Buying Land to Build a House in Greenville SC: What to Check Before You Buy

If you’re looking at land around Greenville to build a house on, congratulations, because that’s usually the first real step toward a home that fits your family instead of one you settled for. The thing to keep in mind is that a piece of land can look perfect when you’re standing on it and still hide things that change what the house costs, where it can sit, or whether it works at all, so it pays to look at it the way a builder would before you close.

To me, the best time to bring a builder in is before you buy, or at least before your due diligence runs out. A lot of folks buy the land first and call a builder after, and most of the time that works out fine, but every so often there’s something on that lot that a quick walk with a builder would have caught, and it’s a lot easier to deal with while you can still negotiate or walk away.

What I’d check before you buy

• Is there sewer, or will it need a septic system? If public sewer isn’t available at the road, the lot will need a septic permit, and the soil and the size of the lot decide what kind of system you can put in and where it goes. You need to know that early, because the septic area can take up a good part of the lot and it affects where the house can sit.
• Where does water come from? Find out whether there’s public water at the road or whether you’d be drilling a well, and ask the utility what it takes to tie in.
• How will power get to the house? Look at where the nearest pole is. A house set way back off the road can mean a long run for power, and that’s worth a call to the power company before you fall in love with the spot.
• How does the land lay and where does the water go? Walk it after a good rain if you can. A steep lot, a low spot that holds water, or a ditch running across the middle all change how much grading and dirt work it takes before we ever pour a footing.
• How much clearing does it need? Thick woods are beautiful, but clearing, hauling off, and stump work are a real part of the budget on a raw lot, so know what you’re looking at.
• Where does the driveway go? Check how the driveway would come off the road, how long it would be, and whether it has to cross a ditch, because some of those need a culvert pipe and a permit from whoever owns the road.
• What rules come with it? Look at the zoning, any HOA or deed restrictions, setbacks, and easements on the survey. Some neighborhoods have a minimum house size or require certain materials, and you want to know that before you start designing.
• Is there a current survey? A survey shows you the real lines, easements, and any encroachments, so you’re not guessing where the property starts and stops.

Equally as important, talk to the people who do this every day. A good surveyor, a septic designer, and a real estate agent who knows land can save you a lot of trouble, so read reviews, give a few of them a call, and ask each one the same questions so you can compare apples to apples.

Red flags

• The seller won’t let you do any due diligence before closing.
• Nobody can tell you whether sewer or water is at the road.
• Standing water, or a lot that’s mostly steep bank with one small flat spot.
• No survey, or a survey that doesn’t match the fence lines and what’s on the ground.
• Restrictions you can’t get a copy of until after you buy.

How a first conversation with Built Up Homes goes

It starts with a free site visit. If you’re looking at a lot or already own one, we’ll walk it with you and talk about where the house, driveway, septic or sewer, and utilities would likely go, and what kind of site work it’s going to take. Most people don’t build for a living, so this is usually where I can offer suggestions that save money or make the plan better, like turning the house to fit the land instead of fighting it. Once the vision is clear, we can give you a rough ballpark so you know whether to move forward or adjust. We build, so if you don’t have an architect, drafter, or designer yet, we’ll help you find one and work with them as one team from the start.

Once we’re building, I supervise the construction myself, so you’re dealing with the same person from start to finish, and we hold a weekly update meeting so you always know where things stand. Use the same list above on any lot you’re looking at, and on us too.

Related reading: First Time Building a House in Greenville SC? Where to Start, Custom Home Builder Greenville SC: What “Custom” Should Mean, and Building a Shop or Detached Garage on My Land in Greenville SC.

If you’re in Greenville or the towns we serve (Simpsonville, Mauldin, Taylors, Greer, Travelers Rest, Piedmont, Fountain Inn, Gray Court, and Laurens), reach out and let’s walk your land:

• Web: builtuphomes.com
• Email: greg@builtuphomes.com
• Phone: 864-636-9402

Greg Palmer, Built Up Homes