Septic System Questions - How to Buy a Lot
When purchasing a lot, there are two important septic system questions that need to be answered.
First - does the lot perk? If the answer is yes, great!
Second, how many bedrooms is the lot rated for? You'll want to make sure the rating supports the number of bedrooms you want to build.
But what if you've already purchased a lot that is rated for a 3 bedroom septic system, but want to build a 4 bedroom home?
There are several options that may allow you to build a four bedroom home when your septic system permit only allows a three bedroom home.
First, and probably least expensive, what do you plan to use that fourth bedroom
for?
If that extra bedroom is planned to be an office instead of a bedroom, a few small changes may need to be made in order for your home plan to be approved by the county.
In general, a bedroom has an egress window (a window you could open and escape out of in case of emergency), a closet, and a door, and may also be adjacent or close to a bathroom.
But if your builder converts the bedroom to an office by removing the closet and expanding the doorway to either a wide opening without a door or possibly even a pair of French doors, this could allow you to gain approval to build the floor plan.
If the fourth bedroom is upstairs, your builder may be able to convert it to an open bonus room or loft. You'll still have the living space, but it may need to be much more open than originally noted in the plans.
A second option is the use of a panel block septic system instead of a standard septic system.
This system can expand the capabilities of a standard system to support at least one extra bedroom.
But it can also add 25% to 75% to the cost of installing a septic system, depending on how close the original plan came to supporting that fourth bedroom. It does need to be approved by the county, and a lot of factors can come into play, such as soil type and requirements that vary by county.
Each case is unique. In order to make a decision and go over the available options, bring a copy of the septic system permit with the system requirements to a trusted builder.
You may also be interested in these Raleigh new home lot resources:
Floor Plan Modifications - Let Us Show You How We Can Design/Build Your Floor Plan
How to Find a Lot - Top 12 Questions to Ask
Build On Your Lot in the Raleigh, NC Area
Green Home Lots - What Makes a Lot Good for a Green Certified Home?
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