building in tn

**jaxsnyder** · 08-02-2011, 11:30 AM

I have been following the lhba website for about 2 years now and am planning on taking the class as soon as we are out of debt and seriously ready to build. But we recently moved to TN and we are looking to buy a small house with land so we can live there and build at the same time and at our own pace (we have 3 small children and plan on more so an rv is really not an option) So my question is has anyone built in TN and if so does anyone know if you can have an existing dwelling on your property and still build another. This may seem like a stupid question but I am from NJ where you can't do anything without it being a huge hassel.

**jrdavis** · 08-02-2011, 12:06 PM

Jax --

as LHN would say "get some cosco muffins and go to the local building codes dept".
I live in a town of 4500 people and if you go in acting like a city smart guy you get nothing, but if act like they are THE MAN and ASK quesitons like 'what so need to do, how can I find out about..., and I want to build with logs as a renewable resource...." They'll break it down for you real easy... probably.
just don't tell them you're from NJ. (My g-father-in-law was from Goshen, NJ)

JD

**jaxsnyder** · 08-02-2011, 12:29 PM

Thanks. I will try that. We had land in NJ that we originally planned on building on and everytime I went to the municipal builing to ask questions I got the run around because everyone usually uses a contractor, but it may be different around here (hopefully it is)

Thanks for the advice

**jrdavis** · 08-02-2011, 12:54 PM

sure no problem....
how about something like this?
http://gsaauctions.gov/gsaauctions/a...31QSCI11187008

GSA Acutions for at 14X64 NEW mobile home with new appliances....
just needs moved from cumberland, MD.

JD

**jaxsnyder** · 08-02-2011, 07:41 PM

Now something like that could actually work for housing until our house is built. Never thought of an auction for a mobile home.

**John17three** · 08-02-2011, 01:22 PM

I'm not sure about TN, but here in rural MO (outside city limits in Laclede Co., MO), you don't even have to have an inspector. Just show up and build. You can build a house without all the red tape--log house or otherwise. There are lots of trailer houses in this region, and no regulation about having one on same property as house, or even a house in close proximity to a building project. We're just about 45min from Little House on the Prairie (literally--Mansfield, MO--Laura Engalls Wilder home) if that gives you an idea of what we are here. Actually, this may be where Joe Dirt grew up, too. LOL! Anyway, no regulation outside city limits. You'll have to check with your county seat to find out what's permissible in and outside city limits.

**loghousenut** · 08-02-2011, 02:20 PM

I don't know about Tennessee but here in Sunny Southern Oregon there are plenty, in fact there are too many, little 5 or 10 acre chunks of land that sell fairly cheap because they have an ugly old trailer house on them. Big head start on a log house if you don't mind getting rid of the ugly trailer after the new house is built.

See, I told you it was an UGLY trailer!

**Cruiser** · 08-02-2011, 03:56 PM

Jax,

What part of TN are you moving to? We are in MS, just south of Memphis. There are several LHBA members in TN. The majority are in E. TN, but there are some others scattered about. As a rule in the South, most rural counties have very little in the way of building codes, etc. Now if you build within city limits, that can be a different story.

**jaxsnyder** · 08-02-2011, 07:37 PM

We are actually in davidson county (Nashville) and we have to stay in the county for my husbands job. Though we plan on living about a half hour from the city we will still be in city limits I guess.? Its great to hear that there are members in E. TN. DO you know if any of them have built there home yet? Have you started building yet?