Building  In  Coos  County  Oregon

How to start building on your property
Have a contractor visit the site first
Homeowner advice (well, septic, utilities)
Choose building plans and building materials

    Building on property in the country requires more advance planing than building in town. More decisions need to be made and it's difficult to know where to start. If you have never built before, the construction process can seem complicated.  The following list contains information that may help. For most people, building a home is a new experience, and therefore it's good to cover the basics. Each home is also unique in design, location, materials and size; until we have seen the property and building plans   - we cannot give much in the way of an estimate or advice.  For more information see:  Pre - Construction Planning

    Have a Contractor Visit the Building Site First    Before you buy plans, or have an Architect design them,  we would suggest having a contractor visit the site with you. The contractor can make recommendations as to where to site the house on the property: to maximize view, place for southern exposure, determine locations of utilities (or well and septic if in county) and locate the driveway.  All of these factors are related, and if one is done wrong, it can complicate the building process. As an example: we have seen cases where the homeowner cleared the land prior to building. This made the DEQ reject their permit for septic approval. The DEQ requires "undisturbed land" before approving a septic permit.

    Have the Well Located Before the Septic    The well driller should always determine the best location for the well. This may make location of the septic and building structures more difficult, but water is primary here. Although we live in a high rain area, we have seen wells give anywhere from 1-10 gallons per minute. The additional cost is worth it to get a high water flow well.

    Location of House on Lot    There may be several possibilities of where to site the house on the lot. Facing most of your large windows on the south wall can maximize solar heat gain. Sometimes adding a longer driveway can give you more privacy. For some locations, it's all about the view. Making one decision will impact others; it all depends on your priorities.

    Location of Utilities    Utilities will need to be located prior to beginning the bid process. You need to know exactly the location of where these services are coming from and where they will hook up. Installation of sewer, water, gas, electric, phone and cable can add significantly to the total cost. You may have a general idea of where utilities are located, or you may have been told of the locations (or availability for hook up ) by some one else, but it's still a good idea to check. You don't want to be surprised.  When it comes to utilities, surprises are usually not good.

    Discuss Design and Material Choices      Some products (windows, siding and roofing) are more suitable for a high wind/ rain climate.    We can help you compare  the different costs associated with these design and product choices.

    House Plans  -  Buy or Have Designed ?    There are advantages to both custom plans designed just for you  and plans bought from large companies.  You can save money by having stock house plans done with minor alterations. There are thousands of these house plans available on the Internet. If you have an unusual building site or want something totally unique, you will probably need an Architect and Engineer. We can help you choose a plan or Architect based on your requirements.