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Need input: House location on site, soil compaction, grade changes, retaining wall

2015Waltham | Posted in GBA Pro Help on

I would like your input regarding the house location on my site plan (I am the owner).

My considerations:

1) Southern exposure vs. street angle so we oriented 15 degree from true south. I am happy about this decision and I think the landscape architect is capable to make the landscape work with this orientation.

2) Main unresolved challenge:
Note the S/E corner of the house at the back is on grade, no basement underneath. Ideally it need to be at the same grade of the garage floor with no stairs. Due to the natural grade, looks like part of garage floor need to be raised 5+ or so. Ideally I’d like to not have to do that due to concerns of improper soil compaction, but we do not have a lot of room on the left (higher) to shift the garage. This is an area a civil or structural engineer can give me options … What do you think?

3) We already have a costly long driveway (looks like 150 feet * 10′ wide and 900 SF motor court. In light of saving driveway cost, I’d consider moving the house ~30′ forward, but the house will no longer sit high up. Also I wanted to take advantage of the grade drop (where topo marked as top of ridge) for basement. Due to the porch at front and back, we have to back fill that area in front of porch base, right. Is that another concern for proper construction practice?

4) Retaining wall will be at the right front (N/W) and right back (S/W). I prefer a tiered wall no taller than 4′ for better spacial interest, and it does not need to be designed by an Engineer if lower than 4′.

Front retaining wall I like this concept: http://www.houzz.com/photos/1262496/Lane-Residence-in-Los-Angeles-by-MGS-architecture-asian-exterior-los-angeles

Back retaining wall I like a tiered concept as well, e.g. http://www.houzz.com/photos/1061603/Coeur-DAlene-Residence-on-Lake-Coeur-DAlene-modern-patio-other-metro

My architect can adjust the elevation after the LA designed the walls and the whole site.

I would like to see smart site design, considering drainage, best use of grade, solar and soil compaction, and cost efficiency. What’s your version of visual placement of the house on site and why?

Attached:
FloorPlan-SITE.dwg
SitePlan_arch.pdf (My building architect’s version of the house location. LA has the final say on).
Site_visual.GIF
LandscapeConcept.pdf (Concept only)
Update6.6.2015.pdf – current house plan (final work still in progress)

Thank you.

Editor’s note: the posted plans have been deleted at the request of the original poster.

Replies

  1. GBA Editor
    Martin Holladay | | #1

    Ying Li,
    A question like house placement can only be answered by a site visit. If you get information over the internet -- if someone gives you advice on GBA based on the information you have posted here -- I think you should ignore it. That's no way to site a house.

    If you are genuinely unsure of where you want to place the house on your site, you should leave that decision to your architect. I hope that you trust your architect. If you don't, find a new architect.

    Ideally, you know enough about the site and your own dreams to make the decision yourself.

    Concerning grade changes and retaining walls: anything is possible. If a solution is designed by an architect and built by a competent builder, it will work. Only you, in collaboration with your architect, can decide what you want to do with your site.

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