Demystifying the Land Feasibility Study

If you’re buying land for a custom home, you’ll need one.

[TOPIC: Land feasibility study | Custom home land evaluation | Site suitability & zoning analysis | Utility assessment | Risk & budget evaluation | Expert-led property assessment | Informed investment & design decisions | Architectural planning guidance]

Introduction

Once you’ve decided to buy land for your custom home, it may feel like you’ve finally arrived. After months—or even years—of pondering this decision, actually visiting potential sites is exciting! You should celebrate.

But be aware: you’re at the beginning of another process filled with high-stakes decisions.

The first of these is determining whether a piece of land is suitable for building. This isn’t something you (or any of us) can do alone. Knowing whether and how to move forward is essential to protect yourself and your investment.

This is where the feasibility study comes in.

Section 1 — What is a Feasibility Study?

A feasibility study is a land study conducted by experts to determine whether a plot of land is worth investing in.

Benefits of a feasibility study:

• Understand building limitations
  

• Discover distinct possibilities of a property
  

• Assess risks and determine project viability within budget
  
  

The final study lays out all features and challenges of the property, providing information to make informed decisions.

Section 2 — When Should You Start the Feasibility Study Process?

• Conduct the study before entering a purchase contract.
  

• This is likely the biggest purchase you’ll ever make. The study helps you make educated decisions and can save money, stress, and heartache.
  

• If possible, negotiate a feasibility window into your purchase agreement.
  

• Engaging an architect during this phase ensures proper study management, result interpretation, and recommendations.

Section 3 — What Happens During the Feasibility Study?

The study typically includes:

• Zoning code analysis
  

• Utilities assessment
  

• Site suitability evaluation
  
  

It assesses critical areas, including:

• Steep slopes
  

• Oceans, streams, and wetlands
  

• Hard-to-build-on areas
  
  

Process:

1. Experts research and walk the site
   

2. Take photos and note potential critical areas
   

3. Determine which specialists are needed for preliminary reports
   

4. Manage the process, speak with authorities, and provide recommendations
   
   

Afterward, you decide whether to move forward with the purchase.

Section 4 — What Happens After You’ve Purchased the Land?

Once the land is purchased, depending on feasibility findings:

• Call in specialists for thorough site assessment:
  

  • Biologists
    

  • Geotechnical engineers
    

  • Surveyors (if recent surveys are unavailable)
    

• Assess soil, slope stability, wetlands, shade, and other site features
  

• Map all trees, rocky outcroppings, and land characteristics
  
  

All this data guides architectural design, enabling your new home to truly shine.

Even unwelcome discoveries can create boundaries that invite innovation and visionary design.

Section 5 — The Bottom Line

A land feasibility study empowers you by:

• Highlighting restrictions
  

• Revealing unique and potentially breathtaking opportunities
  

• Helping you make confident, informed investment decisions

© Artisans Group Architecture + Planning — Sustainable Architecture, Passive House, and Passive Building Design Experts