Architecture...

In this post, I'll create a partial checklist that can help you prepare to choose the best plot of land when building your green home. In tomorrow's post (and maybe Friday) we'll see the rest of the checklist. And next week we'll start looking at each tip in more in-depth detail.

When we built our home, it took my partner over a year to find the perfect plot of land, I thought we might just look at all the land in New Mexico (we didn't). My point don't be discouraged if it takes some time. In fact timing is my number one tip...

1. Don't rush: Rushing makes it easy to buy land you're not completely happy with. If you plan on living in your home for a long time - and I hope so, because rampant moving is not a green choice, then you'll want to love the land you're on. Being patient can also save you money, and save you from making a mistake when you don't check out the land properly.

2. Research and then set a budget. You can set a budget before researching, but you won't know how far your money will take you in your area. See what's typical. Note how much land your budget can buy, and if you'll have to make any sacrifices. You might have to, but if you know ahead of time what sacrifices you may need to make you can pick and choose the lesser of two or three evils.

3. Slope is good. I though slope was a bad thing when we first started building, but it turns out, slope assists in a natural drainage, say for graywater systems.

4. Avoid flood plains: This seems obvious, but how many people build smack in the middle of a flood plain - tons. Don't be one of them.

5. Don't build in arroyos. Actually don't build near one either. In New Mexico for example, this could be a problem. It won't rain forever, and then when it does, it pours, transforming streets into lakes and arroyos into worse. Your house could be flooded and pounded down in one rainy downpour.

6. Make sure your site has decent to great solar access: Even if you won't be going full on solar, you'll want to try for passive at least. In the North Hemisphere choose land open to the south and in Southern Hemisphere of course do the opposite. If you don't know North from South take a compass with you as you search for land. I get really confused with direction, and there's no shame in taking tools that can help you. If you have the time - say a piece of land is not a likely hot seller you'll want to track the sun for a while on the land to get a feel for how solar might work on a day-to-day basis.

Tomorrow: More tips to add to this checklist. Possibly we'll wrap up. and if not, we'll finish up Friday. There's a lot to choosing the right plot of land, you don't want to leave anything out.

[Photo via author's personal home building photos - New Mexico land]