A townhome site is decided by its constraints long before it is decided by its architecture. The drawings come later; the land tells you first what can actually be built on it.
Start with the ground
Grading and drainage are the two questions that most often turn a promising site into an expensive one. Where does water go in a hard storm? How much cut and fill does the site need before foundations can start? A site that needs extensive retaining or imported fill carries a cost that never shows up in the purchase price.
Access and services
How do crews and materials reach the back of the site? Is there legal access, or an easement to negotiate? Are water, sewer, power and communications at the boundary, or do they need extending? These answers shape both the budget and the programme.
Unit mix and yield
How many units does the zoning realistically allow, and does the unit mix match what the local market buys? A site that yields fewer or larger units than the area supports is a harder sell than the raw numbers suggest.
Before you commit
- Commission a proper survey and geotechnical report.
- Confirm zoning and what the approvals process will require.
- Price the sitework honestly, not optimistically.
- Walk the site with the contractor who will build it.
— Asif Memon