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New Home Building on Your Own Lot

Land in sunset

If you dream of designing a new home that takes full advantage of the unique geography and views of land that you love, then you’re a candidate for a build-on-your-lot, or BOYL, home. Here are four steps to get you started on the process.

1. Choose a Starting Point

Close up of an architect working on a model of a home.

The home building process on your own lot can begin in any one of four places:

With Land You Love

If you own or are inheriting land, you’re one step ahead of the dreaming stage. If you haven’t found that perfect lot yet, work with a Realtor who specializes in land purchases or contact a builder who can help you locate the right spot for your home.

With an Architect

Depending on your budget and the level of customization you’re looking for, you can hire an architect to transfer ideas from your wish list to a blueprint. Architects often bill by the hour or based on a percentage of the amount of work needed; at minimum, you can expect to pay a few thousand for their services.

With a Floor Plan

Internet search yields dozens of companies that sell floor plans that you can bring to a home builder for inspiration or to customize for your land. Floor plans that can be used for review, but not for building, cost anywhere from $150 to $500, while complete sets that can be provided to a builder for construction cost from $1,000 to $2,500 or more.

With a Builder

Most homebuilders offer a selection floor plans to choose from. Often times builders will allow additional customization, ranging from selecting the flooring or paint colors to adding various rooms and features.

2. Study Your Land

Excavator clearing ground

The next step in the process of building on your own land is to work with a civil engineer to make sure you’re following the regulations for the jurisdiction where your land is located. Things like electricity, plumbing, and water source all need to be considered.

This should be an open conversation with your builder. If you want your home aligned in a certain way or placed in a specific spot on the land, let your builder know so they can collaborate on how to get the basic resources for your home laid out.

3. Customize Your Floor Plan

Blueprint of a house.
Photo Credit: Getty Images

The next step is the fun part: Customizing and designing the home to fit your lifestyle. For some inspiration, think about your day-to-day life. Do you work from home? A workspace or individual office will be important. Do you have an older family member you look after? Talk to your builder about adding a mother-in-law-suite on the first floor. Even aspects such as how often you host others or which rooms you spend the most time in can impact the floor plan. Another way to think about customization is by considering the exterior of the home and how that might inform the interior design. Do you want an eye-catching Craftsman with a welcoming, warm interior? Or maybe a Victorian with an eclectic entryway is better suited to your wants.

4. Determine How Long it Takes to Build on Your Lot

New home

Building a new home takes four to six months if your home builder has already built your floor plan, but it can take significantly longer if you’re having a completely new design built or if you’re asking for extensive customization. Speak with your builder about the time frame you’re considering; they’ll let you know whether or not that’s a realistic expectation. If it is, great! Contracts can be signed and construction can move forward. If it isn’t a feasible deadline, work with your builder about what aspects will take the longest, and then decide if they’re absolutely necessary. For example, if you’ve chosen a wood siding from a hard-to-find tree that’s not in your area, your builder might suggest a more accessible material to cut down on transportation time.

How Much does it Cost to Build a House on My Lot?

The cost of building on your lot depends largely on the home builder you choose, but the general rule is that the more you customize, the more your costs will go up. This goes for the floor plan, but also for the land itself. If you have a hilly or uneven landscape, your builder will likely have to level a significant portion of it to build, which will add to the cost.

On the other side, even if the land is perfectly suited for building, expenses will be high if you’re drawing up complex plans for a completely custom home. All of this also means that you can cut costs where necessary to fit a custom BOYL into your budget—it may even be less expensive than a previously-owned home.

Building a home on your own land can sound like a pricey prospect, but rest assured this can be done within a wide range of budgets.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Randy Smith

    property we’re just wondering how could we get off maybe something like the gym wall the house built on the property we standing like an old house on the property we just want some maybe some information on what it what

    • Mike Rose-Harrison

      I’m a 3rd generation custom builder. With all due respect to the builders who were part of this article…. if you have “floor plans” you cannot call it Custom, is a track home with changes. If you want a custom build is a different system. The house will be designed according the LOT and the HOMEOWNERS request will be what dictates the build

      • kim u

        i am recently getting deeds and titles to my 2 acre property in ruffin sc. my mobile home is outdated and just older than i am. what would you suggest in my route to building on my land. simple no obsurd richness just basic country living quarters?
        god bless

        • Jamie Garcia

          Hi Kim,
          You should start by looking into which home builder you prefer. Narrow down your selection, then talk with a representative to get started on your home-building process. You can see a list of home builders in your area by going to newhomesource.com and searching for your city.

  3. Clarence Wray

    Do I need a Realtor for the process of having a builder build my home on my land?

    • Jamie Garcia

      Hi Clarence,
      No, you can speak with a builder representative to answer all your questions on building your home!

    • Jamie Garcia

      Hi Lavender,
      You’ll need to call each company – internet and utilities – and set up service to your address. Be aware that some providers only provide service to certain areas; you can check with your HOA or with the city to find out which providers service your area.

  5. Pamela

    I own land and want to build a house. All utilities, well and septic are there, including a pre-existing 16by80 slab for a single wide that will need to be moved. My question is, how much house could I build and to what extent (completeness) could $80,000 get me? That’s all of the loan I can afford. I live in upstate NY in the Adirondacks.

    • Jamie Garcia

      Hi Pamela,
      You’ll have to talk directly to a builder to discuss what you want as far as home size and budget. You can find a builder near you by visiting newhomesource.com and searching your city.

  6. Zachary Jordan

    Hi I’m trying to buy some land in Berwyn Illinois and I won’t to build my house from ground up I was trying to see are there any programs they can help me or how do I go about doing everything

    • Jamie Garcia

      Hi Zachary,
      Stay tuned, as we are working on an article that details all the first-time homebuyer programs in Illinois. Thanks!

  7. todd

    Hello,
    I was wondering if there are any – first-time homebuyer programs in North Carolina? If so where could I find more information about them? Thanks!

  9. Kristi Robb

    We have been given 2 acres of land by my parents it is in our name snd we have the deed.
    We are having a lot of difficulty finding a lender who will give us a loan because we already own the land. Any suggestions we live in Randolph county NC

    • Jamie Garcia

      Hi Kristi,
      Assuming you are looking for a construction loan, owning land should not be a hindrance to getting approved. If you aren’t able to obtain a loan, you should check your credit score and credit report and see if there are any issues or mistakes.

  10. relles

    great step-by-step info!
    The steps mention inspections by city – is that universal for all new builds or specific to certain areas only? Can we expect these inspections at the stages indicated and is there a cost involved? or is it better to hire own inspector?
    TIA!