Designing a home for a SLOPING SITE

You might have to dig deep – into your finances, your grit and the ground – if you build on a sloping site but the challenge will be worth it, says architect Allan Corfield

Finding a suitable plot to build your dream home can be as challenging and as drawn-out as the actual build. Especially if, like most, you are looking for a ready-made, flat plot near your favourite village. You will probably have discounted lots of suitable plots, because they are just ‘not right’. And one of those reasons will most likely have been because the plot in question was a difficult, sloping site.

In this guide we will look at why picking a sloping site might turn out to be a great decision. I am not saying that slopes aren’t challenging, but for some they will be worth it as they can help to create stunning and interesting homes. In this design guide we will look at some of the main factors affecting builds on sloping sites, both positive and negative, and show you how certain projects have capitalised on the opportunities they present.

Before we get into too much detail, we should clarify