Buying Vacant Land? – Wooded, Meadow, Level, Rolling, Water, Density, & Etc.? Want to build a House? A Barn?

Almost everyone wants to build their own home, but very few do. Why?

When your best friend asks you, “Do you have any idea of what you are doing?”, you might hesitate. As an aside, the most difficult thing in life is to be honest to ourselves. So, after a thorough personal inventory, if you are honestly ready and I would like to work with you to achieve your goal.

A long while ago we bought a lot and decided to be own general contractor. Thirteen months later we moved into a brand new home, it’s still standing tall. “I’ve been there” so you will be privy to my sage wisdom and the first item is, be sure your marriage is in good shape.

Besides my own personal experience, I have been involved in many transactions involving vacant property so I can give my clients some insights as to what’s before them.

The multiple listing services (MLS) provide schedules of available properties, however many of the best parcels lots are not listed. Due to my contacts in the Barrington Area, very often I will know a seller who may be willing to sell.

I would be delighted to work with you in establishing a plan to purchase that “perfect” home site, call 847-331-2249.

Lake County – Illinois – Residential Vacant Land

This document has been written to alert persons of possible problems when purchasing vacant land with the intention of building a home, especially when a septic system is involved.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

Obtain information from the County Health Department and County and Local Building Departments prior to purchasing land. This will give you the opportunity to obtain either permits or letters from the Health Department and Building Department to know that your home can be built exactly as you have planned.

Obtain a soil evaluation for the property. Information provided thorough a soil evaluation will allow you to ascertain whether the lot has soil suitable for the installation of an on-site sewage disposal system. Usable area is more important than lot size. Slope, swales, bodies of water or wetlands, trees, neighboring wells and the size of the proposed home all affect the area that may be suitable for the septic field.

Once you own the lot you must continue to protect your investment. The soil on your lot is a natural resource and must not be destroyed. Compaction to the soil mainly caused by vehicular traffic over the soil during wet conditions, will create the most sever problems. Therefore, the septic area must be fenced from house construction traffic before an individual sewage disposal permit can be issued.

The homeowner should cooperate with the general contractor and the septic contractor. Once a plan is approved by the Department of Health, the location of the house, well and septic system cannot be changed without approval of the Health Department. Trees in the septic field area will only live a short time and should be removed before construction. Check with the gas, electric and telephone utilities to be certain they do not pass through your septic field.

The septic contractor should not begin construction of the septic system until he is certain it will be installed according to the approved septic plans. He must be assured that the type and amount of fill (if required) has been properly placed and inspected by the Health Department prior to the installation of the septic system. The septic contractor must not install the system during wet weather or leave it open during a rainstorm, or freezing weather.

Because the septic system (field) is shallow, with only 6 to 8 inches of soil cover over the gravel, the homeowner/landscaper must take care in the final grading and seeding over the septic system field. Should inclement weather prevent completion of this work, the system should be covered by straw or similar material after rough grading to prevent excessive erosion of soil from the septic field. Once the system is in use, final grading and seeding can take place with hand-held equipment only.

It may be wise to consider in advance any future additions to the property, such as decks, garages, outbuildings or pools. Sufficient space may be reserved for future additions in the original planning.

Lake County Health Department

Comment: This information was obtained from Lake County, Illinois. We suggest you check with the jurisdiction that pertains to your property.

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Thomas J. Magner - Broker, Realtor^®
TMagner@BarringtonAreaRealty.com
Phone: 847.381.9500
Keller Williams Success Realty
600 Hart Road, Suite 105
Barrington, Illinois, 60010

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