can this property be levelled?

[brujilde01]

hello there!

I am interested in purchasing this land on the picture... problem is that the property has a steep slope facing the street and towards the hill is more of a gentle slope and it has a neighboring creek below it. the property is in southern california,can anybody give me a rough estimate on how much it will cost to level it... i am planning to build a prefabricated house once levelled. is it do-able?

 

[beppington]

If you're referring to the huge mound right next to the road to the left, I'd be surprised if it was allowed. I don't even know for sure what the reason would be, but, hey it's California - It's bound to be against some law.

 

[flusher]

hello there!

I am interested in purchasing this land on the picture... problem is that the property has a steep slope facing the street and towards the hill is more of a gentle slope and it has a neighboring creek below it. the property is in southern california,can anybody give me a rough estimate on how much it will cost to level it... i am planning to build a prefabricated house once levelled. is it do-able?

YOu have to be careful. CA has stiff riparian laws. You can't move dirt on your property if it will adversely affect water flow over adjacent property. Disturbing the flow of a creek is a big deal in CA and can get you into big trouble with the law. You really need expert advice (geological, legal, etc) before you jump into this deal.

 

[JB4310]

hello there!

is it do-able?

Yeah, by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. with approval from the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Good Luck!

I can't imagine that being a viable building site, maybe not impossible, but definitely not cost effective.

Unless you mean just level a pad site at the top??

JB

 

[brujilde01]

according to the realtor it can be rezoned from open space to what, i don't knw... the lot costs less than $50k. is there a way that maybe just the top can be levelled some to have a house built on it? will it cost more than $50k to have it levelled some?

 

[Cat_Driver]

Yep, like other have said, the minute you move a grain of sand you own the liability attached to that entire mountain.

If there is a rain and there is a mud slide that crosses the road and kills 20 people and, well you get the picture.

Welcome to California, land of the fruits and nuts.

 

[brujilde01]

thanks to your replies... very enlightening so far...keep them coming

 

[nickel plate]

There are two types of creeks with two different sets of property development rules:
1. Year round flow
2. Ephemeral (seasonal) flow
You need to look into the laws regarding the placement of the septic system in relation to the creek. This could be a significantly larger hurdle than a grading permit.
Other types of home foundations to investigate for that terrain would be piling, stilt or pedestal foundations but only if the lot has a million dollar juicy view worth the money for that type of construction.

 

[BeezFun]

according to the realtor

If you think free internet advice is unreliable, just get some advice from a realtor. For a starting point, I'd go to the building department with jurisdiction on that land and tell them you want to level it for a house. If they fall backward off their chairs laughing that's not a good sign. They can at least give you an idea of some of the leg-hold traps you're going to get into when you try.

 

[SPIKER]

if I were you I would not think about leveling all that out then building, I would build into it that way much/most of the home would be underground. leveling an area only big enough top park a couple 4x4 tractors/trucks on and hide in there IF you were going after it. to level that enough would cost as much as the property more than likely and the permits would cost half again as much as the property & construction.
this is from what I remember back in the early 90s of the CA laws. zoning then again may be an issue as well...


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