What to consider before buying a small or narrow lot in Brisbane
Building on a small or narrow lot requires creative and clever design, and experience in getting the most out of reduced space. Designing and building a four-bedroom inner-city home that elegantly utilises square meterage is a challenge that requires experience and skill.
In addition to regular building considerations, building a small or narrow lot requires taking into account additional specifics. If you are thinking of buying on building on a small or narrow inner-city block, keep in mind the following:
- Block width. For the design of a home with a double garage, we advise a 10+m frontage.
- Location of services. In designing a home for a narrow lot you have limited room with which to move around services, particularly stormwater pipes. Be sure you know the exact location of services, as well as any trees on the block.
- Location of neighbouring retaining walls, external walls and landscaping elements. Builds that interfere with neighbouring properties can be prohibitive. As a precaution against this, we recommend you check with council and your solicitor what the boundary clearances are, as well as any easements.
- Orientation and design of your home. In any build it is important to be conscious of light and air flow. For small lot homes this is especially the case given proximity to neighbouring properties.
- Work with experienced narrow lot designers and builders. As by now you can see, building on a small or narrow lot requires versatility of design and consideration of approach. These skills come with experience in creating functional homes that both meet planning requirements and satisfy client needs.
In addition to the specific considerations of building on a small or narrow lot, all of the regular building considerations apply:
- Access to the site (taking into account power poles and street trees)
- Bush fire zoning
- Council overlays
- Noise overlays
- Overland flow
- Soil type
- Slope
