building in tn

[jaxsnyder]

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]

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]

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]

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

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

JD

[John17three]

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]

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.


http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t55/loghousenut/Wow/Emersonelks11-10006.jpg



See, I told you it was an UGLY trailer!

[Cruiser]

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]

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?

[jaxsnyder]

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

[Scoutman]

Check craigslist too. A few weeks ago I saw a nice doublewide. For free. Just needed to be hauled away.

[Cruiser]

Jax,

Nashville is a great area. I lived in Brentwood (south of Nashville in Williamson county) for a number of years and really liked it. Davidson county has a Metro government, so if you are not in a smaller incorporated town within the county, you are in Nashville...that equates to permits, inspections, etc. It's a shame you can't move outside of the county.

There is another member that is in Middle TN not far from you that I think is close to starting on their home. I'm sure they will chime in when they see this post.

We look forward to seeing you around and eventually seeing you on the other side.

[drmnoflogs]

Jax- We are in middle TN. My husband works in Nashville too, but we don't live in Davidson county. His commute is about 40 minutes. We have not yet started on building our home, but plan to get moved onto the property this fall, logs delivered this winter and (hopefully) our basement in next summer/fall. We also have 3 children, and do plan on living in a 5th wheel or travel trailer. Ours are 7, 5 and 16 months, and we will be on the 5 year plan. Don't rule it out completely. How old are your kids? If you want to live an hour from Nashville, you have plenty of options, and none of them are in Davidson county. Where we are, we can live in whatever we want as long as it is completely removed from the property after the house is built. How long before you are ready to jump in with both feet? :)

[blane]

Don't know about TN, but I am in Western NC we have 5 children in a two bedroom single wide, building 30' up the hill. It has been great and it actualy brought our family closer together in more ways thn one. Here is a shot of our log home in front of our trailor
:http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-smmGCPke7IA/TjirsNC_dsI/AAAAAAAAB9A/ZIMARztYcLc/s1600/IMG_0258.JPG

[Mosseyme]

Check the moving codes before you buy an old mobile home that you have to move. Some places you can't take them on the road if they are more than 10 years old. My son lives in Brentwood area, We live in Morristown on the East end of the state. There is a member building in Rutledge. We are building in western NC.


Looking good Blane, we are out here moving a lot of brush and stacking some more logs for rafters. Trying to clean up the mess we made at brothers place felling and dragging logs, before he come comes down from Mich next week.

[loghousenut]

Who want to take the ugly trailer on the road? I'm thinking that it'd be fun to give away whatever of the ugly appliances I can, sell what I can for scrap, make a sawmill trailer out of the frame and axles, and then have a big ole ugly trailer burning party!

A little wine... Bread... A bonfire... And Thou.

[blane]

Sounds good to me.
Who want to take the ugly trailer on the road? I'm thinking that it'd be fun to give away whatever of the ugly appliances I can, sell what I can for scrap, make a sawmill trailer out of the frame and axles, and then have a big ole ugly trailer burning party!

A little wine... Bread... A bonfire... And Thou.

[jaxsnyder]

drmnoflogs- Trust me I would love to move out of Davidson County I would prefer to be more rural, but my husband works for Nashville Metro Police and they get a take home car and the savings are just to big with the take home car for him to explore eslewhere. What county are you in? Wow I give everyone credit on using a trailer with 3 kids...I guess I need to start thinking more out of the box in regard to living comfortably when we build (I have been spoiled by too much space). My kids are 3,2, and 11 months. We would like to buy property this time next year, but we will probably have to wait a year or two before we can build since our kids are so young and we don't know anyone in TN so I think child care while we build will be a bit of an issue until they get a little older. Plus then we can be completely debt free when we start. Though everything in me wants to start now :)

[jaxsnyder]

drmnoflogs- Rachel I just wanted to say I read your blog and your story about the contract on your house is amazing. God is so good! We just moved here last month and we had 3 weeks to figure out what to do with our house in NJ before my husband started his job, and the day after the job offer we had a guy come to help fix somethings in the house and his cousin was looking for a house to rent and there lease ended the same week we needed to be out and moving down here. It was so God. It still blows me away how just when you think you need more help or there is no way you can make something happen, the doors just open up and things fall into place.

[John17three]

.....and cheap hotdogs

[drmnoflogs]

Jax- I understand completely. I have a few friends that are Metro police (good to have a few on your side when you need them! :) ) I thought Metro could bring the cars home if they lived in a neighboring county....probably wrong about that. I know things have changed over the years.
We know the camper is going to be VERY tight quarters, but we also know that our attitude about it makes a huge difference. If we go in thinking it's going to be miserable for the next 5 years, it will be. Our kids are excited: they are looking forward to camping a whole lot! We also plan on building a big pole barn that's insulated and heated/ac'd for hang out space and storage, etc. It will be tough, no doubt about it, but it will be well worth it! In my opinion, it's better to sacrifice for a few years now than to sacrifice for the next 30 to get our mortgage paid off. :)
I sent you a PM to give you more info. Don't want to spill too much about us on the public side. :) And Yes, HE is Awesome! That's an amazing story on your part too! Things always work out as they should.....