Site Conditions
Worksheet

There are many physical, geographical, geological and topographical conditions that need to be taken into account when evaluating different building sites or determining the best location and design for a home on your property.

The following list details most of the important considerations. 

• How far is paved or suitable gravel road from building site?

• Is there any reason supply truck, etc., could not drive to the proposed building site? (Such as: no road, bad road, narrow road, steep road, streams, ricers, weak bridges, trees, low wires, etc.).

• Are property lines clearly defined with survey monuments or stakes?

• Is building site envelope (area within all established set-backs, easements, etc.) satisfactory to pursue building? Room for expansion?

• Does building site have satisfactory solar orientation?

• What are prevailing winds - summer, winter?

• Are there any natural wind breaks? (trees, rocks, slopes, etc.)

• Are there any environmental hazards; flood area, tornadoes, winds, hurricanes, earthquakes, land slides, etc.? (Check with local officials and agencies.)

• Are there any rock out-cropping, trees, bushes, etc. in the area of the building site that would need to be saved or removed?

• What is the degree of slope at building site, at parking, at road, etc.?

• Are there any specific desirable/undesirable views from the building site?

• Do the view orientations match or conflict with the solar orientation ?

• What are the general land assets:
  Geographic assets to temper weather extremes; rock or cave overhangs, bluffs, trees, rise/slopes, wind generation, etc.
  Rock for foundation, storage, finish, landscaping.
  Trees for windbreaks, shading, privacy, etc. (Types: deciduous/evergreen, disease prone, etc.)
  Wood for heating/building materials/etc. Land's ability to regenerate and timetable.
  Ponds, lakes (pond and dam for low head/hydro) (develop for food reproduction).
  Soil quality: garden, landscaping, (food production, tempering effect of landscaping, privacy, wind, view, etc.).

• What are the specific characteristics and needs of the micro-climate?
  Basic climatic conditions:
  
  - Average annual climatic conditions -
  temperature
  humidity
  wind
  solar radiation
  
  - Specific geographical climatic factors -
  location
  exposure
  topography
  water
  vegetation
  
  - Desired climatic factors - Internal temperatures, day-night, summer-winter (Personal comfort needs) exposure to exterior environment, view, light, air, etc.