Thanks guys, I'm actually coming around to this trailer idea. It will enable us to build a bigger home from the get go because we won't be in such a rush.
Thanks guys, I'm actually coming around to this trailer idea. It will enable us to build a bigger home from the get go because we won't be in such a rush.
I have Hughes Net Satellite Internet Service since 2013, the speeds are reasonable for me. All we really do is email for business and I sometimes have to do pretty large downloads of data, but I do that at night. Each month I get 10G of daytime data and 50G of night time data, 2AM to 8AM. The service has only gone down for a couple of nasty thunderstorms for about 10 Minutes each time. I pay $60.00 per month for this service. I consider this a small price to pay for living 30 miles from anything. There is not a gallon of gas or milk within 30 miles from us. I will add that this is the only choice we have here for internet service, there is no cell service and no hard wired service. I would probably change for another option if there was one available. I am working with the phone company, Century Link, to get some sort of Internet Service, but no luck after 3 years of trying. I guess I am trying to say that Hughes Net is a workable option if there is no other choice.
You could pay a lot less for an ugly trailer that has more room if you don't mind getting rid of it when you're done. We accidentally lived over 16 years in ours before we started building. It is easy to get comfortable while you are living life and building the bankroll.Quote:
Originally Posted by SnowFlower
This is how the place looked from the build site just before the heavy equipment came.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t...psb2omcoak.jpg
I think someone mentioned the tiny home trailer thing. That may be logical if you can build it yourself. I went on a little fieldtrip to see a couple this evening. You might see them on tv soon. One was way too cramped but the other would be pretty awesome for a single or couple... until you hear the price and consider it doesn't come with the dirt underneath it.. www.newfrontiertinyhomes.com I think, despite the hype, the tiny home thing is a fad/slim market. Especially on wheels with a big price tag.
@allen84 "Starting at $68,000" LOL. I think it's for wealthy people who want to be eco-friendly.
@loghousenut I've had trouble finding any mobile homes (of any sort) that are under $17,000, used. How much was yours if you don't mind me asking? And are the transportation fees expensive?
After looking through more threads on this forum, I'm seeing a lot of people saying that it's taken them about 4 years to build their home. However, I've seen other people here and around the web who have built one much faster. So I'm very unclear about what our expectations should be.
On the FAQ page there's a story about a couple who build a log home in 9 weeks for $10,000 without help.
When I say that this is our goal, I get a load of people telling me that it's not possible or realistic. What should I make of this?
I take that as, not realistic for most cases. Can it be done? Sure. If one had the *perfect* conditions, materials, equipment, etc. For the rest of us, dream on. Heck, I dropped $3k into my septic system on permits, design, and testing alone. (and another $7k in material, I provided the labor, and already had a backhoe)
As the saying goes around here, Cheap, fast, good. Pick two. You can't have all three.
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100% with you Allen. That whole trend is the latest gimmick. Too expensive, typically poor use of space, but hey, they are cute looking, and easily capture the eye of some with deluded dreams, yet to face the reality of what *living* that way really entails.Quote:
Originally Posted by allen84
I had a conversation with another member years ago, who thought full-timing in a motor home was going to be a cake walk, since he said he had done so for a couple of weeks at a time in the past with no problems. I said, there is a big difference between camping a few weeks, and living permanently in such conditions. He found out harshly how right I was, and still struggles with it.
So, long term in a tent? Yea, it can be done. It is done. But it will be way more difficult than a simple weekend camping trip.
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@rreidnauer thanks, that's good to know about how much septic tanks are. I think we will go with the composting toilet method.
I'm guessing that the more utilities we install 1800s style, the cheaper and faster we can move in. Perhaps we can look at upgrading these at a later date.
As for living in a trailer or tent, I know I can do it for months on end (I have done it for months on end before), but I'm not willing to do it for years on end.
So, yes. I guess we want to do it cheap and fast –*and we don't want anything fancy. Just the bare basics so that we can move in.
I don't know about where you live, but here in sunny southern Oregon, it is pretty easy to find a free, or nearly free, ugly 1970's style 12' wide mobile home (trailer house, Bo). They are all over the place and hard to get rid of. I heard a bunch of racket from the new neighbors across the road last summer. They had bought a new modular home and were dismantling their 1970's double wide. Yes, they were tearing apart a nicer ugly trailer than the one we are currently living in because nobody would take it for free. I took my telahandler up and made a new friend. It was a blast.Quote:
Originally Posted by SnowFlower
Our ugly trailer was here on the place when we bought it, and had been a rental. I didn't even look inside it before we bought the place because I knew we'd be building the log home any day now (and we had a bus conversion that we had planned living in if we'd found the right raw land). The thing was a mess, but with free used carpet, a lot of drywall mud, a ton of paint, and Fabreeze, we made it work. It is the situation that allowed us to pay the land off in 8 years and homeschool our Son on a single income.
It is such a blessing living for real, right on the build site. Laugh about our build schedule if you like, but no stress from a rushed project will ever upset our marriage. Our log home will turn out exactly how we want it to, with very few compromises in the name of hurry. Two years or ten years, I shall enjoy every minute of the build and it will always belong to us and us alone.
I know some people on here are willing to spend years building a family heirloom, but we just want somewhere basic and affordable to live off the grid mortgage-free.
I'd like to find out how those people that managed to build their homes for $10-15,000 in 90 days or less did it.
They built simply with whatever logs they had and they went at it with a vengeance. I have been on that kinda build and it is a lot of fun, but there is less art to it than sweat. Having a ton of friends doesn't hurt. With a bit of creativity, you can get a lot of sweat out of a good friend for a week or two before they disown you.
. . . or they might have had a free connection to a telehandler, or owned their own construction business with all the right equipment, or lots of help from others who've previously built their own places, or . . .
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I intended on taking 5 yrs, but then after getting my foundation done, I found out from the County that I had one year left on the permit. So we got it done in 13 1/2 months, after the foundation was finished.Quote:
Originally Posted by SnowFlower
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In order to answer your questions some clarifications are needed (maybe, walk through these clarifications yourself):Quote:
Originally Posted by SnowFlower
1) Are you going to live on the property full-time after you build your log house -- or is it going to be a vacation cabin?
2) What do you expect to be as your utilities (are you dreaming to be totally off the grid)? Is there water/electricity/driveway access/etc.?
3) What are the regulations from the county regarding land use and types of (temp) dwellings you can have on a property?
Don't leave your jobs. Take the class. Rushing is not your friend. I agree with many comments: if you are not an experienced builder, it'll take time to settle to a certain mindset and realistic vision before you are ready. Conceptually, it sounds easy and fast. It's not in reality, but if you can enjoy it - you win!
We brought and "legalized" a mobile home to our property (in regulated AG-10 zone) -- initial cost was cheap, but we have redone it to our "acceptance level" which cost some money, still way better to live on the property (and cheaper) than to rent. We used some hired help for installing the utilities (well, septic, electricity) and paid quite a bit for permits etc. It was a long process. We hope to start our log house build this year.
If we were in a wilderness (in not regulated zone), mobile home would not be our solution, we would rather use a motorhome or build a small size shack as a temp dwelling.
Edited: we use Exede (satellite internet) + TMobile unlimited data plan [and it works great]
Entered my responses in bold above.Quote:
Originally Posted by slamasha
These books may help with logistics:Quote:
Originally Posted by SnowFlower
1) Living Homes
2) Mortgage Free!: Innovative Strategies for Debt-Free Home Ownership
3) Finding & Buying Your Place in the Country
In short, we know people who have built small cabins (in remote locations) while working full time. So, it's not required to continuously be on site for ~2+ weeks in order to build a small log cabin. Yes, it takes longer if you don't have continuous ~2-3 weeks. Another note: ~2-3 weeks may be a realistic time for a small cabin, if you have all your materials, utils, tools, a camper to stay at, possibly a helping crew --> handy in place, but not otherwise. If you are going to live there permanently, you should have a very realistic idea of what you are going to do to earn your income.
The best strategy is not to rush and gradually focus on one step at a time. Buy your land first. Solve your water supply/composting toilet/solar power/food garden logistics second. And so on. (Maybe, it'll require you coming a few times a year over the weekends or holidays). Hope it helps.
Hello Everyone,
Hi this is SQW. I have attended log home shows, dreaming of the day when I would be able to build a log home on my own property. I decided to live the dream instead of dreaming the dream. Although I don't know anyone here as of yet. I get the good feeling I am no longer alone in this adventure. Quite the undertaking. So here I go. I am building on 40 acres in a mountainous area of Arizona. I have decided after much research to purchase a trailer to live in while I build and develop the property. Here's my startup list for getting set up on the property. 4x4 vehicle, trailer, larger propane tanks, generator and solar set up, solar light pole to be set at the entrance of the drive way(don't want to get lost), build a deck and shelter for the trailer, free crushed rock for the drive way into the property. I am compiling my list of tools and equipment I will need to prepare the logs. Does anyone have a list of must have tools and power tools & equipment required to prepare the logs? Which tools power/manual made your life easier? I am so excited about this adventure, I am feeling what it feels like to taste true freedom. I am sure I will experience all of the challenges of a novice/virgin log home builder, it will not be easy. I am up for the challenge. I will generate my own power, use propane, start a garden, raise chickens for sustenance and the eggs, a few goats for milk and cheese. Oh yes I am a real prairie woman. My mom canned and tended a garden, raised cattle, poultry, gleaned the farmers fields. I'm a baby boomer, My mom and dad built, fabricated, grew, raised 90% of everything required to feed a family. You all are proof it can still be done. I have access to a resource for my logs that will make it very affordable for me to build my log home. The largest diameter I may cut is (16") 6-20' long. Plenty of timber for railing, decking, fencing. I am pretty set for the amount of timber I will require . Ok, fantastic, That is a big step, reducing the cost of building material. Now, I need to compile my list of tools and get busy with the hard work of cutting and prepping the logs. Oh, yes the plan for the home. Umm still trying to decide on that. I want to build a log home with an open floor plan, 3000 sq.ft. 4br, 3ba, basement, deck. Rome wasn't built in a day. I am happy and blessed to be getting started. I invite contact from others in this forum to offer advice or just connect with me. Thanks for listening!
Welcome to the forum. Every question you have asked has probably been answered at one time or another. I started by reading all of the old posts and working my way to the present. So much knowledge to be gained and that's just on the free side. I have been told there are many more things on the members side. They have a class around labor day if you plan on attending class soon. This place can be a bit overwhelming but based on what I have seen its like a big family and you don't find that very often. So welcome, read up, take the class and get that dream kicked into high gear :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Snow Queen Wolf
There is a lot more info on the members side and several homes currently under construction. Welcome aboard
you are right, 3degreen. what you see on the free side is just the tip of the iceberg.
on the members side there's not only more detailed info but also access to fellow members from all walks of life to give expert advice on all steps of the build process.
:) quite a gold mine
Thanks guys! I cannot wait to get out of the city, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make this work.
As you say, step 1 is find suitable land and buy it – so this is our first goal. I think focusing on each step at a time will help :)
We have a small amount of income from an online business (just enough to pay for health insurance, groceries and utilities). This could potentially be enough for us to live on once we are rent/mortgage free and living a very minimalist lifestyle.
But yes, being able to commute from the construction site to a job would help us to fund anything we need for the building of the house. Even if it was only part time. Having said that, buying land in areas where you can get a job will obviously make the land more expensive.
It does seem to come down to an elaborate balancing act.
Do a lot of shopping before you choose. Prices can vary greatly an hour down the road, 10 minutes down the road or right next door.
SnowFlower,
First off, welcome to the neighborhood. I get the feeling from the little you've written so far, you two can do it, with planning.
Let's visit that tiny home on wheels one more time. If you were planning on buying one, it's too costly IMO. However, if you have friends, anything is possible. Perhaps you could get a flat bed trailer of appropriate size. Then, day by day, you could scavenge your way to most of the materials you'd need to build it yourself. All while saving money for the land and finding the right deal. Experience the planning and building of the Tiny House on wheels and be more ready for the actual log house build. The tiny house doesn't have to be high end. But it could be built exactly the way that would suit the two of you, in the short term. Then, when you find the property, you'd have something better than a tent and far cheaper than other sturdier options to live in during your build. After the log house is finished, you'd have something unique to offer to temporary guests.
One caveat, make absolutely sure there are very plentiful employment opportunities after your build is finished and need to create an income. However, if the land is paid for and the house is built out of your pocket and not by credit, your income needs will greatly decrease.
Look forward to sharing your progress.
The one kicker about employment opportunities is that it will be directly connected to the price of land and the finished value of your home.
Smile, we have high dollar houses and some for $35K. But very few high paying jobs. However, getting a place on the cheaper side, and significantly lowering your monthly budget needs by getting out of the high priced city can still work out well. Once you get your place built and debt free, even short money goes alot further.
I'm retired and don't need to leave the property to make an income. However I am constantly surprised at how many options there are once you get into the neighborhood and getting friendly with the locals.
If I still had a strong back instead of just a weak mind, I still think I could support my family in alternative ways in this economy. Rural Country v Cities or nearby.
Snowflower, I've read the whole thread, and have a few options for you.
No one's mentioned a container yet. A 20'x8'x8' cargo container can be dropped on the land for around $2400, and shelter you while you work on it. A 40-foot container is not quite twice that. it can be finished out for under $1000 in materials including a kitchen sink, toilet, shower, and water heater. Also, in many jurisdictions, if it has no foundation set in the ground or posts sunk into the ground, it's not a house, so a whole batch of laws don't apply.
With a container on site, if you set up solar electricity and solar-primary/sun-assisted hot water, you have lights, cooking, refrigeration, and showers in the first few days. A decent solar power system will set you back about four grand, like the Sun Direct Power 4K, and it's guaranteed for life. Solar hot water with electric assist is vastly cheaper; I set up mine on the RV for under $250 for a ten gallon tank, and it almost never used any electricity, even in winter. With those bits handled, four walls, and a roof, just about all the considerations involved in living rough go away, and it's just living ugly until you get studs and sheetrock up inside the container to make it a nice house.
Another container can become a garage with a workshop; every $2400 adds 160 sq' to the premises, and the two 75-watt bulbs necessary to light them don't entail huge additions to your solar power system. Railroad companies give away used railroad ties for free, so you can set up a good foundation for your containers before they're delivered.
The refrigerator could have its back exposed to the outdoors, at least on the freezer portion, so that the winter is helping you keep food cold and reducing electricity needs. A wood stove will roast it; use a small one, or build small fires. For sewage, I keep reading about the expense of septic systems, because no one here knows about Marine Sanitation Devices that have been in common use on the water for decades. A small one will process the sewage from four adults and put out clear, disinfected water, which is perfectly legal to dump anywhere, and they cost around $4K. No, they are not required to be in a boat to function.
A solar power system sized for your needs goes on the roof; we offer them in any size you like, modified or pure sine, military/marine hardened, if that's your thing.
if there's a well on property, you need a water tank, and those are a buck a gallon: 500 gallon tank is $500, and so on. Your pump doesn't need to run full time, just enough to top off the tank every day from the well, and pressurizing the tank is the expensive way to do it. One 100-watt solar panel will give you about 150 gallons a day, depending on how deep your well is. That's five times what I used in my RV, and I took Navy showers every day: no stinky-boy here. Use a 12v water pump of the sort they install in RVs for household plumbing pressure; they're under $100, and don't run until you open a tap. A ten-gallon water heater will give you two Navy showers a day plus plenty to wash dishes and so on, and costs about $150. If power's short, put the water heater on a timer, so it only runs once or twice a day.
If you have a creek to draw water out of, build a sand filter to run the water through before you use it. If the water's downstream of farmland, run the water through two or three sand filters before you use it; they're cheap and easy to build, and have a layer of beneficial bacteria in the sand that pulls out all the bio-gunk in the water before passing it on. They're also pretty good for chemical pollution, but only in small quantities, so if it's nasty water, get a commercial filter. Even rainwater caught off the roof should go through a sand filter; don't mess with water problems.
Once the container's homey and equipped and comfy, you could have another dropped at right angles to it, build a roof over and a floor under the common area, and start expanding. You could also start building a log home on property, which would be much prettier, but time seemed to be at a premium in your discussion so far.
A simpler option is to build a log roof coming off each side of the container, and a floor under those roofs, then walls around the floors, and you've just tripled the space available, in a log-home look, and almost completely hidden the container. There are very nice container homes, but I've always thought a container should never be more than the core of a home, not the whole thing.
Just some thoughts to help you with your planning. What you want to do can be started easier and cheaper than you may have thought, and you can get yourself into a comfortable enough situation that you can work for years on getting it exactly how you want it, without suffering while you do it.
Cheers.
Some good info there. Before you even think about buying a shipping container, google "container rain". Proper insulation and ventilation is a must. Don't think you want anything to do with the flooring that they are made with either, not in a living space.