Introduce yourself

[Cabincrazy]

HELP!!!!

We have just purchased 40 acres of ridges & ravines, wanting to build a cabin within the year. Found out prices to get water, power & septic. Oh lord! What are some alternatives? Anybody Please?

[Blondie]

Okay, I will jump in. Power you can use solar panels for power. Water, you can truck in if necessary. But I would check out the laws in your state about drilling a well. See if the state requires you to be a licensed driller. Find out how deep the water table is.... Call a septic company or several excavation contractors and ask them about septic systems. Call the state and ask if you can put the septic system in yourself with their supervision.

Blondie

[BoFuller]

We had septic put in, I have solar panels ready, and we haul water. Love it.

[loghousenut]

Isn't anyone gonna say "Take the class"?

And where is this 40 acres, Mr. 'n Mrs. Crazy?

[Cabincrazy]

Isn't anyone gonna say "Take the class"?

And where is this 40 acres, Mr. 'n Mrs. Crazy?

The 40 acres are in East Tennessee!

[Cabincrazy]

Do you get all your power from solar panels? Stored in batteries? What brand of panels? Cost? What do you hold your water in? Thank you for any help! Cabin racy!

[loghousenut]

The 40 acres are in East Tennessee!

It's too late for me to be up and it's 3 hours later for you. Maybe I'm Nuts and you're Crazy.

Making juice beyond the end of the power line is totally doable and there are several ways to do it, depending on water, wind and solar resources. You already have the land so all you have to do is get a generator out there and then start playing around with ways to make power cheaper and quieter. Subscribe to "Home Power" magazine.

Read everything in "Solar Power and Alternative Energy" here on this site and wake me up at noon tomorrow (I think I must mean TODAY!).


PS... So what kind of a cabin are you figuring on. That's the part of this thing that we are all good at.

[Blondie]

Well Cabincrazy,

First you need to take the LHBA class. Mean while you need to dive into the web and do research. Learn how solor panels work, how to store power in batteries and how to use a generator. I purchased German made panels rather than Chinese made. I have purchased a 1500 gallon tank to store well water in. The well pump will be solor powered and will only run when solar power is available. Been looking a well pumps. kinda interesting. You have some time before the next class startes. After class there is alot here in the blog about solar power here. I have purchased 11 new Pella windoows of a Craigs list like site for $300.00. If you check prices most Pella windows start at $350.00.

Blondie

[rreidnauer]

I hauled water (artesian spring a mile away) until I got my rainwater catchment system going. I'm currently using a combo of solar and generator, but will be going full solar/wind in the near future. I installed my own septic, but was still pricey on materials alone. (~$10k)

[loghousenut]

If this all sounds overwhelming, just sit back and relax and know that it is only a series of steps in whatever direction you want to go. It can be as easy or as hard as you want it to be and it will never be over. It will be a very rewarding way to live.


Just think of all the poor saps who are sitting on a fake fur couch in an apartment somewhere wishing it were still the good old days when a couple could go out and build their own log home with their own hands. They just don't know.

On this site you'll meet people who can do anything they put their mind to.