Before you build — or before you buy — Mack Engineering evaluates your lot to confirm it can carry the home you want at the budget you have. Topography, soils, septic or sewer, stormwater, access, and zoning, all checked in-house. You get an honest read on what the land can actually hold.
“Mack saved us well over $600K by simply doing a massing exercise on our lot. They determined the house our previous builder charged us to design would not fit on our lot — it was physically impossible to build under the City’s Unified Development Code.”
THE LOT EVALUATION
Everything we check before you commit.
No other builder in this market publishes this list. Mack Engineering runs it in-house.
Legal & regulatory
Physical
Water
Utilities
Access
Cost drivers
BUYING LAND?
Bring us before you close.
The cheapest time to find a problem with a lot is before you own it. A pre-acquisition review tells you what the site can hold, what the site work will cost, and whether the numbers work — while you can still walk away.
SEE FEASIBILITY REVIEWS →
KNOW YOUR TERRAIN
Three markets, three sets of unknowns.
Milton AG-1 acreage
N. Georgia sloped & wooded
Western NC mountain lots
QUESTIONS
Building on your lot.
How do I know if my lot is buildable?
We run a full evaluation — zoning, survey, soils, water, access, and cost drivers — and give you an honest read before you commit.
Should I have the lot checked before I buy it?
Yes. A pre-acquisition review is the cheapest insurance you can buy; it tells you what the land can hold and what site work will cost while you can still walk away.
Can you build on a steep or wooded lot?
Yes. Our in-house civil engineering scopes slope, access, and foundations before design begins.
Do I need a well and septic evaluation?
On lots without public water or sewer, yes — and we handle septic and well feasibility in-house.
What does site work typically add to a budget?
It varies widely with slope, rock, and utility runs. See our Cost to Build Guide for real ranges.
Do you build on your own land or only mine?
Both — build on your lot, or let us help you find and evaluate one.
Bring us in before you close
Have us review a lot before you close. Mack Engineering checks zoning, setbacks, soil and septic suitability, stream buffers, driveway grade, and utilities during due diligence. A failed perc test or contaminated soils discovered after closing costs you the lot — or six figures in redesign and site work. Found during due diligence, it costs you a phone call.
Design should follow the land
Design should follow the land, not fight it. Slope, soil, septic capacity, stream buffers, and driveway grade decide what your lot can hold. Draw the house first and you risk paying twice — once for plans, again for the redesign. Mack evaluates your lot first, so the home we design is the home your site will permit and support.
Most custom builders ask for a large design retainer, get you signed up, get you invested, and then start looking for lots with you — trying to fit the square peg in the round hole. Our team has refined this process to limit your initial investment and reprioritize finding the right land, in the right location, to accommodate the right home first. Simply put, it’s the most cost-effective way to deliver your project.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a lot in Milton or Alpharetta is buildable?
There is no way to tell on the surface, as the term “buildable” is subjective. Our team evaluates the property to ensure your desired home size, layout, and family function actually fit — and do so cost-effectively.
Does the lot need septic, or can it connect to sewer?
Every lot is different, and each one has to be evaluated independently based on the soil conditions, previous septic installations, and nearby utility conveyance.
Can I split a lot in Milton’s AG-1 district?
You can certainly split a lot, but statistically it tends to be a less desirable idea because of the soils needed for septic.
How many trees can I remove to build?
There is no set number until we complete your tree inventory with our Certified Arborist and finish your tree recompense plan.
Will I need a land disturbance permit, and how long does it take?
If you are adding more than 5,000 sq ft to your lot, you’re over 2 acres, or near a state waterway, you will need an LDP. The timetable for LDP approvals varies with the variables in the design.
Do I have to worry about impervious and lot coverage?
Yes — which is exactly why Mack encourages you to follow our multi-step process, so we know what we’re looking for land-wise before designing a home or investing in anything.