What is a Sloping Block and Why Do You Need an Expert Home Builder for This?

A sloping block of land has uneven degrees of elevation, which creates a slope extending from one end of the block to the other. The majority of professional builders can successfully construct a home on land that has a rise or fall in a building area surface of three metres or less. However, if you plan to build a house on land with a slope greater than this, you will need a home builder with expertise in designing and building on steeper slopes.

The two major factors in determining the difficulty of building on a sloping block are the extent of the degree of the slope’s incline and whether it is an upward or downward slope. An incline of less than 10 percent is termed “slight,” while an incline equaling 11 to 20 percent is called “moderate.” Any slope incline of more than 20 percent is considered “steep.”

If you are building a home on land with a slope of 15 percent or above, the cost will most likely rise significantly since the construction work will be more difficult and present more risks. If your plot of land is an “upslope” plot on which your new house will rise upward from front to the back, it will present more challenges than building on a “downslope” plot. “Upslopes” frequently require some cutting or blasting and disposal of soil and rocks before building begins.

Why an Expert Home Builder is Needed to Construct Your New Home on a Sloping Block

There are multiple reasons why a home builder with experience and expertise is needed for constructing your new home on a sloping block, including the following:

• Extra Foundation Building Time and Expense. Complicated foundation systems are often essential for constructing houses on sloping land. Completing the foundation may cost more than the total cost of a home that is built on flat land. Even moderate slopes on building sites require more concrete and deeper degrees of excavation using special machinery and tools.

Blasting of rocky areas may also be necessary. Such procedures require additional labour, materials and expense to guarantee the safety of all new construction. Your builder must ensure that your new home will satisfy local building codes.

• Water Drainage and Sewage System. Good drainage of both surface and subsurface water is essential when constructing a home on sloping land. Runoff from rainfall must be rerouted away from the home’s foundation without flooding any neighbouring property or nearby roadways. Retaining walls must be built and waterproofed to eliminate water pooling problems. Water runoff can be channelled into storm-water drains.

If the basement of your new house will be at a level below the yearly high water table in your locale, additional drains or the use of a sump pump in the basement during heavy rainfall may be required. If the sewage line on your block is uphill, you may also need a pump installation. If the sewage line in downhill, tumble bays may have to be installed to slow the sewage flow to acceptable rates.

• Adequate Property Access. Although buying property on a slope may be cost-efficient, the cost of grading and levelling sections of the land for access by your builder’s construction crew, equipment and supply trucks may be quite high. Especially if your building plot is relatively small or has an irregular shape, your builder may need to construct a steep temporary driveway at an additional expense for accessing the site while building is in progress.

When you consult our experts at IKE Building PL serving many locations in and around Melbourne, Victoria, you will benefit from excellent advice, superior designs and full construction services for completing the successful building of your new home on a sloping block. Our highly experienced professionals will ensure that your new home is safe and well-constructed for long-term use and enjoyment by you and your family.