Some of the most expensive mistakes in infill development happen before construction even begins. They're often made by relatively inexperienced investors who assume that because something exists, it must be suitable for their proposed development.
Today we're examining four of the biggest risks that can turn an apparently profitable infill project into a financial disaster.
The first, and arguably most important, is geotechnical risk.
The soil stability can determine whether you can build, or face hundreds of truckloads of export and import to replace the soil on the property.
2. Municipal servicing capacity.
One of the most dangerous assumptions in infill development is that because water and sewer services exist in the street, adequate capacity must be available.
That is simply not true.
An existing single-family home might have a modest water connection and a sanitary sewer lateral designed for a single household.
Replacing that house with twenty apartments creates an entirely different demand profile.
The municipal water main might not have sufficient capacity to meet the domestic water requirements and fire protection demands of the proposed building.
3. The geometry of the sanitary sewer system.
Sewer systems generally rely on gravity. Wastewater flows downhill through pipes installed at carefully designed slopes.
For gravity drainage to work, the elevation of the sewer connection must be sufficiently low relative to the building's drainage outlets.
4. Site topography
The developer wants to maximize the building footprint while maintaining parking, access, and landscaping.
The building needs a level foundation, but the surrounding ground is anything but level.
Suddenly, retaining walls become necessary, and retaining walls are not simply concrete walls holding back dirt. Depending on their height and location, they may require engineered foundations, drainage systems, waterproofing, reinforcement, and special construction techniques.
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