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No, you’re not back at school. We’re talking about the final grading of your land, done with bulldozers and other heavy equipment after your home is complete!
When you’re building a home, it can feel like you make a million and one decisions, the lion’s share of which focus on the interior of your home. You’re considering floors, light fixtures, wall colors, toilets and bathtubs, refrigerators and stoves. It’s a lot to think about!
At some point, you need to change gears and give some thought to the exterior of your home, too.
When the construction of your house is complete, the final grading of your property will commence. This last step will determine the overall shape and functionality of your property. You’ll be making decisions that will not only impact your property today, but could have far-reaching consequences for your property in the future.
So let’s put aside the paint swatches and flooring samples for a moment and turn our attention to the outside of your house. When the contractors show up for the final grading of your property, you need to know the answer to one very important question: How do you spend your time outside?
- Do you love flowers? If a perfect summer day for you includes a hand spade and flats of petunias and pansies and the rich aroma of mulch, you might want the final grading of your property to provide for flower gardens.
- Would you like to grow your own vegetables? If your answer is “yes,” then you need a sunny, open, level space where veggies can flourish.
- Do you have—or will you have—children for whom you would like to provide a safe place to play outside? Parenting styles vary. Some want an actual play area where equipment can be installed. Others will be content to open the back door to the woods. Think about your options before the contractors show up with bulldozers and backhoes.
- Do you have elderly parents for whom you might want to construct an additional dwelling unit on your property? If that’s a realistic possibility, make that a part of your final grading.
- Do you imagine a pool in your future? If you do, now might be the time to clear the land for it—even if the pool is not going to materialize for years to come. The equipment and the manpower are there now. It might be cost effective to make use of them. Are you more of a pond person than a pool person? Why not dig the hole now?
- Do your plans include any animals beyond household pets? Chicken coops and bunny pens might not be the first additional structures that you’ll add to your property. But if there’s a good chance you’ll want them at some point, it’s prudent to think about where they’ll go now rather than later.
Make sure you take a holistic view of your property and plan for the outside as well as the inside!