When choosing land for your dream home in the Adelaide Hills, you might have heard suggestions to opt for a flat block or one that’s already benched and retained for an easy build process. However, by overlooking the amazing potential of a sloping block you may miss out on the opportunity to build a home that not only mirrors your personality and lifestyle but also delivers an extraordinary living experience.
There’s a false perception that flat land is cheaper and easier, and therefore better. Although it may be true that flat land is often cheaper to build on, there are a number of benefits to sloping ground, including reduced excavation, minimising retaining walls, and reduced energy bills that can offset the initial building costs.
At Newenham, we believe there are a number of advantages to building on a sloping block including stunning views, unique home designs, multi-level living spaces, as well as access to more natural light, which is great for your health and wellbeing and your back pocket.
It all comes down to choice. If you’re looking to build an exceptional home that offers features well beyond the basics, a sloped landscape could be exactly what you’re searching for.
Here are some of the advantages of building a home on sloping land.
Magnificent views
A sloping block offers outstanding views of the natural surroundings. With multi-level homes comes much more window space, so you won’t be stuck choosing which wall treatments or paintings you like best, as you enjoy nature on your doorstep. Multi-level homes are typically designed with entertaining and living areas on higher levels to take advantage of the views and allow more sunlight in. Decks and outdoor entertaining areas are another advantage of sloping blocks. Appreciate the beauty of living among the rolling Adelaide Hills and the spectacular views on offer.
Innovative design
Sloping blocks provide a unique canvas for building designers and homeowners to unleash their creativity and discover innovative solutions. Terraced gardens, multi-level living spaces, and creative use of natural slopes can result in a home that is not only functional but also visually striking. Embracing the natural contours of the land can lead to a home that seamlessly integrates with its environment and allows you to inject your personality and style into all aspects of your home. You can step away from generic cookie-cutter houses and design a home that is truly and uniquely yours. If you have found a home design you love, talk to your builder about personalising it to create a split-level home, adding further interest and character to your favourite design. Innovative design features make split-level homes highly sought after, and chances are, they’ll be worth more due to their creative street appeal, clever floor plan and multiple lifestyle benefits.
Reduced excavation costs
There’s a lot of information out there about the added cost of building a house on a sloping block. While that may be the case in some instances, especially if your builder requires considerable retaining walls or fill in order to achieve a flat block, there are also a number of financial benefits to designing a home that complements the natural contours of the land. Excavation costs are often notably reduced in split-level homes, as building into the side of a hill requires much less excavation work compared to digging a cellar or undercroft garage on flat land. Retaining walls are not only expensive but depending on the height required, they can make your backyard and outdoor entertaining area feel closed in and can reduce the amount of natural light in your backyard and living areas. You could also consider building the entire home on stilts, saving money on the foundations and causing less disturbance to the ground. It is well worth having a discussion with your builder to see how you can work creatively with nature to achieve your dream home.
Increased Land Usability
Sloping blocks can present opportunities for creative landscaping. Split-level homes are a great way to establish a better connection with the environment around you and complement the natural surroundings. Terraced gardens, outdoor entertaining areas, or even a cascading pool can transform unused spaces into functional and aesthetically pleasing features. It is important to plan and design your landscaping at the beginning to ensure easy access, but with good design, you’ll likely have less maintenance in the long term. Split-level homes often boast more outdoor living spaces and private gardens connected to nearly every room, giving you plenty of choices to soak up the sun as it moves across the sky. This clever use of space not only adds value to the property but also enhances the overall lifestyle of the homeowners.
Extra space
Depending on the landscape, sloped lots allow for many creative, private areas in your home that are out of view. Think hobby room, wine cellar, man-shed, additional garaging, or extra storage space. These rooms can often be designed with a door to the outside but even if your sloped lot doesn’t allow for outdoor access, the consideration of tucked away vantage points will be sure to complement any custom home design – boosting the value of your home. Whether nestled into the hillside or strategically positioned to take advantage of the terrain, homes on sloping blocks can create a sense of seclusion without compromising accessibility. This is particularly appealing in the Adelaide Hills where the demand for premium living spaces is on the rise.
More natural light
There are many health benefits to spending more time in natural light, including increased vitamin D intake, improved mental health, and better sleep. One of the biggest benefits of a split-level home is the amount of natural sunlight the home can absorb due to the different ceiling heights. To take advantage of the heat from the sun, consider large windows, skylights, glass doors and bi-fold doors as well as high-level windows in bathrooms. If you pair these with double glazing or heavy blinds, you’ll have control of the temperature all year round. Further to this, sloping properties are often ideal for solar energy as the roof is exposed to a large amount of sunlight. Natural light won’t only make your space warm, inviting and homely; it can also help you save on energy bills and allow you to take advantage of natural ventilation as well.
Enhanced natural ventilation
Along with more natural light, a split-level home with exposed sides will have more natural cross-flow ventilation. Improved ventilation is good for your health and your wallet as it will make your home more energy efficient, reducing your utility bills.
Natural drainage
A sloping landscape offers natural drainage away from your house. You can design your home and yard to use the natural slopes to your advantage to have the water run away from the house and into your water tanks. Water tanks are another way to save money, reduce water bills, and allow for your gardens to flourish.
Reduced energy bills
Sloping blocks often allow for strategic placement of windows and openings to maximize natural light and ventilation. This can contribute to improved energy efficiency, reducing the reliance on artificial lighting and climate control. Harnessing the slope for passive solar design can also result in a home that is not only environmentally friendly but also cost-effective. When designed with care, and provided the block slopes in the right direction, sloped dwellings may be more efficient than those built on flat lots as they are more energy efficient due to natural drainage, natural ventilation, and better access to natural light. Read more about how you can reduce your energy bills.
As you can see, building on a sloping block offers a host of benefits that go beyond the ordinary. From stunning views to architectural freedom, energy efficiency, privacy, and increased land usability, embracing the slope can lead to a home that is as unique as the Australian landscape itself. So, before dismissing the idea of a sloping block, consider the hidden advantages that could make your dream home truly extraordinary.
Newenham has a limited number of premium allotments where you can build your dream home to take advantage of the stunning views available while being surrounded by nature.
If you’d like to know more about living at Newenham, simply call our Sales Team on 0429 107 497 or visit the Sales & Information Centre at 164 Flaxley Road, Mount Barker – click here for open hours.
Come and see for yourself why you’ll love living at Newenham.
Photo Credit: Enduro Builders
