Living in the country is an aspirational dream for many, especially in Texas. When you are building a new home, there are unique factors to consider when on your acreage. Gerard Construction is just as skilled at walking you through this process as we are at building a home with you in a traditional neighborhood, and we already have several things for you to consider.
Distance
Distance can be multifaceted when discussing building your home on acreage. You want to consider the distance from town or certain hubs before even purchasing your acreage, understanding the drive if you like to run errands regularly or still work at a central location. You also want to consider the distance when working with certain contractors, as the mileage may impact some of their workdays and the delivery of their materials. Additionally, distance from a city may mean certain utilities or amenities are not available in your area, including solid cell phone service or gas lines for your oven and stove.
Accessibility
Similarly, accessibility from the road to your building site will impact some of your construction. Larger trucks will need a road of some sort to bring the cement for your foundation, the lumber for your frame, and other building materials. You will want to think about a driveway pretty early on in the process and understand the radius that many big trucks need to turn around.
Neighbors
Many build on acreage to escape neighbors and the potential noise that comes with them. However, many groups of acreage can create a neighborhood feel with plots that are 10-15 acres nestled closer to one another. If this is your area, consider how close you want to be to your neighbors as you decide where to build your new home.
Building Trends - While matching the style of other homes is less of an issue on acreage, many do consider the overall look of the acreage when planning the architecture of their new build. You are free to do whatever you want, but many shy away from certain styles with certain terrains.
Location
Obviously, you have chosen the overall location with your acreage, but the location on the actual acreage matters too. Do you want your home close to the road or tucked away? Is there a ridge to take advantage of as a high point? Is there a creek you want nearby? Do you want your home centrally located or do you want to lean to one side as you may divide your acreage later on? All of these factors are relevant to consider.
Orientation
One of the advantages of custom building your own home on acreage is you can orient the home in many different ways. Whether you have a preferred look as someone drives up to your home or a certain view you want to capture each morning or evening, you can adjust and tweak the overall orientation of your home to achieve this goal. Consider views from most used spaces like a master suite, breakfast space, dining room, and living room. Also, consider outdoor entertaining spaces and where they may best be located to take in a view and be close to a kitchen for snacks and beverages as needed.
Other Buildings
You may want to plan ahead for other buildings on your acreage, at least with where they may be located. Barns, workshops, additional homes, and other additions should be considered from the start even in a cursory way. You don’t want to be at the end of your build and realize you wish you had left a little room for a pathway to a barn or extra space for a guest house behind the pool. Even if you aren’t planning these auxiliary buildings now, they can be considered.
If you have acreage on which you want to build, contact our team at Gerard Construction today. If you think you may want acreage for your new home, we can assist with land acquisition too. Our team has the experience to help you make your dream home a reality.