HOW TO PREPARE YOUR PROPERTY FOR A CUSTOM HOME BUILD
Start 6 to 12 Months Before You Want to Break Ground
Most people underestimate the pre-construction timeline. In Laclede County, between surveys, soil testing, plan review, and permit approval, you should expect 3 to 6 months of lead time before construction begins. Add time for design revisions and you are looking at 6 to 12 months from "I want to build a house" to "the excavator is on-site."
Step 1: Confirm Lot Buildability
Before you close on a lot, verify that it can be built on. This means confirming zoning allows residential construction, that a septic system can be installed (if not on city sewer), and that the lot has legal road access. In the rural areas around Lebanon, we occasionally see clients purchase beautiful hilltop lots only to discover that the soil will not support a conventional septic system or that the access easement does not allow construction traffic.
The Laclede County Planning and Zoning office can tell you the zoning classification. For septic, you need a soil morphology test conducted by a licensed installer. Budget $300-$500 for this test.
Step 2: Get a Boundary Survey
A licensed surveyor will mark your property corners and identify the buildable envelope after accounting for setback requirements. In unincorporated Laclede County, the standard setback is 25 feet from the front property line, 10 feet from side property lines, and 25 feet from the rear. These vary by zoning district.
The survey also identifies any easements — utility easements, drainage easements, or access easements — that restrict where you can place the home, driveway, and outbuildings.
Step 3: Test the Soil
For a custom home, we recommend a geotechnical soil report. This is separate from the septic soil test. The geotech report tells the foundation engineer what bearing capacity the soil provides, whether expansive clay is present, and what the seasonal water table looks like. Skipping this step is how people end up with cracked foundations. The test costs $800-$1,500 and is worth every dollar.
Step 4: Design and Engineering
Work with an architect or residential designer to develop construction drawings. At minimum, you need floor plans, elevations, a foundation plan, a roof framing plan, and a site plan showing the home placement on the lot. If you are on a septic system, the site plan must show the septic field location relative to the home, well, and property lines.
An engineer will need to review the foundation design against the geotech report and stamp the structural drawings. This is a Laclede County requirement for new construction.
Step 5: Permits and Utilities
Permit applications in Laclede County require stamped plans, the site plan, proof of septic permit (if applicable), and a permit fee. Review takes 2 to 4 weeks. Once approved, you receive a building permit number that must be posted on-site before construction begins.
Contact utility providers early. If you need a new electric service run from the road, the lead time with Liberty Utilities can be 6 to 8 weeks. Water and gas connections each have their own timelines. Well drilling, if needed, should be scheduled before the foundation is poured so the drill rig has clear access to the site.
Step 6: Clear and Grade the Site
Tree removal, brush clearing, and rough grading are typically the first physical work on-site. If you are removing trees, check whether Laclede County or your subdivision has any restrictions on clearing timber near waterways. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources regulates clearing within 100 feet of streams.
Once the site is cleared and rough-graded, the construction driveway is installed. We use 6 inches of compacted road base gravel for a temporary construction drive that can later be paved or graveled to final grade.