Reasons that Make Sloping Blocks and Split-Level Homes More Challenging to Build

Have you ever dreamed of owning a home that is surrounded by lush greenery? Or have you ever imagined waking up by the sound of crashing waves while the sunlight hits your elegant room? Fret not, as these scenarios can turn into reality if you build a home on a sloping block.

You see, sloping blocks are blocks of land with uneven and tilted levels of elevation that are far from the usual location of urban homes and other types of buildings. Sloping blocks can be located alongside or at mountains and hills. Occasionally, these blocks may be near bodies of water that make the overall view and scenery more welcoming and refreshing.

Split-Level Homes are the Best for Sloping Blocks

One of the best types of homes that can be built out of sloping blocks is a split-level home. This type of home is designed to have staggered floor levels, on which one short set of stairs is running upward to a floor of bedrooms or any other crucial home areas, while another set of stairs is going down to the basement area. The basement area may be comprised of a family room, an office, a hobby or playroom, and laundry facilities. The top area, on the other hand, has a full-height ceiling that allows the living room, dining room, kitchen, bedrooms, and bathrooms to all exist.

The staggered nature of split-level homes fits perfectly with the characteristics of sloping blocks since space is readily maximised. Additionally, the presence of natural ventilation in sloping blocks helps your split-level homes obtain fresh sources of air as well as natural light. This specific benefit ultimately helps your home in cutting energy bills by a huge amount. Another great benefit of constructing a split-level home in a sloping block is that it gives you stunning, panoramic views of your surroundings.

Challenges of Split-Level Homes in Sloping Blocks

While the benefits of split-level homes in sloping blocks are promising, the construction aspect of these homes can be quite challenging. Sloping blocks are generally tilted for more than 30° from the ground, making it difficult for usual contractors to design and build their work plans around these areas.

One of the reasons why building at sloping blocks can be challenging is that these blocks may have or may have not an adequate amount of soil. In establishing the foundation of a home, a specific block must have enough soil to hold any structure above it and to prevent any damages to the whole place. Luckily, contractors deal with this situation by adding retaining walls. These walls keep the soil intact and create a flat stable area for the split-level home construction.

Another reason why building split-level homes in sloping blocks is challenging is that not all sloping blocks have the same characteristics and properties. Some of them may be upslope, while others are downslope. These differences affect the excavation process as some slopes may be too weak to handle digging and any land movement and changes. So, before the contractors do any move, they normally employ different types of site analysis and assessment to determine every characteristic of the site.

The construction of split-level homes in sloping blocks can also be challenging since everything has to work normally. Factors like the foundation, drainage and sewage, driveways, and even landscaping must all be considered to make these homes comfortable to live with.

While building split-level homes in sloping blocks may be challenging, it does not hide the fact that having this type of home can certainly bring you great benefits along the way. Fortunately, we at IKE Building Pty Ltd can easily solve these challenges since we are experienced in doing this type of construction. We are an expert home builder and contractor specialising in residential building properties such as custom homes, luxury homes on difficult and slope sites, townhouses, and apartment blocks.