BUYING THE LAND:
Don't try and hunt for the block of land that is going to suit the house design that you have in mind, although this may remain a consideration when making the final choice on your most suitable building site - it should not be the most influential factor. It is far easier designing the house to suit your block rather than the other way round.
REMEMBER: Your potential capital gains are generated from location and aspect of your land. EMPLOY THE PROFESSIONALS:
Before you even start trying to design your new home, it is highly recommended that you obtain a 'contour survey' from a licensed surveyor. Contour surveys supply you and the house designer with relevant details pertaining to your block of land. Important details like the shape, width of your frontage, the depth of your block, as well as easement, existing dwellings, trees, the slope or fall of the land all which are detailed on the contour survey. INITIAL CONCEPT DRAWINGS:
In many cases standard "Off the Shelf" designs can be altered to suit your requirements and your block of land. When choosing an appropriate design the key factors to consider are: - Budget
- Aspect and view
- Restrictive developement convenants
- Council set backs
- Excavation and tree removal required
- Potential drainage problems
- Personal requirements
- Style
FULL WORKING DRAWINGS:
Once you have decided upon the most suitable design for your block of land then the plans, setbacks and elevations are drawn to correspond with your particular block. SOIL TESTING AND ENGINEERS REPORT:
When determining the appropriate footing design and sub structure floor system the first step is to supply an engineer with the full working drawings. With all soil samples taken from your block of land the soil engineer determines the soil classification and specifies the bracing and footing design required. | 
