When buying land for a custom home, one thing which most of us look at first is the size of the lot. A bigger lot seems like a better option because you have more space to work with. However, this is not always how it works when you actually start planning the house.
There can be areas where you are not allowed to build, while the shape of the land may also limit your options. Hence, before deciding the size or layout of your home, it is important to understand Central Ohio zoning and setback rules and how they apply to the property.
A Bigger Lot Does Not Always Mean a Bigger Home
Suppose you have a large piece of land, but it is long and narrow. On paper, there may be plenty of space. Once the required distance from the front, sides and rear of the property is considered, however, the area left for the house can look quite different. This is why you should look beyond the total lot size. Check things such as:
- The width and depth of the property
- The overall shape of the lot
- The space actually available for construction
These details can make a considerable difference when deciding the shape and size of your home.
What About Road Frontage?
You must be wondering why the amount of land facing the road matters when the house itself may sit much further inside. Well, road frontage can affect how a property can be developed and where access to the home can be planned. For example, it may influence:
- Where the driveway can be positioned
- How the house faces the road
- Where the garage and entrance can practically be placed
Therefore, frontage should be considered while planning the home rather than after the design is ready.
Setbacks Can Change Your Original Plan
Setbacks are basically the minimum distances that need to be maintained between the proposed house and certain property boundaries or road areas. These distances can reduce the portion of land where the home can actually sit.
This does not necessarily mean that your preferred design will not work. You may simply need to change the footprint, move the garage or rethink how the rooms are arranged.
Hence, checking Central Ohio zoning and setback rules before finalising the design can save you from making changes later. When you know how much usable space is really available, it becomes much easier to design a home that fits the land properly.
