When people think ‘sloping block’ they usually think about the additional costs involved in building a new home on a difficult site.
And rightly so! While it can make the build complex, there are also some real benefits to building your dream home on a sloping block.
In this article we will run through the most important things that you need to know when considering building on a sloping block, including;
- Different types of sloping blocks
- Additional costs
- Design considerations
- Choosing the right builder
Sloping Blocks: What You Should Know
Building on a sloping block may involve some extra costs and you do need to make sure that you hire a builder who has worked on sloping blocks before.
There may be some home design challenges and an increase in siteworks, but sloping blocks give you the chance to maximise a view, utilise architectural features like a split level home, tiered garden, high ceilings and multiple decks or balconies.
How Much More Does Sloping Block Construction Cost?
Your costs will depend entirely on the site and your scope of work. Sloping blocks are likely to accrue more sitework costs. They often require excavating for partial or full undercroft garaging and they can have access issues. A 20-40% increase in cost is typical.
Putting in additional steps and split levels can also add to the bill, as can the removal or import of additional fill.
The key to minimising site costs on a sloping block is to reduce the amount of earthworks required and reduce the amount and extent of engineered retaining walls.
You should also avoid building on the boundaries of your block. This should reduce the costs you might incur for undermining neighbouring structures and fences.
Adopting a house design that suits your block is the most cost effective way to build.
Costs to consider when building on a sloping block include:
- Cavity filled engineered under croft walls
- Water proofing of underground walls
- Retaining walls
- Brick build up under the house to allow for level floors
- Additional steps
- Removal of fencing to allow site access and building on or near boundaries
- Undermining your neighbours building which will incur engineering costs and stabilisation of soil
- Split levels inside the home to allow transitioning to natural ground level outside
- Removal or import of additional fill
Understanding Sloping Block Types
How to build on sloping blocks depends on the type of sloping block your land is. While each slope will have its own characteristics, they generally fall into one of four categories.
Upward Slope (From Road)
Blocks that slope up from the road often lend themselves to capturing views from the front of the house, which creates the opportunity for a grand and impressive elevation, and entrance.
When you build on a block that slopes upwards, it makes sense to dig into the site and create an undercroft garage.
This allows you to have a three storey frontage and a two storey at the rear.
You could also opt for a 2 storey appearance at the front, reducing to a single storey at the rear as the home transitions to the rear back yard.
Downward Slope (From Road)
Blocks that slope downwards may offer rear views that overlook some interesting geography such as a river, ocean or valley.
However, when compared to a block that slopes upwards, the down sloping block presents a lot more design challenges - with compliance for overlooking neighbours being the main obstacle.
Cross Fall
A crossfall slope is one that slopes from right to left, or vice versa. Rather than sloping to or from the road, it runs perpendicular to the road. This can be one of the trickiest types of slope to build on as its slope will access everything from drainage to design.
Combined Slopes
A combination of crossfall and sloping presents its own unique set of challenges. If you’re developing a block with a combined slope, it’s really crucial to work with builders who build on sloping blocks, so they know exactly how to deal with the complexities.
The steeper the slope of the land, the more of a challenge it presents. It’s important to remember, however, that an experienced builder is likely to have dealt with all of these issues before. And, when it comes to designing and building your home, you only have to deal with the area of the block your home will be on, not the whole thing.
Designing For Your Sloping Block
An experienced designer knows to work with your sloping block, not against it.
Work with Natural Contours (Not Against Them)
Work with your block’s natural contours, not against them. A driveway running up to a raised house creates a vision of grandeur and luxury, while sunken garages or wine cellars are a great way to make the most of your house with a slope.
You could also consider reverse your living spaces, placing main areas like the kitchen and family room are on the upstairs level so that you can make the most of the views.
Maximise View Potential
When it comes to maximising stunning views, a sloping block offers so many different opportunities. In addition to upside down or reverse living, homes on sloping blocks lend themselves to large windows, decks or balconies to integrate the inside and outside spaces.
Creative Level Transitions
If you’re trying to work with the style of your home, you could consider a sunken level lounge or media room to play into that sense of a sloping block. An undercroft garage is another way to turning the sloping block to your advantage.
Architecturally, you could also play into the use of statement staircases, both internally or externally. Terraced or tiered landscaping to maximise the sloping nature of your home are also impactful ways to make a visual statement.
Ceiling Height Opportunities
Typically, when building on a sloping block, developers opt for split-level designs. This gives you the opportunity to play around with your ceiling height, creating soaring ceilings to make the most of the natural light and make your home seem more spacious and luxurious.
Driveway & Access Planning
All driveway plans must comply with local council regulations, and regulations issued by Main Roads Western Australia. There are requirements around maximum gradient, width and drainage to ensure safety.
This is one of the most complex parts of building your home on a slope. There are various techniques, including building a block retaining wall on the slope, cutting into the slope or designing a driveway with a switchback or curve. An experienced builder will have an arsenal of ideas to help make sure your sloping driveway is both compliant and stylish.
Designing a Home with Split Levels
Split levels within the home are also a great way to add interest to the design as you follow the rise or fall of the land. Although this adds costs to the design it will help offset site works and retaining costs.
With sloping blocks the opportunity to incorporate higher ceilings can be considered as you work with the land.
Other Design Ideas for Building on a Sloping Lot
Brick build-up under the home with steps inside and outside the home is another design option and can help avoid disrupting the structural integrity of neighbouring properties.
A lot of sloping blocks offer views giving the designer the opportunity to be creative. Adding in balconies and/or bridges and large scale windows which integrate into the living areas will help maximise the outlook from these key areas of the home.
Client Case Study: Capturing Ocean Views on a Sloping Block in North Beach
This stunning North Beach home with ocean views demonstrates what you can achieve from a sloping block.
We created a bridge to the front door for this client to ensure that they could enjoy a spacious, tiered front yard, with a courtyard off the study.
Inside, his stylish home, which appears quite compact from the front, opens out into an enormous backyard, which shows the magnitude of the block.
Selecting a Sloping Block Specialist Builder
If you have bought, or are considering buying, a block of land with a rise or fall from the road (or a crossfall), you need to talk to a builder who is experienced with building on this type of land.
Sloping blocks will almost certainly require a unique custom designed home to be created. Rarely will a standard range, off-the-plan design suffice. Choose a builder with designers on staff that understand the challenges of building on difficult blocks and are experienced in achieving the most economical home building design outcome to suit your needs.
Engaging a builder with their own design team can lead to big savings. At Novus, we have been building custom homes on sloping blocks across Perth for over 30 years. Contact us if you’d like to find out more about the options available to transform your sloping block into the home of your dreams.