Free 2026 Checklist

Can you actually build on that piece of land?

Every parcel in Washington carries its own requirements. This checklist walks the things that decide feasibility, timeline, and cost, before you make an offer.

  • 39 checkpoints across access, soils, utilities, and county rules
  • The six red flags worth walking away from, and why
  • What to gather before you buy, and what to do if you already own
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Hilson Homes

Land Readiness
Checklist

2026 Edition
12 pages · free

Six things a parcel has to answer for.

The checklist walks each one in detail: what to look for, what it affects, and what a clean answer looks like. Here are the categories.

01Access
4 checks
02Terrain & Slope
4 checks
03Soils & Septic
5 checks
04Utilities
6 checks
05County Rules
5 checks
06Site Prep
5 checks
07Red Flags
5 checks
Checkpoints in the field list
39 total
Property access page from the checklistPre-purchase steps page from the checklist

What's inside the 12 pages

  • 1
    Access and location readiness

    Legal access, driveway feasibility, fire-access rules, and whether equipment can even reach the build area.

  • 2
    Slope, soils, and septic

    What the ground tells you about foundations, drainage, and whether a septic system will pass.

  • 3
    Utilities and infrastructure

    Power distance, water source, trenching runs, and what rural service actually costs you in planning.

  • 4
    Environmental and county requirements

    Wetlands, critical areas, setbacks, zoning, and the studies some parcels trigger.

  • 5
    A quick-reference field checklist

    All 39 items on one page, with checkboxes, built to take to the property.

Who this checklist is for

Buyers shopping for land

You've found a parcel you like and want to know what to verify before you write an offer.

Owners with land already

You hold a deed and need to know what your site will require before design starts.

Anyone comparing parcels

You're weighing two or three properties and want the same yardstick for each.

Get the Land Readiness Checklist

Tell us where to send it and the full 12-page checklist is yours, including the one-page field list you can take to the property.

We're Hilson Homes, a custom home builder in Tacoma. If you want a second opinion on a specific parcel, call or text us at (253) 441-5057.

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