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Chapter 2 Workbook

Three Lots, Three Decisions

A printable companion to DIY Site Analysis & Setbacks. Fill in the prompts on a printout on-site, or type into them on screen and save as a PDF.

How to use this workbook. Each of the three scenarios below describes a real lot type that builders walk onto every week — flat urban infill, sloped rural land, and corner lots with dual setbacks. Walk through the prompts in order. The first five to six prompts are the same six checks from Chapter 2 (envelope, sun path, drainage, soil, footprint, and one architectural decision), retuned for that lot’s real constraints. Fill in what you can on the lot itself, and bring the printed page to your architect’s first meeting — a Sharpie-marked plat with your answers beats a blank stare every time.

Scenario A

Flat Urban Infill Lot

The lot: 50’ × 100’ interior lot in an established neighborhood. R-2 zoning. Mature street trees on the south side. Alley access at the rear. Neighboring houses within 8′ of each side property line. No significant slope — the floor is the grade.
  1. Buildable envelope dimensions
  2. Sun-path placement
  3. Drainage direction
  4. Soil note
  5. House footprint sketch (description)
  6. One architectural decision: alley-loaded garage — yes or no?
Scenario B

Sloped Rural Lot

The lot: 5 acres with an 18% downhill grade running east-to-west. Well and septic on-site already. No curb, gutter, or sidewalk. Driveway access off a paved county road at the high corner. Surrounded by mature oaks at the lower edge.
  1. Buildable envelope dimensions
  2. Sun-path placement
  3. Drainage direction
  4. Soil note
  5. House footprint sketch (description)
  6. One architectural decision: walk-out basement — yes or no?
  7. Driveway grade
Scenario C

Corner Lot with Dual Street Setbacks

The lot: 75’ × 110’ corner lot in a transitional neighborhood. Two front setbacks — one on each street-facing side. Mature trees lining both streets. A diagonal view toward a small neighborhood park across one intersection. Existing single-story ranch on the lot.
  1. Buildable envelope dimensions
  2. Sun-path placement
  3. Drainage direction
  4. Soil note
  5. House footprint sketch (description)
  6. One architectural decision: which setback dominates?
  7. Dual curb-cut decision

Bring This to Your Architect

Three lots, eighteen prompts, one afternoon of work. Mark up the plat survey as you fill these in, and you’ll arrive at the first architect meeting with the single most valuable thing a client can bring — observations made on the ground, marked on the survey, with priorities called out.

Ready for personalized guidance?

Every property and every jurisdiction is different. If you have a specific site in mind, a licensed architect can help you confirm setbacks, easements, and the buildable envelope — and turn your DIY sketch into a workable design.

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