How to check Utilities and street improvements for vacant land

Question

Hi Everyone,

I've been researching like crazy the process of researching potential vacant land for SFR new construction. Theres a lot on what to do once you have the land but not a lot about doing your due diligence beforehand without spending $1000's in feasibility studies, and surveys etc.

My question pertains to Utilities an roads. I know i have to work out roughly  what it will cost to get utilities to my lot, but how do I find out what is available. The plot I am looking at is behind a house that is on a road and 100ft away from the road.

1)How do I find out where the nearest sewer connection is, or if even there is one. And then who do I contact to get a quote on getting it extended to my property?

2) Same question but in regard to Water

3) I know theres electricity nearby, i can see the pole! Would the electricity company pay for extending the electricity a house over to mine, or would I pay for it. Obviously i pay for it once its at my plot boundary.

3)Roads. There is no direct road to my property, the nearest road is only 100ft away and on the plot plans there is public space allocated for a road. Again how do I find out how much it will cost to build the road, and will i assume the entire cost, as by building this road, it would connect another 8 plots(4 on each side). Also how much does this sort of work cost(roughly!)

Also I know this is a very hard question to answer but if anyone can give me ballpark figures, it would be great. Say that all water, electricity and the sewer system are all 100ft away, what sort of costs can i expect to get them extended to my lot?

Thanks!!

Tyler Mundy · Answer

Thanks for all the wisdom, this is helpful stuff! I’m facing a similar situation currently.

Steve Babiak · Answer

Some places are now using GIS so there could be a map overlay that shows the various items you're concerned with locating. Expect GIS to become more commonplace in the future.

Ben Johnstone · Answer

I assumed that since the swede and water might come together, but i noticed further down the street a manhole with a 'W' on it so deduced it perhaps they were separate..  Either way as i said the house next door has  water so shouldn't be a problem.

I've got info on permits, impact fees etc - school fees alone are $10,000!

Its the utilities business, grading and street improvements that have been hard to research. I think I've got as much info as I can now, before I actually speak to someone at the planning office.

thanks @Wayne Brooks

Wayne Brooks · Answer

yes with your local planning office/building and zoning, whatever it is called.  There are many moving parts, that you probably don't want to tackle.  The road for instance, will have be designed and certified by a civil engineer, including drainage.  Typically, you pay for it, then dedicate it to the city/county so they maintain it.  Of course it has to be built to their standards.  Water lines don't have man holes.  Make sure to find out about the soft costs, like permits, impact fees, etc.

David Jacques · Answer

planning office. If you have sewer, there is a very high likelihood that you have water as well. Water lines are always ran above sewer lines in case a sewer main breaks.

Ben Johnstone · Answer

Thanks for the response @David Jacques  and @Liam Goble

So i've found out that luckily there is electricity right up to the property, and luckily a sewer too - theres a man hole on the property. Regarding water, I couldn't see any specific man holes for water but the house next door has water so should be a problem. This is all good news.

My only concern is who do i speak to to figure out what I am allowed and what I have to do for the road extension? The road stops and then there steps which go past a vacant plot and then to mine and then to a house above mine, one more house then a road. Where the steps our however, is mapped out as a future road on all plot plans that i have seen. Does that mean that If i want to build on one of the vacant lot and can extend the road  50 ft where the steps currently are?

Who do i speak to fin this out. Can I just go to the city planning office and ask?

David Jacques · Answer

your municipality should have this information if there are public utilities. It's really not easy to say what your costs will be to run 100' of lines because sewer and water are dependent on grade. If you have to dig a very deep trench because the grade slopes up to utilities, it will cost more. If there is rock, it will cost much more.

I would budget ~12k to run utilities in a perfect world in your scenario.  Your capital connection charges will vary. In MD, we pay ~5-10k depending on the county for water and sewer.

Liam Goble · Answer

I'm unable to give you ball park answers, but I would think a phone call to the electric utility will tell you what your electric costs will be.  For my local area, the utility will put up one pole, but after that, it's up to me to pay for it.

In regards to roads, you could probably call a paving company, one of the large guys you see rebuilding roads every year, and ask them as they should know.  Again, in my local area, the roads have to be wide enough to allow emergency vehicles to move on, this includes fire trucks which are wider than regular vehicles.