Building a custom home is an exciting journey with dozens of big decisions that culminate in a cohesive vision brought to life. One of the earliest and most important decisions you’ll make is where to place your home on your lot. Thoughtful placement enhances your daily living experience, protects your investment, and increases property value. Whether building on half an acre or one hundred acres, we guide you through this process to ensure your home’s location fits perfectly with your lifestyle, site conditions, and long-term goals. 

Here are three key considerations when deciding where to position your home on land:

  1. Topography: Work with Your Land’s Natural Features

The lay of your land — its slopes, hills, and drainage patterns — has a huge impact on where your home should be placed. Building on a natural high point can offer enhanced views and improved drainage, while avoiding run-off areas protects your home and foundation from erosion. In the Raleigh – Cary – Durham area, flat land is hard to find, thus it often makes sense to plan for a daylight basement foundation. The steeper the slope, the higher the ceilings possible in the basement. When dealing with gentle slope, consider that the garage slab and parking apron need to be relatively flat and on the higher side of the home.

  1. Orientation to the Sun: Maximize Comfort and Natural Light

How your home interacts with the sun’s path affects natural light, heating and cooling, and enjoyment of the property. South-facing windows provide warm winter sun, reducing heating costs, while strategically placed shading and smaller windows on the west side help keep your home cool in summer. Optimizing solar orientation can improve energy efficiency, enhance indoor comfort, and brighten your living spaces naturally. Most importantly, there is such a thing as too much natural light. Avoiding tall, large windows on West facing walls is generally advised to prevent harsh direct sunlight in hot summer evenings.

  1. Privacy: Create Your Personal Sanctuary

Natural privacy is a key factor in your home’s placement, especially when working with wooded homesites like many of the neighborhoods we build in. Consider existing trees, neighboring homes, and public sightlines to decide on a home placement that creates a sense of enclosure. Thoughtful placement and landscape planning enhance your sense of seclusion without sacrificing accessibility or views. When working on a tighter homesite, try to place utility spaces like garages, laundry rooms, and closets on the most exposed side of the house.

Why Bost Custom Homes?

At Bost Custom Homes, we combine artistry, technical expertise, and a deep respect for our client’s vision to create beautiful, functional custom homes. Our personalized design process includes careful land planning to bring your dream home to life in harmony with your home site’s unique features.

Ready to start your custom home journey? Contact us today to learn how we help you find the perfect spot on your lot and build a home tailored to your vision.