Building a House or Garage into a Steep Hillside
Western Pennsylvania has a very rocky, hilly terrain in many areas that taper off as you get closer to the Ohio state line. This is part of the area’s charm, but it can make property improvement challenging!
What should you do when you are thinking about buying a property that is located on a hill?
The first thing to do is to discuss with your realtor what local contractors are skilled enough to make a hilly property useable. Many contractors will NOT be able to make this happen efficiently, which will add significant costs to the upfront cost of the property.
Complete Excavation Solutions has excellent relationships with local realtors in Clarion, Forest and Jefferson Counties in Pennsylvania. If you are not in Western Pennsylvania, check out our three part series on How to Hire a Contractor to find one in your area!
What is your budget and timeline? If you want to build a house right away, be prepared to build an access road first, then a driveway, then install your utilities. This is not a quick or easy process, so plan accordingly. If you are interested in improving the property gradually, check our our post on 15 Ways to Affordably Improve your Camp or Cabin!
Factor your overall budget into your financing! Once you have confidence your local contractors can fit you into their schedules, move forward with buying the property.
Schedule a meeting with the dirt contractor and local government official to figure out the septic system location. You will need to get a PERC test done. If you aren’t sure what a perc test is, check out our post on it from last year!
Make sure the drainage and grading is done right from the get go. It can be hard to find a high-quality contractor who will do this right the first time. Many contractors will cut corners or take a long time on hilly projects because the terrain is more difficult and time-consuming.
Move on to the fun stuff! This could mean a patio, pavilion, shed or camp to start, or a full-blown house, shop, garage or large driveway. Whatever you do, make sure to schedule well in advance with your contractors so you don’t face any more delays than you have to.
As you can see, we have significant experience doing dirt work on hilly, steep and wooded areas in Clarion, Jefferson and Forest Counties in Western Pennsylvania. Take a look at our portfolio below and give us a call today at 814-221-7424 to discuss your property! You can also request a quote online here.
