House construction problems

I am looking for some detailed rules on where/how to place housing. I've come to realize that the land has to be as smooth as a newborn's butt, maybe, but then I see huge houses built on swampland. I try to place in certain spots and the message reads you can't build here but there are other houses right around that spot. It's not a message that something is on the way, but building there is restricted. For me Alone, apparently.

When I attempt to place a house, if all the four walls look complete on the shadow outline, shouldn't that be a clue that it is buildable there? I can see that sometimes the walls are not complete so that tells me there is something in the way. But even when the outline is complete, I get some other strange, vague, mysterious message that doesn't really tell me much except NO!

This is driving me absolutely buggy. I'm spending more time running around in frustration looking for land I'm not even sure what kind, than playing. Do I have to swing a chicken over my head 3 times for construction to work. I don't mind a bit of a challenge but I do mind a whack load of annoyance.

Placing houses is challenging. Below are some of the rules:

1. Cannot place a house in guard zone
2. Cannot place a house on a road
3. Cannot place a house over obsticles that you cannot walk through
4. Anything you cannot walk through (some rocks, trees, etc) must be two tiles away from foundation (ie one space in between said object and foundation)
5. Surface must be even
6. Other houses must be 5-6 tiles away (i forget if it is 5 or 6) on the north and south sides
7. Other Houses must be 2 tiles away (one tile in between) on the east and west sides

If theres a classic house along the side, you must have TWO tiles between the custom plot and the classic house (east and west side). If theres a log cabin then it needs 6 tiles infront of the log cabin.

If you're placing a classic house, only need one tile between east and west..

Most of what you need to know can be found here : http://uo.stratics.com/homes/betterhomes/bhc_placing.shtml

and here http://uo.stratics.com/homes/betterhomes/bhc_blockingobjects.shtml

edit: Note that there may be a few tweaks that are specific to this server. I'm pretty sure they've changed the way players/items block placement here.

Radar Mile said:

Most of what you need to know can be found here : http://uo.stratics.com/homes/betterhomes/bhc_placing.shtml

and here http://uo.stratics.com/homes/betterhomes/bhc_blockingobjects.shtml

edit: Note that there may be a few tweaks that are specific to this server. I'm pretty sure they've changed the way players/items block placement here.

Click to expand...

Correct, you can't place over players, animals, or anything you cannot walk through (chests, boxes, etc).

lost said:

If theres a classic house along the side, you must have TWO tiles between the custom plot and the classic house (east and west side). If theres a log cabin then it needs 6 tiles infront of the log cabin.

If you're placing a classic house, only need one tile between east and west..

Click to expand...

This is a smart person

http://uoforum.com/faq/housing.2/category Has some tips as well on top of others posted in here

Make sure that the main window is at the top left. If you drag it elsewhere, house placing (and btw also ship placing) is bugged here.

Hephastus said:

Make sure that the main window is at the top left. If you drag it elsewhere, house placing (and btw also ship placing) is bugged here.

Click to expand...

This is not required, but helps visually. Just pay attention to where your CURSOR is as opposed to where the house outline is. The cursor is where the center south side of the house foundation is.

What ya trying to place I know of a 10x10 ish plot you could place on crappy spot near a spawn but still OK.

So how do you place a custom lot? I am looking to purchase a custom lot to place on some land available.

Alas said:

So how do you place a custom lot? I am looking to purchase a custom lot to place on some land available.

Click to expand...

House Placement tool my friend -- house placement tool.

umm.. that would explain why I couldn't purchase it.

Thanks for all your good advices. I must have the rottenest luck tho because I've tried a hundred or more spots and came up nada. I've decided to buy one from the forums here and get that done that way and save my money to buy a bigger one in the future. In the meantime I will have my bit of extra storage and get the interior decorator over.