Building On A Hillside: What Every Homeowner Should Know

Laguna Beach is hillside country, and building here is different from building on a flat lot. The decisions that matter most happen below grade, long before the framing begins. Here is how we think about a hillside site, from the first walk to the final inspection.

Start By Reading The Site

Every hillside lot has its own character: the pitch of the slope, the way water moves across it, and the access available for equipment and deliveries. We walk the lot in person before any design decisions are made, because what the land calls for shapes everything that follows.

Slope And Soil

The steeper the lot, the more the soil and the slope dictate the foundation. A geotechnical report is the starting point, and the engineer’s findings guide how the structure is anchored to the hillside.

Access And Staging

Narrow streets and tight lots change how a project is run. Deliveries, equipment, and crews all have to be planned around the site, which is one reason an organized jobsite matters so much on a hillside.

Foundations That Hold The Hill

On steep lots, foundations are often supported by caissons: drilled, reinforced-concrete piers that reach down into stable ground. We have completed foundations supported by more than 60 caissons, along with major retaining walls that hold the slope in place.

The most important work on a hillside home is the work you never see once the house is finished.

Designing With The Slope

A good hillside home works with its slope instead of fighting it. A few of the things we look at alongside the architect:

• Where the house sits on the lot, and how it steps with the grade
• Views and natural light, which often drive the layout
• How retaining walls can double as terraces and outdoor rooms

Choosing Your Team

On a hillside, the architect, the structural and civil engineers and the builder need to work from the same plan early. Whether you design with us or with your own architect, we coordinate with the engineering team from the start of design.

Before You Buy The Lot

If you’re considering a hillside lot, the best time to involve a builder is before you buy or design. A conversation at that stage can surface the questions that matter most.