Lots inside Brickshire and Viniterra come with community architectural standards that shape exterior materials and massing, so the design process has to account for that approval layer before county permitting even starts. Rural acreage builds in New Kent operate differently — perc testing and well siting happen before we draw a foundation, because those utility decisions determine where the house can legally go. New Kent County’s permitting office handles its own review process, and the I-64 corridor location means some buyers are coming from the Richmond side and others from the Williamsburg side, each with different expectations for the finished home. We manage both tracks: community-lot custom builds and open-acreage ground-up construction.
Site conditions and the two build types in New Kent
Brickshire and Viniterra are golf-community developments where lots are platted, utilities are in place, and HOA design standards govern the exterior of every home — approved cladding, roofline requirements, and standards for how the home addresses the street are established in each community’s guidelines. These lots are generally graded and cleared, so site work is foundation-focused rather than land-improvement-heavy. Rural acreage around Providence Forge and Bottoms Bridge is a different situation entirely — wooded or cleared farmland where the site work phase includes access-road grading, perc testing, well drilling, and septic installation before framing can begin. Both settings have their appeal; the build process is just fundamentally different.
Permitting and rural utility coordination in New Kent County
New Kent County processes its own permits independent of neighboring jurisdictions. For lots without public sewer, the New Kent County Health Department reviews and approves septic and well plans before the building permit is issued — the perc test results and site evaluation have to clear that review first. Community lots in Brickshire or Viniterra add an HOA architectural review on top of county permitting. Managing both the community approval and the county permit track in parallel is essential for keeping the schedule moving. RCBC is Virginia Class A licensed, handles all permits and agency coordination, and manages every trade and inspection with New Kent County from the initial site walk through final CO.
Common questions
Do Brickshire and Viniterra have the same architectural standards? Each community has its own governing documents, so the specific requirements differ. Brickshire and Viniterra are both golf communities with HOA design review, but the approved materials, elevation standards, and review processes are each community’s own. We review the specific documents for your lot before design begins.
If I’m building on rural acreage in New Kent, do I need a perc test even if the parcel is large? Yes. Any parcel without public sewer requires a percolation test and Health Department approval of septic placement before a building permit is issued. The size of the parcel doesn’t eliminate the requirement — it may just give the Health Department more options for locating the system.
Is New Kent County a practical build location for someone working in Richmond or Williamsburg? The I-64 corridor makes commuting to either city realistic, which is one reason new-construction demand in New Kent has been growing. Build location is ultimately a lifestyle question, but the commute calculus is more favorable here than it used to be.