potential problems with the property

We are currently interested in a building plot of a city.
After discussions with the urban planning department, we now know that there are supposed to be some sinkholes there and that one might possibly have to expect washouts.

What does this mean for the construction? The plot loses about 2.5m in height over 21m. Our idea was to have a residential basement with 2 rooms that are nicely bright. The plot has a perfect south orientation and in terms of location, size, etc., it would be perfect for us.

I just don’t want to buy something where I later have extremely high additional costs during construction.

Hello,

nobody here can really tell you what that means.

My recommendation would be to have a soil report with foundation recommendation BEFORE purchasing the property prepared and to provide the surveyor exactly this information from the urban planning department and your ideas in advance.

In the worst case, you will have wasted the surveyor costs if the property does not work out.

Regards,

Dirk

After talks with the city planning department, we now know that there are supposed to be some dolines there and one might possibly have to expect washouts.

Some? How large is the desired plot?

What does this mean for the construction? The plot loses about 2.5m in height over 21m. Our idea was to have a residential basement with 2 rooms that are nicely bright. The plot has a perfect south orientation and in terms of location, size, etc. it would be perfect for us.

But I don't want to buy something where I would later have extremely high additional costs during construction.

Dirk has shown you the right way! Are you the first prospective buyer of the plot? If not, perhaps a soil survey is already available, which you could purchase.

I estimate – as far as this can be reasonably done via virtual conversation – that you very likely have to reckon with significant extra effort. A slope location is already an expensive option regarding construction. Added to that are dolines – really several? – on the property, then water is also usually not far away. It certainly won't be cheap.

Rhenish greetings

The urban planner mentioned something about there being several sinkholes in the village, I myself have absolutely ZERO idea what that exactly means. In any case, the civil engineering office should have something useful, since a road was built directly adjacent to the property. I will then arrange for a soil survey with foundation recommendations. As far as I understand the city, we are currently the only interested parties.

Unfortunately, the city has now decided not to sell the plots for the time being because a "neighbor" is not allowing the city and the district office onto his property for an important soil survey. The city apparently wanted to conduct the soil surveys themselves, so I have been able to sit back so far.

There have apparently been some ground fissures around some houses in the area, but unfortunately I do not know if that is due to the deep drilling by the potential neighbor.

If I now have my own soil survey done on my potential plot, is there any way I can ensure that my plot or my foundation slab and my house are protected from ground fissures? The location of the plot would simply be too amazing. The goal would be to build a house on a foundation slab without a basement.