Preparing for Your Lot Inspection: A Step-by-Step Guide

Our What to Expect series gives you an insiders’ look into the Wayne Homes building process. We provide all the information you need to feel fully prepared for what it takes to build a new home with Wayne. If knowledge is power, get ready to flex because we’ve got everything you need to know about lot inspections.

What Happens at the Lot Inspection?

By the time you reach the Lot Inspection phase, you’ve already made some exciting decisions in your color selection meeting that will make your house feel like home. Now, it’s time to take those plans and see how they fit into the unique landscape of your property.

The Lot Inspection is a collaborative meeting held right on your land with a Wayne Homes Field Manager. It typically takes two to three hours and is a vital step in transforming a floor plan into a real-world home. Because we’ll be making decisions about the orientation and placement of your home, it’s important that all decision-makers are present.

Walking the Land Together

During this meeting, we’ll walk the property together to discuss where your home will sit. We’ll use preliminary CAD drawings as a guide to help you visualize the home’s footprint in relation to the road, existing trees, and the natural “grade” (or slope) of the land.

One of the more technical—but very helpful—parts of the day is “shooting grade.” By measuring the slope of your property, your Field Manager can offer guidance on:

• Home Orientation: How the house is positioned to best suit the land.
• Structural Possibilities: Whether the slope is right for a walkout basement or if reversing the floor plan would improve the layout.
• Dirt Management: Estimating whether soil may need to be brought in or hauled away during excavation.

Utility Planning

Your property’s location often dictates how utilities will function. During the inspection, we’ll discuss your plans for water and sewer (or well and septic) as well as gas and electric. Your Field Manager will identify where these services will enter the home, which helps you coordinate more effectively with your local utility providers.

We’ll also look at municipal requirements like setbacks and property lines. If you can identify your property pins ahead of time, it’s a great help in establishing boundaries. Keep in mind that depending on your specific lot or city regulations, a formal property survey may be required to finalize these details.

Understanding Site Conditions

Every piece of land has its own history. If you know of any prior structures, easements, or nearby bodies of water, this is the time to share those details. We also recommend having test holes dug prior to the meeting–if possible. Identifying soil conditions—like shale, sand, or fill—early on allows us to make more informed recommendations for your foundation and site preparation. While we can’t predict every underground variable, gathering this information now helps us plan more thoughtfully for the weeks ahead.

The Shape of Things to Come

By the end of the meeting, we’ll “stake out” the property. Seeing the stakes in the ground provides a clear, on-site visual of your home’s location and measurements from the road.

It’s important to remember that the Lot Inspection is a discovery process. While Wayne Homes manages the construction of your home—from the foundation to the roof—items specific to the homesite (such as the driveway, utility connections, or extra excavation) are the homeowner’s responsibility.

Your Field Manager will use what they see on-site to help you identify these “homesite items” so you can plan your budget realistically.

Moving Forward with Confidence

The Lot Inspection is designed to take the guesswork out of the building process. It’s about gathering information so you can make informed choices before the first shovel hits the ground.

Once the stakes are in and the land has been evaluated, we’ll transition directly into the Pre-Construction Meeting. This is where the information we gathered on the lot is finalized and your “Homesite Allowances” are updated in your contract.

Together, the Lot Inspection and Pre-Construction Meeting are designed to help homeowners make informed decisions, finalize details, and prepare for the next phase of the homebuilding process as construction approaches.

Do you have a question about your lot or the inspection process? Contact us! We’re here to help.

About Wayne Homes

Wayne Homes is a custom homebuilder in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia (see all Model Home Centers). We offer more than 50 fully customizable floorplans and a team dedicated to providing the best experience in the home building industry. For more information, Ask Julie by Live Chat or call us at (866) 253-6807.

Disclaimer: The details of this blog are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change.