The Solution is Design

This would be a good time to consult with a designer. How much will a foundation for the steep slope really cost? What about the geology of the site? Will you need a geology report and some engineering to really know what type of foundation you will need? You may be surprised to find that the steep lot with the better view costs less overall than the hilltop lot, once the dollars and cents are added up in reality, not just in the imagination. Or, of course, the opposite may be the case! With the aid of a professional, you can take a lot of the guesswork out of choosing a lot.

Another situation which calls for design is an irregular “footprint” for the house. This occurs when there are restrictions regarding the buildable portion of the lot. Restrictions might include the shape of the lot, the easements, set-backs, driveway, well, or septic system. It may seem there is just not enough of a “building envelope” left in which to fit your house! But a designer can work with an irregular shape. You may even find that a bizarrely cut-up lot is a fine bargain, because nobody has yet envisioned a design for it.

When designing a view house, we start with the view. We might go up on a thirty-foot scaffold to take pictures of the view from the proposed living room level. Once, we went up with a client in a huge man-lifter rig. We were able to see over the trees to plan the house location and floor heights.

One problem a lot-hunter might encounter is a peek-a-boo view. It will take some planning and, well, designing to figure out how to be able to see the mountain from the living room. Again, the lot may be a bargain because of this, and a designer can solve it for you.

These are some examples of the kinds of problems that are solved by design, but actually the design of any house is one big puzzle. Data about needs and preferences come from the client. Data about restrictions and limitations come from documents, building codes, geological reports, and zoning regulations. Added to that is data about what workers and materials can and cannot do, and what different structural methods can accomplish. The designer brings his creativity, expertise and experience to bear—to solve the puzzle.

The solution is design.