Sloping Block House Designs

Types of sloping sites

Every site is different—but we’ve seen (and designed for) them all. Here are the most common sloping site conditions:

Side sloping blocks

Land slopes from left to right or right to left (Side slope) – here the front of your home will be on different levels typically with your garage at the lower level.

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Sloping to rear (Split level home design) 

The land slopes down from the road (sloping to the rear) – here you will enter the home at the highest level with the entertaining area of the house having increased ceiling heights at the rear of the home. These are often referred to as a split-level home design.

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Sloping to front (Split level home design)

The land slopes away from the road (sloping to the front) – here you will enter the home at the lowest level with a grand entrance with high ceilings. This type of split-level home design often changes levels between living zones.

We specialise in split level home designs for sloping blocks, made to work with your land, not against it.

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Advantages of building on a slope

Believe it or not, in some cases, a level-design home can't utilise as many architecturally designed features as sloping block homes. 

• Clever layout options like slope split level house plans that offer natural separation between living zones
• Create stunning high ceiling areas to the entrance of the house or the rear main living areas depending on the direction of the slope
• Storage options like garage mezzanines on sloping to front sites

Considerations when building on a slope

Good design goes hand-in-hand with good planning. We help you understand:

• Design – A good sloping block house design should have minimal excavations, attractive retaining walls and no ongoing stormwater or maintenance problems
• Stormwater retention - the catchment of stormwater. This is a requirement that council will establish based on the mass of the building vs. the size and slope of the land. This could be in the form of a rainwater tank, stormwater detention pits, rainwater garden or absorption trenches
• Degree of slope - This will heavily determine what design can be achieved for your new home. Very steep sloping blocks may need a more intricate design approach.
• Solar orientation:  This will allow for optimal light to flow through your home, all of which is decided during the design phase.
• Best vantage for views: Everyone wants the perfect view for your morning cuppa. Good sloping block house design takes this into account.

Additional costs when building on a sloping block

As trusted sloping block builders, we encourage you to chat with us so you can better understand the cost implications of the block before you purchase it. A sloping block often means extra structural or site works, including: 

• Earthworks: The cost of excavation works on your site to address the slope on your land
• Import or export of soil: When building on a sloping site there will be uneven amounts of cut and fill leading to the need to either bring in clean fill or remove soil
• External drop edge beams: The external vertical slab is required to retain fill and create a level platform
• Internal Step-Downs of the Slab: The internal vertical slab required to retain fill and create a level platform
• Balustrade to Porch or Alfresco for Safety Requirements: On a raised platform, a balustrade will often be required to meet safety regulations
• Removal of Rock: On a sloping block, cutting into the site is typically required, which can potentially lead to the need to remove low-lying rock
• Retaining Walls: Retaining walls are typically required on a site with a slope where excavation is required close to the external boundaries
• Stormwater and landscaping:  Landscaping and stormwater can come with a fresh set of challenges due to the natural flow of water downhill. Sloping block home designs often require additional stormwater drainage solutions such as charged or pumped systems, swales, or retention pits, to prevent water pooling or runoff issues

By working with experienced sloping block builders, you’ll have a clear understanding of what's required—and where you can get the most value.

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Common building terms when designing a home for a sloping block.

We understand that a lot of jargon can be thrown around when you're looking to build. These terms are commonly used when discussing sloping block homes and will come up frequently when you're working with sloping block builders:

Cut and fill

With any sloping land, the temptation is to create some sort of level ground on which construction can begin, this may mean cutting the land. Cut and fill describes the movement of soil over your block as required to provide a level platform to construct your new home on. Depending on the council area you are building in there will be limitations to the amount of cut and fill that can be undertaken. You may also be restricted by driveway gradients limiting the amount or cut that can be implemented.

Line of slope

The direction and steepness of the slope.

New flat surface

The new level that your home will be built on because of the cut and fill required on your land. This may be one level slab or 2-4 varying height level platforms of the slab.

Retaining wall

Retaining walls are used for supporting soil laterally so that it can be retained at different levels around the external perimeters of the dwelling. Retaining walls are structures designed to restrain soil to a slope that it would not naturally keep to.

Hydraulic design

A hydraulic plan should be prepared by a registered engineer identifying how all stormwater is managed across the site and connected to a legal point of discharge. Drainage needs to be provided behind retaining walls.

Drop edge beam

If you want to build your home on a slope you may need to have the additional cost of drop edge beams to contain the fill on the low side of the slab (instead of using a retaining wall that is away from your home). A typical requirement when building on a downward sloping block.

Internal drop edge beam

In order to work with the slope of the land effectively internal drop edge beams can be utilised. This will assist with creating stunning high ceilings to certain areas of your home whilst working with the slope of your land whilst reducing the need for engineered retaining walls. These are commonly used in split-level home designs.

What do I need to know about my sloping block before building?

Once you have spoken to one of our specialised sloping block builders about how best to address the slope on your land, the next step is to get an extensive site analysis to identify considerations that should be taken into the design, this includes:

A contour survey – to accurately site your home and confirm site costs

• A contour survey – to accurately site your home and confirm site costs
• Borehole test - to assess the presence of underground rock, which may contribute to construction costs when excavating.
• A pre-site assessment from a hydraulic engineer to understand location of drainage corridors and other draining requirements.
• Location of existing vegetation

This will assist in understanding your block and what is required, you will also need to consider:

• Size of the house
• Maximising the design for the block
• Orientation of views
• Location of driveway
• Amount of cut and fill to level the land
• Number of step downs to follow the natural landscape of the land (reduces earthwork costs)

About Hall & Hart

Designing on a slope doesn’t need to be daunting. With the right guidance and a team that truly understands the ins and outs of sloping block house design, it can be an exciting, rewarding journey. At Hall & Hart, we take care of every detail, from design and approvals to pricing transparency and construction, so you can sit back and enjoy the process. 

Ready to take the next step?

Let’s chat. Schedule a consultation today and let us help you create a space that feels like home sweet home.

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