Building on a Corner Section: Is It For You?
Corner sections can be an attractive option when you’re looking to build a new home. With more street frontage, greater design flexibility and often a little more land for your buck, they can offer plenty of advantages. But they can also come with some additional costs and considerations, and to be frank a lot of builders probably won’t talk you into building on a corner section as they don’t have as many plans available to perfectly fit corner sites.
Green Homes have standard plans that fit corner sites though and can modify virtually any plan to suit your piece of land.
So, is a corner section worth it? Here are some of the pros and cons to consider before you build.
THE PROS
More home for your money
One of the key advantages of a corner section is the potential to get more out of your land. Corner sites can sometimes be larger relative to standard subdivisions sections with slightly better pricing, or have a layout that allows you to make better use of the available space.
With clever design, you may be able to create a larger home, additional outdoor living space, extra parking or even a home with dual-living potential — depending on the site and your local planning requirements.
More design flexibility
Two street frontages can give your home designer more options when positioning the house, garage, windows and outdoor areas. On the whole you’ll likely also have more off street parking and less attention from local parking wardens issuing tickets from those berm infringements!
Instead of being restricted to a single frontage, you may have opportunities to orient the home for better sun, views and access. This can be particularly useful when designing an energy-efficient home, where orientation and access to natural light are important considerations. Corner sections can be more popular with investors because dual access could make subdividing or adding minor dwellings easier.
More privacy
It might seem counterintuitive, but a corner section can actually provide more privacy.
Because you don’t have neighbours directly beside you on two sides of the property, there can be fewer adjoining properties overlooking your home. With thoughtful landscaping, fencing and window placement, you can create private outdoor spaces while still making the most of the extra frontage.
Potential for better street appeal
Corner homes have two elevations visible from the street, giving you more opportunity to create an impressive exterior.
A well-designed corner home can have a strong presence from both streets, with attractive landscaping, architectural features and considered window placement adding to its kerb appeal.
THE CONS
More fencing
The extra street frontage can come with an extra price tag. Depending on the section, you may have more boundary to fence, which can increase both material and installation costs.
You may also need to consider specific requirements around fence height, visibility and landscaping near driveways and intersections.
More exposure to the street
With more of your property visible from the road, privacy can require a little more thought depending on offsets however you can end up having more privacy if you have a great designer.
Strategic planting, screening, fencing and positioning of living areas can help create a private sanctuary without making the home feel closed off.
Driveway and access considerations
Corner sites can have more options for vehicle access — but that isn’t always an advantage. Driveway locations may be restricted by council requirements, they may also enforce larger boundary setbacks on both street sides, reducing the actual buildable footprint.
Getting the house, garage and outdoor areas positioned correctly from the beginning is important to avoid compromising your section’s usable space.
More to maintain
More frontage can also mean more landscaping and garden maintenance. If your property has two visible street edges, you’ll likely want both to look their best and this may incur more time and resources.
BUILDING ON A CORNER SECTION – WEIGH IT UP
A corner section can offer more flexibility, privacy, street appeal and opportunities to maximise your land. But the extra frontage can also mean additional fencing, landscaping and design considerations, however with these in mind you may find a corner section less contested on the market.
The key is to design the home around the section — rather than trying to squeeze a standard house plan onto it.
Design & build services
With the right planning, a corner site can turn what might initially look like a challenging lot into an opportunity to build a home that makes the most of every square metre.
Fortunately for you, Green Homes has an experienced and talented architectural design team who can customise any existing standard plan, or start from scratch with a design and build concept to perfectly suit your site, budget and lifestyle.