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Part 1 · Before you build

Land and site

This module takes you from a list of household goals to a surveyed, tested and laid-out piece of land that is ready for building. It covers choosing land, checking it before you buy, mapping sun, water, wind and soil, drawing a master site plan with safe separation distances, and then the civil works: access road, drainage, erosion control, earthworks, setting out and utility trenches.

Why it matters

Every other system on an off-grid estate depends on the land: the sun it gets, the water it holds, the soil it has and the hazards it faces. Mistakes made here are the most expensive to fix, because you cannot move a house, a well or a septic field once it is built. A good site plan also keeps drinking water away from waste, keeps fuel and wood away from the house, and lets fire crews reach you.

Goals, land search and buying safely (Plan)

  1. Define household goals and needs before you look at land site-1
  2. Select land against clear criteria site-2
  3. Do due diligence before you buy site-3
  4. Commission a site survey and build a base map site-4

Study the site: sun, water, wind and soil (Plan)

  1. Map the sun path and shading site-5
  2. Map water flow, catchments and wet areas site-6
  3. Record wind, microclimate and existing vegetation site-7
  4. Investigate the soil with test pits and borings site-8
  5. Run percolation tests where your regulator requires them site-9

Master site plan and civil design (Design)

  1. Draw the master site plan using zones site-10
  2. Check separation distances between systems site-11
  3. Lay out defensible space and fire breaks site-12
  4. Design the access road and driveway site-13
  5. Plan drainage and stormwater site-14
  6. Plan erosion control, swales and terraces site-15
  7. Plan utility corridors and trenches between systems site-16

Civil works on site (Install)

  1. Install access and erosion controls first site-17
  2. Clear, strip topsoil and do earthworks site-18
  3. Set out the buildings and systems site-19
  4. Prepare foundation ground site-20
  5. Build the driveway, drainage and culverts site-21
  6. Dig trenches, lay conduits and backfill site-22

Record, check and look after the land (Test)

  1. Make an as-built site record and do a first-storm check site-23
  2. Set up seasonal land monitoring site-24

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