This is the second part of the article. You can read the first part here: Buying land, part 1
So, what else should you consider when buying land to build a house?
Check whether there is an access road and what it is like. If the road crosses other properties, first find out who owns it. If it is built on land belonging to other owners, check whether a road servitude is recorded for them in the Land Register. Without such a servitude, the other landowners can deny you its use or demand compensation for using it. Keep in mind that a servitude road is maintained and repaired by those who use it. If the road belongs to the municipality, the municipality maintains it. If you will have to build the road to your house site at your own expense, find out at least the approximate cost, which comes on top of the cost of building the house. Remember that once construction starts, lorries and other heavy machinery will have to drive right up to the building site. Check whether the road surface needs renewing and culverts need building first.
It is important to check the options for connecting utilities to the plot. Are electricity, gas, water and sewerage available, and what will the connections cost? If the plot is in a town, a suburb or a private housing estate and the utilities are available, connection is easier, but you still need to plan for the design and construction of the connections up to the house.
If there is no electricity connection on the plot, first find out from the company “Sadales tīkls” how much a connection could cost. Even if there is an existing connection or power line near the plot, that does not mean there is enough capacity for one more new connection. If a new connection is needed, expect costs and time. Depending on the complexity of the project, a new electricity connection can take several months, which can delay the start of construction.
When building outside towns, water and sewerage will have to be built locally. To meet the requirements, sewerage will most often need a biological treatment plant. If you plan to drill a deep well for water, there may sometimes be restrictions, for example a nearby cemetery.
Does the plot flood in spring or autumn? Is there a factory or farm nearby that causes unwanted smells and noise? How much is the municipality involved in maintaining infrastructure? These are questions local residents can answer. Owners of neighbouring houses can also tell you about the soil or how deep a well needs to be for drinking water. You can learn a lot by joining residents’ forums online and local groups on social media.
Before buying land, it is advisable to carry out a geological survey to find out the soil composition and groundwater level. The results will determine what foundations to build, which in turn affects construction costs. If there is water, forest or a peat bog nearby, there is a risk that the soil will be unstable and more complex, heavier and more expensive foundations will be needed.
If the price of the plot is below the average market value, look more carefully for hidden problems – unresolved legal issues, unauthorised buildings that have to be demolished, red-line and protection-zone encumbrances, soil with low bearing capacity or a high groundwater level, expensive utility connections, etc. Often the sellers themselves do not know all the details, for example if the land was bought many years ago or inherited.
Once the land is bought and all questions are answered, you can move on to planning the construction of your house.
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