Buying land is the first step in building your house. Beyond choosing the location, you must remain vigilant to avoid unpleasant surprises. Legal nature, characteristics of the land, easements, town planning regulations, etc., many elements can directly influence the project itself and its cost. We help you see things more clearly.
Take into account the surroundings
Choosing a plot of land also means choosing the environment in which you will live. Several points must be checked to avoid unpleasant surprises in the short and long term.
The view and the vis-à-vis
Once you are on the ground, imagine the view from your house. If the view is clear today, will it be clear tomorrow?
If the land is surrounded by houses, examine their orientation and height. construction of the house and its orientation will have to take into account a neighboring house that is too close or imposing which could create a vis-à-vis embarrassing and affect your privacy.
Future projects in the neighborhood
Before buying land, try to find out about construction projects in the surrounding area. The densification of city centers changes the landscape with the creation of tall buildings for example and can make a poorly adapted house lose some of its charm. At the town hall, you will be able to find out about the development plans: commercial zones, subdivisions, or public infrastructures. This information will give you an idea of the possible changes, whether positive (better amenities) or negative (noise or visual pollution).
Exposure and sunshine
The surroundings also influence the natural light on your property. A neighboring building planned nearby could block the sunlight from certain rooms in your house, or even your garden. Check the permission already filed to anticipate these impacts.
Know whether the land is serviced or not
One of the first things to look at is whether the ground is serviced. These are the lands whose connection to networks essentials (water, electricity, sanitation) has already been carried out. Generally more expensive to purchase, the serviced land nevertheless secures the budget for future construction, reduces the procedures and lightens the time of the works. Indeed, the price of a land development, which fluctuates on average between €6 and €000 depending on the nature of the land, the constraints and the geographical location, will influence the future project. It is nevertheless always possible to adapt to a given land, as explained this article detailed.
Ensure that urban planning regulations are compatible with the project
Owning land does not allow you to build whatever you want on it. Local Urban Plan (PLU) imposes different rules.
Buy building land
First of all the PLU defines the areas of its territory and the constructible nature of your land.
Natural areas N: non-building land ;
Urban areas U: the land is buildable, but under certain conditions.
Zones A: intended for agricultural use;
AU zones: their buildability is often low.
PLU and construction constraints
In order to standardize buildings in certain neighborhoods, the PLU can also:
– Determine a height and a maximum area to the future house
– Force a certain location depending on the public highway
– Maintain a certain distance from the limits of neighboring properties
– Impose an architectural style, colors, facade and roof materials to homogenize the buildings
Checks before purchasing land: easements
The easements are rights and obligations associated with a piece of land. They may apply to your future construction and limit the use you can make of the land. Mandatory passage for a neighbor, presence of power lines or underground networks, etc., all this information is available at the notary or the town hall.
To better understand this concept, read the article » Finding land: easements and joint ownership »
Take into account the orientation of the terrain
THEorientation of the house is often the key to its comfort and the well-being it provides. Due to regulations that require limiting energy consumption in a recent new home, the sun plays a large part in heating the home in winter. Buy a South facing land is often ideal in France because this orientation makes it easier to protect the facades in summer, to keep a cool house, and lets the sun into the house in winter to take advantage of free calories. Thus, a plot of land with a bad orientation could lead to additional costs in terms of equipment and thickness of insulation to achieve the thermal performance required by the RE2020.
Learn more about this topic by reading the article “ South-West: What is the best house orientation? »
Understanding the type of land: scattered or subdivision
Advantages and constraints of a plot of land in a subdivision
When you choose a land in subdivision, you are joining a neighborhood, developed by a developer. All the procedures are simplified, because the work necessary to make the building lot, such as development (connection to water, electricity, sanitation, etc.) and sometimes the creation of roads or common areas, have generally been carried out. However, this type of very comfortable neighborhood is sometimes criticized for being a little impersonal and offering less architectural freedom when designing the house due to precise specifications that impose rules (fences, shape of the house, colors, etc.).
To make your choice, read the article “ Land in subdivision vs. Isolated land: advantages and disadvantages »
Anticipating the steps of a diffuse field
Located outside a subdivision, it offers more freedom for the design of the house and its surroundings. This type of land also offers more choice as to the environment because it can be located in an old district, in downtown, or on the contrary in the countryside. However, this requires more steps to verify its constructibility and viability.
The item " The 8 advantages of an isolated plot of land » will help you understand this topic better.
Know the risks associated with a plot of land
When selling land, the owner must inform the buyer of certain risks to which the property is exposed. This may concern the presence of radon, the risks of flooding, soil pollution, termites, coastal retreat, an area exposed to airport noise, etc.
The presence of these risks should not prevent you from carrying out your project successfully. Knowledge of the constraints allows you to design a house adapted to the risk.
To find out about the risks in a given area, you can find out on the portal geohazards produced in partnership between the Ministry of Ecological Transition, Energy, Climate and Risk Prevention and BRGM.
Buying land: Knowing the quality of the soil
Not all terrains are equal. Some soils, such as clay soils, can cause problems for the foundations and generate additional costs. Since 2020, the seller of undeveloped land has been required to inform the buyer about the risks associated with the land. He therefore attaches to the sales agreement a geotechnical study called G1. This obligation concerns areas that are moderately and highly exposed to clay shrinkage-swelling phenomenon.
Ask for help from professionals
Buying land is often a real headache. The experience of the individual house builder like Maisons Sic is a real asset. He generally knows the territory well, the PLU and administrative constraints and will be able to guide you so that the project is carried out in the best conditions. He will also be able to slow you down or push you when faced with a complex terrain. Indeed, he will be able to tell you if your future house can take shape on a given plot of land while respecting the budget.
