As far as choosing a builder for this project is concerned, it is important for you to keep in mind that not every builder specialises in building homes on a sloping block. If you choose to hire the services of a big builder who does not specialise in building on sloping blocks, you are likely to be quoted a much higher price.

So what does it cost to build on a sloping block?

A builder will first need to assess your sloping block and do a soil survey before they quote your job. On average add 20% for up to one metre of slope. If the slope is over one metre you may be quoted site costs of anywhere from $50,000 +.

Big builders usually specialise in building on flat blocks as they do high volume work. On the other hand, building on a sloping block requires specialisation and special preparation which is not typically available with big builders.

This is the reason, experts recommend working with small builders as they are more likely to offer personal service. The small to medium sized builders will take the site costs into account before they provide their estimates as they work closely with their customers and are typically, directly accountable to the customer. On the other hand, big builders usually use a salesperson to sell and once a sale has been made, the salesperson is out of the picture.

Overall, you need to be well prepared if you want to build a house on sloping block. Keep in mind that construction on a sloping block is always going to be more expensive as compared to building on a flatter block but it does not mean that you cannot build your dream house on a sloping block. You just need to do your homework and take the above mentioned factors into account in order to arrive at the typical cost of building on a sloping block.