Expert: Bill-C - 5/29/2011

Question
Hello. I am in the process right now of buying a piece of land. It is in a small town just on the border of a city. It is a 4.5 acre lot with 200ft frontage. Parts of it is extremely thick with trees while other areas are treed but not too thick with thick moss on the ground. There are a couple areas that look like paths of thick mud(I'm thinking water is draining there somehow, I never saw any rivers) The land is also on I'd say a 30 degree incline upward(in a hill).  I was wondering what your opinion is on this land. Because its such a large lot we have room to put the house where we'd like. I was just concerned about the thick moss(it was like walking on pillows) what kind of problems could occur with the land.  We really don't want to get into big expenses, but because its in a hill, with such wet areas we don't know what would have to be done. Thanks for your help

Answer
Hi L,

My advice when buying any land is get your solicitor or surveyor to check the land deeds and if it has conservation listings as we do in the uk. Some land areas are classed as greenbelts and you are limited to what is allowed for building on.
Once this is checked find out if a soil test analysis has been carried out, if not commision one or ask the owner to have it done.
You will also require bore hole trial pits carried out to check the ground strata.This is the geological make up of the land .Get a full report as your engineer or architect will require it.
As you state it is hilly and moss overgrown so i would suspect rock near to the surface and you are correct about the muddy areas being natural courses for water to travel to the point of least resistance.
Water will also travel through rock in fractures and crevices .
Should you decide to build then the location can be advised by your engineer. Check for local maps and historical maps of the area for any previous streams etc..Also get some information on historical weather reports for the area or talk to some locals .
You will also have to think about utilities such as gas.electric .water.foul drainage.
Once you get your bore hole report then this will tell you the layers of individual components  such as soil . sand clays and rock depths.
Drainage can be catered for around the build by means of water storm cells attenuation and land drains so this can be designed in.
Hope this is of some use to you as it is hard to assess things unless you can see them .
If you need any further assistance don't hesitate to contact me.

take care
Bill