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Yes. Depending on how steep it is, it can add significant expense to building a home. I'll let the construction gurus jump in here, but the foundation is different, grading, longer driveways (to avoid the very steep, straight up or down driveway), etc.
If its in the middle of nowhere and supplies will have to be trucked 60+ miles, no power, no roads, no water, no sewer, then yes, its more expensive to build there. If the land is desirable and huge lots, it will also be more expensive.
Yes it is more expensive to build on hills. They have larger foundations for those homes which adds substantial cost, and they are engineered differently to withstand slides and quakes.
It as has a lot to do with what is under the surface of these hills. You can imagine that putting in a septic or drilling a well through solid rock will cause some expensive problems. I have clients that have a house to sell in a very so-so neighborhood. They spent a ridiculous amount of money excavating the driveway, drilling a 600+ foot well and their septic system still has serious issues. The house has been on the market for 4 years and they will never be able to get the price low enough to sell and cover their expenses.
"Are hilly areas substantially more expensive to build on?"
In a word- no.
And of the preceding answers cobble was correct. It's really about what's under that hill or mountain. And for yourself- it's geographic location. Fault lines (AKA- earthquakes) also mean very different building techniques/code requirements. If you compare LA/OC to ATL (my locale) left coast cost is higher- but not substantially higher when you adjust for labor and material cost. I deal more with earth than rock (lower excavation cost), I have no code requirements/restrictions for foundation other than standard footing and reinforcing steel sizes and dimensions. Actual cost difference between a slab house and a basement foundation here is approximately $12-15k (most of that is actual material cost, predominantly concrete). Of course there are other areas of the country that are flat but still have basements because the frostline is so deep- and it's a waste of money to fill the hole back-up.
While the foundation work is generally consistent betwen a flat and a hill lot, the cost to prepare the site, the cost of filling and leveling, the cost of engineering, and the sheer (excuse the pun) act of working on a very steep/hilly lot add to the amount of time, and hence the cost.
As noted here, and just think about if logically: it just takes more to 'get around' on a steep slope than it does to walk across a level lot. Materials are generally the same, but the cost adds up in prep work and the simple act of working in a steep environment.
BTW, i am assuming hilly/steep to be extreme...not gradual hills, but STEEP stuff that falls away at a 35 degree or steeper angle. Generally speaking, it would be difficult to stand up on such a lot, but not impossible. Imagine the reason to do it would be for the view.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ted Bear
In a different word: Yes.
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BTW, i am assuming hilly/steep to be extreme...not gradual hills, but STEEP stuff that falls away at a 35 degree or steeper angle. Generally speaking, it would be difficult to stand up on such a lot, but not impossible. Imagine the reason to do it would be for the view.
I'm with the 'Bear', but it really depends on lots of things (run-off, soils, access, design)
Foundation and erosion control are big (~ $20k more) . Then there is the hassle... framing, siding, sheeting, gutters, painting landscaping, height at roof (fear factor). That said I always build on a hill (I like daylight basements). But I have a good friend who built on a STEEP incline. LOTS of hidden expenses... (like placing drainrock around perimeter.) got caught by rain. 8 month delay due to impossible to get materials in. Much erosion due to delay (structure risk and BIG FINES). I will guess he wasted $100k on his 'incline', he enjoys a 16' tall ceiling in his basement (racquetball court), BUT.... his house gives me the eebee-geebies to occupy during 'mudslide' season, and I DON"T enjoy being on his deck, even with the nice view.
One warning... you ALWAYS run out of 'dirt' on a hillside project(trying to landscape / make flat spaces for BBQ...)
One of my neighbor's homes split in half and fell down in a ravine, due to another (higher) neighbor getting his drainage wrong. Think TWICE, maybe 3-4x.
One warning... you ALWAYS run out of 'dirt' on a hillside project
Really?
By the looks of the picture I attached I'd say there's always a surplus.
Then again, if you know what the Hell you're doing you hopefully don't have to truck any off- and certainly shouldn't have to truck some in.
Knowing where your "cut" is and knowing what will need "fill"- it should be a 50/50 trade-off.
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(trying to landscape / make flat spaces for BBQ...)
. Think TWICE, maybe 3-4x.
