Land and Utility Preparation for Your Home

If you are placing your home in a manufactured home community, chances are high that the lot is already ready for a home with water, sewer and electric hook ups available. However, if your home is going on private land, more preparation for the site may be needed. So, what exactly is involved in site prep? We share an overview of what it takes to get your property ready for its new home.

Doing the Homework

First things first, though, if you are buying land, you’ll want to be sure to work with your home center consultant and city offices to confirm the local zoning regulations about the placement of manufactured homes and the permits you will need before home delivery. This will keep you informed and be able to avoid mistakes that could cost delays in the preparation.

Also, your home center representative and you should discuss what responsibilities you will have and what services will be taken care of by the home center. Home centers can provide valuable experience, contacts and resources for this process as well. Knowing the next steps always makes a process easier and less stressful.

Getting the Land Survey

Before site preparation, you’ll need a land survey. A land survey will give a map of the land and its property boundaries. It’s also used to see what legal restrictions may be on the property and if any easements are needed and present for access to your land. You’ll also learn if the lot is within a flood zone.

Keep in mind, too, that you want to ensure that the size of the land is large enough to accommodate the home before you buy.

Preparing the Site

When the land is ready to be prepped, common services needed before home delivery are the following:

• Testing soil conditions
• Creating access to the site to be worked on
• Deciding the layout and placement of the home and land improvements (ex. wells, sewage systems, driveways, outdoor structures like detached garages or sheds, etc.)
• Clearing the land of trees, vegetation and any debris or obstacles
• Leveling the land for home placement
• Laying the driveway
• Having contractors work with utility companies about existing utilities and items like water lines and/or installing the utility items and connections to function for the home
• Grading the land for proper drainage
• Constructing the home’s foundation

Hooking Up Utilities

When the home is set on the property, the utility connections that were prepped will need to be hooked up by the proper personnel. Plumbers will connect the water and sewage, while electricians, of course, will work on getting power properly hooked up to the home. These connections will then need to be inspected by city officials before the utility companies can turn on their services. After this, final items like installing the underpinning around the home, connecting steps and landscaping will be done.

Want to learn more about maintaining and caring for your home once you move in? Check out our video series on home care tips so you can take pride in your homeownership.