unrestricted land. What would you do?

[daanissimov]

Hi, everyone!
I am looking to buy a land now. Found some unrestricted property. Being not very good with the terminology, wonder if that means I can build with no code complience and no inspections?
If that is so, what would you do with the house that codes do not allow? Any ideas?

Thanks,

Dmitriy.

[mlr1968]

Attended Class March 25th/26th of 2006.
Beware, unrestricted means only no one telling u what size what color or whatever. You could put a rv on it or a mobile mansion ( mobile home) Codes are a differently thing entirely. Check with your county offices at your county seat, to see if u have any codes or a code enforcement office. I can give u my personal example, I have unrestricted property, but if I want electrical from the authorized electrical company I had to have a perk test for my septic system, this is no biggie and was not too expensive 300.00 If memory serves. Most places even with no building code office will still have a electrical inspection but again this will vary from location to location. As far as building with no codes what do u plan on building? That paticular question is kinda hard to answer but usual most folks on this site will build or planning to build a log house or cabin of some sort. So as a general rule the basic design is gonna be much better then some codes for a stick frame house.

[Kola]

Ditto..what Michael said.

Remember even if you can build a loghome without county permits that doesn't mean you should sacrifice safety and health issues. It is advantageous to have engineered blueprints and perform all the phases of construction properly. (septic, plumb, electrical, snowload, etc). IMO, many of these things are common sense but there are times when a owner/builder needs to get professionals opinions.

You may also want to find out about mineral rights, water rights, etc.

Go to the county office and ask questions. Also check with the planning board (make sure they won't be drilling for oil next to you in a year etc etc)

Kola

[daanissimov]

Thanks for the info. I got too excited, I think at first/ No restrictions, no codes, no plans!!!! :) That's too much, you're right. Me should not lose my head :)
Having no restrictions over the sq. footage of the house and being able to leave in a trailer is a good start! Thanks, I will need to do an investigation on why this prop. is selling! Bordering lands belong to DNR, so there might be smth. going on there. Thank you, guys!, I will use advises!

[chadfortman]

Look, listen and learn
A man who works with his hands is a laborer,
A man who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman,
A man who works with his hands, his head and his heart is an artist.
St Francis of Assisi.

You have to go to the out back area of alaska if you want the building freedom.

[Yuhjn]

Montana, where I'm planning to build a small home for resale, has only a state level requirment for an electrical inspection. The county I own land in requires a perk test and septic installed by a county licensed company.

Other than that, no inspections are required.

The further you get from populated areas the more relaxed the codes and inspections will be. If you try to build in LA, good luck. If you build in the wilderness of alaska, you can do what you want. Most people build somewhere in between.

[Mark OBrien]

Quite a few of the rural counties in Missouri have verey few restrictions. For example, Morgan County, MO (Versailles is the county seat) has no inspectors and only require a perc test for the septic. Buffalo county ditto. When you get to the KC and StLouis metro areas it gets more restrictive. Having said that, if you buy lake front property on the Lake of the Ozarks, AmerenUe owns the lake and the frontage rights to restrict. House has to be a certain distance from the lake, septic has to be updated or new, docks are by permit and have to have encapsulated foam, open foam docks will be towed next year at Your expense.

[gypsykat]

I finally located some land in northeast Texas in a rural county- yay! The county said "no building codes or inspections for the county" - yay again! However, in researching I discovered that the state has newly enacted building codes requiring registration and inspection of new residences- uggh!

However, "A home built by an individual (either alone or with the help of the individual's employees or independent contractors) and used as the primary residence for at least one year after completion or substantial completion of construction is exempt from registration..." according to the Texas Residential Construction Commission. Yay again!
There are disclosure requirements when this owner-built, non-registered home is sold. And of course, septic and graywater systems are regulated by Texas state codes.

The property off craigslist is about 4 acres for $12K (yeah, starting small). It meets almost all my criteria. There is a small ground depression of concern: is this a burn-pit (from clearing the land), an underground spring, or the start of a sinkhole? Sinkholes can result from underground erosion caused by oil drilling saltwater, and drilling does occur in this area. Research everything before buying!
For instance, check out your neighbors, pesticide spraying, odors from poultry farms, air lead content, politics of area, local newspapers, study aerials, check floodplain maps, if in a tax sale can previous owner reclaim after 2 years, soil viability, defensibility, invisibility, etc -and proximity to logs! Make friends with everyone you talk to as you will encounter them again..

So, the moral of the story: no matter how unrestricted the local codes, there is potentially, if not always, state oversight on some things. Also, a heads up for Texas LHBA-ers that there are conditions connected with non-registration for new construction.