No answer to our offer yet. Seller has until 5:00 PM tomorrow (Sunday) to respond. In the mean time I did speak to a contractor about putting in a drive way.
Holy smoke!
$1,800.00 per day for equipment plus materials (culverts) that may be needed. 2 day minimum. Soooo we are looking right around 4 grand to just be able to drive onto the lot! (Not including the County’s drive way permit fee, of course.) This would not get us back to a home site or include any retaining walls or materials to build them.
High end, for all the goodies including decorative retaining walls, $12 – $15K depending on where we would identify a building site.
I am in the wrong business.
Here is a plat map of the property. Look at lot 174 which is the lot we want. This type is known as a ‘flag lot’ because the entrance to the lot looks like the pole of a flag.
Our proposed lot is number 174. Click on this image to bring up a larger version.
The drive would come off the road and make a left turn to get into the lot proper. It is this ‘pole’ entrance that makes the driveway so long. Distance from the road to the corner where the lot opens up is about 190 feet. The “52.16” is the width of the access alley, which is part of the lot and not an easement. Park County requires a 15 foot wide drive at a minimum so there would be a buffer zone between this lot and lots to the left and right.
The $4K I mentioned earlier would just get us the first 200 feet or so, from the road up to the first corner marker – the “pole” section of the lot. Depending on where we would site a house or shed the drive would have to be extended. I might be able to handle an extension with rental gear. A skid-steer loader (Bobcat) goes for about $265.00 per day. I have only 1 previous experience running a Bobcat but I think I could handle it.
The problem is that the entrance has to cut through a couple small ridges and be lowered to the height of the road, requiring an excavation of around 6 feet below surface level. I am not sure I could do it with rental gear. I may take a long probing rod along the next time and see if I can determine if the ridges are decomposed granite with some rocks in them or if there is a ridge of underlying rock. If I find the first condition I may try punching in the drive myself. If the second, then hiring a contractor would be the only way to go.
All of this is moot, of course, if the buyer rejects our offer. We will know tomorrow.
That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!
First things first, HAPPY BIRTHDAY — the big “getting older” birthday, from one even older!
Pam’s Email mentioned that a counter offer had come in — more thought & perhaps negotiation.
Laying in a driveway appears to be costly no matter which alternative — pay someone else, or do it yourself. ‘could even pick ‘n shovel it (probably take years!)…
Then, there’s drilling a well, running electricity in, etc.
Always something…
Congratulations on your “accepted offer” — now the fun begins!
ouch!
ah, the fun surprises that come with building 🙂
will be worth it
and i’m sure you will save lots of money over the course of it all with all the things you are able to do yourself