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Drilling a New Well on a Lovettsville VA Building Lot

By
Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA

When you decide you want to have a new home custom built in Loudoun county VA, there are several factors that you'll want to consider up front even before you start looking for a building lot. You'll need a set of blueprints, you'll need to choose a builder who will also need a set of blueprints. You'll most likely need to find a lender to work with who is familiar with new construction, and the loan officer you work with will also need a set of blueprints.You'll need to know what the maximum amout is that you can spend. Your lender will estimate what the finish project ( lot, house, well, septic, power, driveway, etc) will appraise for. Lender will probably want 20-30% down.

 When looking at builders contract, you'll need to read it carefully, or have your attorney review it. There could be some contingencies you'll need to add. Some builders use " allowances" in their contracts. Meaning, their estimate was for a well 300' deep, but if they have to drill 600' to get sufficient water, that extra cost for the 300 more feet gets passed on to the buyer. You might find that with some septic systems as well, and even if you hit rock when digging basement, and a ram hoe needs to be brought in, those extra costs could also be passed on to the buyer. If a lot you like doesn't have a well yet, you can do this without the builder, but you might want to consult with them. You need to know setbacks, housesite, drain field corners, and how far you need well to be away from each.

 So that's what happens when you buy a lot that doesn't have a well? You'll need to drill one in order to get a building permit. The chances of not hitting water when drilling a well in this area is very low, but it can happen. It should only take 1-2 days to know you have a good well, and know how many GPM ( Gallons Per Minute ) the well will produce. On new construction, the county would like to see 5 GPM minimum. On this well that was just drilled on a Lovettsville Rd lot, they went 450' and got 12 GPM.( 2 days of drilling) That's more than enough water to run most houses.

lovettsville rd well

Jeff Pearl / Lic in VA

Remax Distinctive - Reston VA

703-727-4876

Homes / Land / Farms / Historic

www.jeffpearlhomes.com

Equal Housing Opportunity Provider

Elite Home Sales Team
Elite Home Sales Team OC - Corona del Mar, CA
A Tenacious and Skilled Real Estate Team

Yes every word is important in a contract.  We all need to make sure we read the contracts.

Jun 01, 2013 10:36 AM
Jeff Pearl
RE/MAX Distinctive / LIC in VA - Lovettsville, VA
Full Service Full Time Realtor

#1- Hi Mark and Tim, yes, reading ( and understanding) contracts is important. I worry when I see those vague generic contracts that some small builders use.

Jun 01, 2013 08:23 PM