Having a house in a remote location such as a beach, forest, or farm, away from all the noise and pollution of bustling cities and busy towns is every urban dweller’s dream. However, homes in remote locations do have certain drawbacks, one of which is that some, if not most, have no public road access.
The homeowner could always try asking the local council to have a public road constructed towards his home or area. But if his house is the only one in the area or if the petitioned road to be built is within the homeowner’s property line, chances are, the homeowner would have to build a private road connecting his house to the main public road out of his pocket and efforts.
So if your home needs to have a private road made, here are things you’d have to consider for your road-building project:
Make a Plan
Before you present your plans to the local council or a civil engineer, you’d have to determine exactly what you want. Do you wish to have a dirt road towards your property? An asphalt or concrete road leading to and from your home? Do you want to have an extra parking space to be built together with the road? Are there natural barriers that you have to consider such as geographical formations, boulders, streams, trees?
Check With The Local Officials
Before you start planning or building your private road, it’s best to inquire with the city, town, or county officials regarding having an access road to your home. Even if they decline your request to have the government build a road to your home, you’d still need to check on the permits you need to start building. Some places may require approval from other departments to ensure that your private road follows standard safety and environmental regulations. The bottom line is that you always need to check your road-building project is legal, or else you’d end up not only paying a fine or undoing your work, but your road may also eventually end up being unsafe or confuse other drivers.
Hire A Civil Engineer and Determine Your Budget
You’d most likely need a civil engineer to help you design and plan the private road in accordance with the construction, safety, and environmental standards of your area. Before you start looking for road-building materials, equipment, and road construction signs for sale, you’d have to set your budget first. Ask your engineer about the cost of building the private road, and try to set a budget that works for you. You’d have to account the following in your budgetary requirements: road building permits, labor and professional costs, road-making materials (such as gravel, concrete, asphalt, etc.).
Conclusion
Building a private road for your property could be an unavoidable part of owning and having a remote home (or rest house). However, it’s important to have a road to guide you and anyone who’s going to and from your house, as well as make things easier for you (or emergency services such as the police, fire department, or ambulance) to access your house in case something happens. So whether you have a home in a remote area now, or you’re thinking of getting one, it’s essential to plan and execute the building of your private road properly.
