Two tips for those thinking about undertaking a land development project
If you're considering undertaking a land development project, here are two tips that should help to ensure that this process goes as smoothly as possible.
Have the land you want to build on surveyed
The primary goal of a land development project is to construct commercial or residential buildings and to then generate a profit by selling or renting these buildings.
However, if the land that you wish to build your structures on has certain features which could negatively impact the safety or the structural soundness of any properties that are built on it, there is a chance that you will struggle to sell or rent out the finished buildings.
For example, if you choose to develop a plot of land that is positioned near a river which is known to overflow during periods of wet weather, many potential buyers may be hesitant to purchase the properties you have built on this plot, due to concerns about these structures flooding during bouts of heavy rain.
As such, it is extremely important to have the plot that you want to build on surveyed by a qualified land surveyor.
The land surveyor will examine the plot and write up a report which specifies the type, number and position of various features (such as fences, public pathways, roads, trees, gradients, etc) present on the plot.
You can then use this information when you and your contractor are drawing up the plans, to determine which areas of the plot you should avoid building on, or what steps you need to take to ensure that existing, unchangeable features of the plot will not negatively impact the safety of the buildings you construct on it.
For instance, if the surveyor's report indicates that the plot is at the bottom of a gradient and is, therefore, at risk of flooding, your contractor may need to build the properties on elevated foundations, so that they will not sustain water damage if the area floods.
Do not attempt to squeeze as many buildings onto the plot as possible
When you first measure the plot of land which you intend to develop, you will probably find yourself trying to determine the best way to fit as many new structures into the available space as possible, as you may believe that the more buildings you construct on the land, the more money you will eventually make.
However, this is not necessarily true. If for example, you build a series of houses that are extremely close to one another, the plot may end up looking and feeling unpleasantly cramped.
Most potential buyers are well aware that housing developments of this kind can be extremely noisy (due to the large number of people living in very close quarters) and that they don't provide a great deal of privacy. As such, very few people are likely to find the prospect of buying a house of this kind particularly appealing.
In short, if you try to squeeze as many buildings as possible onto the land, you may actually struggle to find people who are interested in buying or renting the completed structures.
