Choosing the Right Lot for Your Custom Home in West Michigan
The Lot Is the First Design Decision
Most people think the custom home process starts with a floor plan. It doesn't. It starts with the land. The lot you choose shapes the design of your home, influences the construction cost, and determines how you'll experience the finished product every single day. Orientation, topography, views, privacy, access, utilities — all of it flows from the land.
Choosing the right lot is one of the most important decisions you'll make, and it's the one most often made without enough information. Here's what to evaluate before you buy.
Topography and Orientation
A flat lot is the simplest and least expensive to build on. A sloped lot costs more but often produces a more interesting home — walk-out basements, split levels, and dramatic entries are all enabled by grade changes. The question isn't whether a lot is flat or sloped. It's whether the topography works for the kind of home you want to build.
Orientation matters just as much. A south-facing rear yard gets the best natural light. A west-facing lakefront lot gets spectacular sunsets but also intense afternoon heat. A north-facing slope can feel dark in winter. Understanding how the sun moves across your lot throughout the day — and throughout the year — should inform both the lot choice and the home's design.
Zoning and Setbacks
Before you fall in love with a lot, understand what you're allowed to build on it. Zoning regulations dictate setbacks (how far the home must be from property lines), maximum lot coverage, building height limits, and sometimes even design standards. Lakefront lots add additional layers — EGLE jurisdiction, critical dune regulations, high-risk erosion area setbacks, and local waterfront overlays.
We've seen buyers commit to lots only to discover that setback requirements consume so much of the buildable area that the home they envisioned simply won't fit. A quick call to the local township or city planning department — or better yet, a conversation with your builder — can prevent that costly surprise.
Utility Access
Not all lots are created equal when it comes to utilities. The big questions:
- Sewer vs. septic: Lots with municipal sewer access are simpler. Lots requiring septic systems need a soil evaluation and a drain field layout — which has its own setback requirements and may limit where on the lot you can build. In northern Michigan counties, septic setback requirements are increasing, making this a bigger factor on smaller lots.
- Municipal water vs. well: A well needs to be drilled and tested. Its placement is governed by setback requirements from the septic system, property lines, and other features.
- Power and gas: How far is the nearest utility connection? Running power lines or gas mains to a remote lot can cost thousands — sometimes tens of thousands.
- Internet: In rural and lakefront areas, high-speed internet availability varies widely. If working from home is part of your plan, verify connectivity before you buy.
Soil Conditions
What's under the surface matters more than most buyers realize. Sandy soils drain well but may require deeper footings. Clay soils can create drainage problems and complicate foundation work. High water tables limit basement depth and may require engineered waterproofing systems. Rocky sites add excavation cost.
A geotechnical survey — essentially a series of soil borings — tells you exactly what you're building on. It's a modest investment that can prevent major surprises during construction. We recommend it for any lot, and we consider it essential for lakefront and hillside sites.
Access Roads and Construction Logistics
Can a concrete truck get to your lot? What about a crane? A lumber delivery? These are practical questions that affect both the construction process and the cost. Lakefront lots with narrow private roads, steep grades, or seasonal weight restrictions can complicate deliveries and equipment access. Rural lots at the end of long unpaved roads present similar challenges.
Even in developed subdivisions, access considerations matter. If the lot is at the end of a cul-de-sac or requires crossing other properties for utility connections, those logistics need to be understood upfront.
How the Lot Shapes the Design
The best custom homes don't just sit on the land — they respond to it. A lot with western lake views calls for a different window strategy than a wooded lot with filtered southern light. A narrow lakefront parcel may require a tall, compact footprint. A wide countryside lot allows for a sprawling single-story ranch. Privacy from neighbors, prevailing winds, mature trees worth preserving, natural drainage patterns — all of these influence the design.
This is why we always recommend that clients involve their builder before purchasing a lot. We can walk the site with you, identify opportunities and constraints, and give you a realistic assessment of what it will take to build the home you want on that specific piece of land.
Types of Lots in West Michigan
The variety of available lots is one of the things that makes West Michigan such a great place to build:
- Lakefront lots: Lake Michigan, Torch Lake, Spring Lake, and dozens of smaller inland lakes. Premium settings with premium complexity.
- Wooded parcels: Rolling hardwood forests east and north of Grand Rapids. Private, scenic, and well-suited to homes that nestle into the landscape.
- Subdivision lots: Established neighborhoods in communities like East Grand Rapids, Ada, Rockford, Holland, and Grand Haven. Infrastructure is in place, but design standards and HOA rules may apply.
- Rural acreage: Countryside lots with open views, pond sites, and room to breathe. Spring Lake, Coopersville, Ravenna, and similar areas offer land at a lower cost per acre than lakefront or in-town properties.
Bring Your Builder to the Lot
This is the single best piece of advice we can give. Before you close on a lot, have your builder walk it with you. A builder sees things that a real estate listing doesn't show — drainage patterns, utility challenges, access constraints, buildable area after setbacks, and opportunities that the topography presents.
A 30-minute site visit can save you tens of thousands of dollars in unexpected costs — or help you confirm that the lot you love is exactly right for the home you're planning.
If you've found a lot you're excited about — or you're still searching — we'd be happy to walk it with you and share our perspective.