Free · No signup
What we weigh
One score. Nine factors.
Seven of these are weighted into the parcel score; seismic and radon are published at regional resolution and are reported alongside the score as context rather than averaged into it. A factor with no data drops out of the score instead of being guessed.
- Zoning. What the zoning code says you can build here: height, coverage, and how many homes fit.
- Flood. Whether the address sits in a FEMA flood zone.
- Seismic. How much earthquake risk USGS records at the address.
- Soil. Whether the ground can support what you want to build, from USDA soil records.
- Radon. EPA's radon risk level for the county.
- Wildfire. Wildfire hazard exposure for the property.
- Utilities. How close power, water, and road access are.
- Terrain. How steep the ground is, from USGS elevation data.
- Lot geometry. Whether the lot shape makes building easy. Irregular lots limit what fits.
How it works
From address to answer in three steps.
- 01
Describe the project.
Tell us what you hope to build, or skip if you are still exploring.
- 02
Enter the property.
Any U.S. address. We check live public records for that location.
- 03
See the score.
The 0–100 Score, 9 factors, the sources, and the next questions to ask.
Reading the score
What a good score looks like.
Strong
Higher screening scores. Local rules, permits, and project fit still need verification.
Viable
Some checked factors need review before pursuing the project.
Moderate
Significant screening constraints. Review the findings before spending on consultants.
Constrained
Serious constraints, or one deal-killer capping the Score. Read what caps it before spending anything.
Before you decide.
What is a Buildability Score?
A 0–100 feasibility screen built from nine factors, seven of them weighted into the parcel score and seismic and radon carried alongside it as regional context, with weights tuned by region. The published Score is the lower of the weighted composite and any landmine cap, so one deal-killer can’t be averaged away. Strong is 80+, Viable 60–79, Moderate 40–59, Constrained below 40.
How is the Buildability Score calculated?
It reads 9 factors (zoning, flood, seismic, soil, radon, wildfire, utilities, terrain, and lot geometry) from 7 federal agencies: Census, FEMA, USGS, EPA, USDA, USFS and USFWS. Seven of these are weighted into the parcel score; seismic and radon are published at regional resolution and are reported alongside the score as context rather than averaged into it.
How accurate is the free check?
The free check provides a preview Buildability Score based on key publicly available data. Every finding cites the federal dataset it came from, sources are queried live on every fresh run (successful lookups are cached server-side for up to 7 days so repeat lookups are instant). When a source has no data for a parcel, that factor drops out of the score; when a factor's provenance is a regional estimate, it is labeled Estimated. The paid report adds the parcel record and the memo for that parcel, plus the buildable envelope where we’ve read the district’s code.
What does the full report include?
The full Buildability™ Report covers zoning analysis, flood risk, environmental hazards, infrastructure readiness, market context, permitted uses, and more. Generated in seconds from live queries to 7 federal agencies. Available as an interactive report and downloadable PDF.
What is a good Buildability Score?
80 and up is Strong, 60–79 Viable, 40–59 Moderate, and below 40 Constrained. The Score screens the available records; it does not establish permission to build. Local rules, permits, and project fit still need verification.
What data sources does the Buildability Score use?
The score queries 7 federal agencies live: Census (Geocoding, TIGER boundaries, block groups); FEMA (NFHL flood zones, SFHA designations); USGS (Seismic hazard, 3DEP terrain & slope); EPA (Radon zones, community water systems); USDA (SSURGO soils, suitability ratings); USFS (Wildfire Hazard Potential); USFWS (National Wetlands Inventory). It also uses OpenStreetMap for utilities and county parcel records via Regrid.
How does Buildability Score compare to a consultant assessment?
The Score is a free screen: every factor cited, in about 20 seconds. The Property Report ($99, $79 each at volume) adds the parcel record and the memo for that parcel, plus the buildable envelope where we’ve read the district’s code. Consultants provide deeper local expertise for complex projects; Buildability™ handles the data-driven screening, so their hours go to judgment.
Can I use the Buildability Score for lending decisions?
Use the report as a screening layer, not an underwriting model. Its strength for lenders is the sourced hazard data — FEMA flood zone, wildfire, seismic, and soil, each citing the federal dataset and query time — which gives a clean audit trail. The composite score itself is a feasibility indicator, not a validated risk model.
Does the score work for commercial properties?
Yes. Any U.S. parcel (residential, commercial, mixed-use, industrial or vacant) is scored with the same formula; weights change by region, never by property type. The zoning answer depends on whether we have read that district’s code.
How often is the data updated?
Buildability™ pulls live data from government APIs whenever a fresh report is generated; repeat lookups of the same parcel within 7 days serve a cached copy. FEMA, EPA, and Census data update on their own schedules (quarterly to annually). Parcel and zoning data refresh varies by county.
Your address takes about 20 seconds.
9 factors from 7 federal agencies. Live, cited, no signup.
Free to score · Results in seconds · No record, no charge on the full report