advice on excavation/engineering, please!

[lizardqueen]

Hi All!

I'm new here. I just stumbled on this site about half an hour ago. I apologize if my questions aren't relative to this forum, but I'm in a bit of a catch-22 and I could use all the help I can get.

I've spoken to a log home builder, who is drafting up my dream house. She gave me a ballpark figure of $30G for excavation, which includes utilities & foundation. I found a big, beautiful lot with no frontage. So I'm looking at buying the adjacent lot also (with an eyesore of a house), which is at the end of a dead-end road. I'll need to create frontage by putting a turn-around at the end of the road. And because of wetland issues, the house will probably be about 10 times further from the street than normal.

I haven't made an offer on the land yet. I definitely don't want it if it's not feasable. I've spoken to an engineer and town hall, and it seems to be doable so far. I'll be getting an estimate from the engineer, but I'm concerned that someone will snap up my lots in the meantime. I'd be ok with up to 250% of the guestimate, or $75G. Does this sound realistic?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give!

[Quinton]

Hello Lizard!

Please go ahead and read as MUCH as you can from this website.

I too, was looking at one time, with a bunch of different log "homes" manufacturers and then I found this place.

Usually, most people here are do it yourselfers, meaning, they want to save $$$ and do things their own way. And then they get the satisfaction of doing something, that most others wouldn't try!

Please ASK questions and talk to as many people about building a log home as possible!

Now, as far as price for getting the lot ready for putting up logs, that sounds QUITE high, but I am not an expert!

[WillandHelen]

No lot should be completely blocked from road access. I am a civil engineer that works with surveyors and land development. Most areas will not allow you to isolate lots from access and if you do then you have to grant them access. You might want to check on this before you think about buying more land. Good Luck.

[lizardqueen]

No lot should be completely blocked from road access. I am a civil engineer that works with surveyors and land development. Most areas will not allow you to isolate lots from access and if you do then you have to grant them access. You might want to check on this before you think about buying more land. Good Luck.

I think I pretty much have this covered, in buying the adjacent lot and creating a turn-around (cul de sac). I've spoken to town planning and engineering, who have told me this is what is required. They really like my plan though, so I think they'll give it the go-ahead. I'm just one of the "little guys/gals", though. A developer would have much more resources to pull this off than I do. I am waiting on an estimate for the engineering, however I'm just looking for some glimmer of hope in the meantime that I might be able to afford this!