Want to build "drop out" cabin. Advice?

[[email protected]]

The other thing is to find a good Medic and get on some medication.

Why do you say this?

 

[Gìmmìe Bobbie]

Tell your doctor about this and find out.
The "standard" social behaviour is like that because it has been developed
and works for thousands of years. Suddnely you have a hard time hacking real
life? I would seek some professional help and see if you feel better about
things after.

 

[Antipodean Bucket Farmer]

Hmm.... you've got me "thinking" guys! Thanks

The above is a good idea

Tell me more abt small travel trailer idea tho. What do
you mean?

Very simple. Just get the smallest travel trailer
(caravan) that I can, and park it on some bare land.
This might have inside a bed, a sink (with small fresh
and grey water tanks), and a propane stove. A
Volkswagon Camper-Van would also work.

Just minimal shelter for nights and rainy days.
Although, depending upon climate/weather (my starting
point would be in spring/summer), a metal garden shed
or even a tent could serve as your first house.

Initial water supply could be from a portable tank,
which would be hauled into the nearest town (e.g. in
the back of a ute or pickup truck. Bathing would be
outdoors, with a camping shower bag, or perhaps a pump
that attaches to a camping stove for hot water.

A bucket-and-sawdust toilet, plus Humanure compost bin
can be set up in one day.

Phone would be wireless.

Electricity would start out as an external generator,
with a couple of golf-cart batteries for night
lighting. Also cheap solar radio, torch and AA battery
chargers.

Then, from there, just build up, with perhaps a garden
shed or two, a concrete-block garage-type house, etc.
Long term water would be rainwater catchment and larger
tank. Long-term power would be a modest PV system.

 

[Antipodean Bucket Farmer]

On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 09:49:58 -0600, [email protected] wrote:



Skip the septic system, permits, and governmental involvement and
install a composting toilet.


See above


Perhaps a small steel or metal building... can be erected as storage
shed and they can be finished anyway you want inside.

What about real estate taxes in your county? Metal buildings (not
finished as a home) are assessed at a lower rate. A person could
erect one and finish it at a later date. Get me point? ;-)

Also check your particular county regulations for
minimum size. You might be able to exempt yourself by
keeping all structures under a certain square-footage.
And, for more space, just put up more separate, non-
connected buildings. Also, buildings in which you
don't actually sleep might be designated as non-
residential.

With the apparent regulations where I live, I suspect
that I will apply a two-pronged regulation strategy of
a low profile and a high fence.

 

[Gìmmìe Bobbie]

Yeah, but I gave up that troll idea when I didn't have an answer a long time
ago.

Maybe to the rest. Maybe I am too well conditioned. I was a fighter for most
of 40 years and some just learn the hard way, hopefully not too late, there
is the "standard way" for a reason.

I just can't support self-damaging behaviour. The route he proposes will
drain all his money and he will probably crawl back into society with less
than he started. Are you friends with Dr Jack Kevorkian too?

 

[Terry Collins]

Yeah, but I gave up that troll idea when I didn't have an answer a long time
ago.

Maybe to the rest. Maybe I am too well conditioned. I was a fighter for most
of 40 years and some just learn the hard way, hopefully not too late, there
is the "standard way" for a reason.

Yep, it is the easiesy way to get you to be a rat on a treadmill.
Returns the most profit.

The Orig poster is just another dreaming nutcase, but hey, so long as he
isn't pissing on my dreams, who am i to object. At best he is removing a
bit of nuttiness from the gene pool. At worst he is going to **** up a
good bit of land.

 

[[email protected]]

Very simple. Just get the smallest travel trailer

(caravan) that I can, and park it on some bare land.

I see

But you are suggesting to park it on land that you have
bought, right?

In other words..... get the land "bought" as the first
step...... then park the small RV on it and go from
there, right?

Just trying to make sure Im "getting" what you are
suggesting so please bear with me

You may actually have the answer for me!

 

[[email protected]]

Maybe.....just maybe..... he has decided that "standard" behavior is

the wrong route.

yes.... this IS what Ive decided

The "standard" way of "living" does not work so well
any more.

The "standard" way is to consume, consume, consume.....
then work yourself to death to pay for a bunch of crap
you really didn't need anyway or stuff that didn't make
you "happy"

My new way of "living" will be one of much reduced
consumerism.... and a lot more "time" to eat right,
sleep right, enjoy life more

Im NOT saying to live in a cardboard box..... and
stockpile ammo or anything like that

Instead its all abt "retiring" NOW instead of 20 years
from now

 

[Gìmmìe Bobbie]

You make all very good points on that one.

Yep, it is the easiesy way to get you to be a rat on a treadmill.
Returns the most profit.

The Orig poster is just another dreaming nutcase, but hey, so long as he
isn't pissing on my dreams, who am i to object. At best he is removing a
bit of nuttiness from the gene pool. At worst he is going to **** up a
good bit of land.

 

[Gìmmìe Bobbie]

It only sounds like a coping problem. This starts inside your head.
I know where you are coming from but unfortunately it costs more.

 

[Terry Collins]

But you are suggesting to park it on land that you have
bought, right?

Well, you could not park it anywhere else and expect it to stay there
could you?

Seriously, if you are happy living a simple life, then buy the large
piece of land you can, then plonking a mobile habitation you can afford
on it is definitely one way to go. Especially if you are not sure of the
weather.


I think the OP was talking about going to work each day, which becomes a
very serious bummer when you have to drive for an hour to and from work
twice a day. Plus, if you are going to work, you may have to have a
certain level of energy consumption to make yourself "presentable" for
work. Of course, if you are a tradesperson with showers at work,
probably a whole new ball game.

But if you do not require TV, the internet, etc, and have an interest in
nature, it certainly is worthwhile for getting away from things.

 

[[email protected]]

Newsgroups: alt.energy.homepower
Seriously, if you are happy living a simple life, then buy the large
piece of land you can, then plonking a mobile habitation you can
afford on it is definitely one way to go. Especially if you are not
sure of the weather.

A comment on living in a travel trailer: most are poorly insulated,
therefore cold and expensive to heat in winter. I've been in a Nu-Wa
Hitchhiker 32 ft. for more years than I like, while getting my
housebuilding under way. This has been the coldest winter yet, and
I've used 200 gal. of propane for heat and hot water so far. And the
trailer design and orientation gives all solar heating on sunny
(most) days.

I've found the trailer to be adequate instant infrastructure, but I
eagerly look forward to moving into my house this year and selling
the trailer. Good riddance!


Tom Willmon
near Mountainair, (mid) New Mexico, USA

Net-Tamer V 1.12.0 - Registered

 

[Ecnerwal]

My new way of "living" will be one of much reduced
consumerism.... and a lot more "time" to eat right,
sleep right, enjoy life more

Im NOT saying to live in a cardboard box..... and
stockpile ammo or anything like that

Instead its all abt "retiring" NOW instead of 20 years
from now

Makes perfect sense. Start with the land, work from there. Pay attention
to the taxes on the land & structures (one expense former renters often
forget about, which feels a lot like "rent" despite owning the place).
You'll need enough cash income to cover that, and taxes hardly ever go
down, but often go up. Don't know in MO, but around here now is a
perfect time to look at land, as it's about as bad as it will look all
year - mud season, growth not started, if the roads will be bad in mud
season, you'll see that, etc...

Reducing consumption without loss of basic comfort re-inforces solar
water (& space, if you can bear it) heating as being a good thing. You
might also want to consider planting "edible landscape", and otherwise
whatever level of "modern homesteading - self-sufficiency" suits you.
ie, if you don't want to deal with livestock, don't - but if maintaining
a few apple trees, berry bushes, etc. won't ruin your day, plant them
ASAP - even before the house gets going, if there's any delay on that.

Some of the "permaculture" stuff has good ideas, though the "brand-name
philosophy" of that name has gone a bit far off the rails from the
initially appealing and/or sensible precepts it appeared to start from,
IMHO. You can pick the good ideas and leave the crackpot stuff, decide
it's all crackpot, or decide that all the stuff I think is crackpot
makes perfect sense to you and join the movement.

 

[Bruce in Alaska]

On Wed, 23 Mar 2005 15:23:50 -0800, Antipodean Bucket Farmer



Very good points. Maybe check if 'breezeways' count as connections.
Easy to "winterize" them.


Under the radar... yes. Trees, windbreaks, and dull paint also might
help, as well. And a *long* gated driveway. Situate the residence
out of sight of *any* roads or neighbors or fly overs.

I always liked the guy who purchased an old Refer Shipping Container
and built a living space inside. Put in a door and an few windows,
and then when spring cleaning time arrived, opened the big end doors
and swept out all the winter trash. These can be had for less than
$2KUS, usually delivered to your site. They are really well insulated,
and have a very heavy duty Steel Frame. I have seen complete habitats,
three stories high, built out of them with internal stairs and
everything, and they are designed to be stacked.



Bruce in alaska just a thought..........

 

[[email protected]]

I know where you are coming from but unfortunately it costs more.

How does it cost more?

 

[[email protected]]

BTW... you live in a beautiful area and we have enjoyed visiting

several times in the last thirty years. I am a great fan of your
native son... a bit of a "radical" he was!

Thanks

If you ever come up to Hannibal again let me know.....
Ill show you around


And yes.... I fully intend to se this project through.

My main dilemma is what "design" this home should
be..... what size, what method of construction, etc.

Again.... I don't want to make mistake of building a
100k small cabin.... know what I mean?

The "objective" is to keep cost down low enough so that
I have virtually no mortgage.

 

[[email protected]]

IMHO. You can pick the good ideas and leave the crackpot stuff, decide

it's all crackpot, or decide that all the stuff I think is crackpot
makes perfect sense to you and join the movement.

Yes...this is what Im gonna do

 

[[email protected]]

A comment on living in a travel trailer: most are poorly insulated,
therefore cold and expensive to heat in winter. I've been in a Nu-Wa
Hitchhiker 32 ft. for more years than I like, while getting my
housebuilding under way. This has been the coldest winter yet, and
I've used 200 gal. of propane for heat and hot water so far. And the
trailer design and orientation gives all solar heating on sunny
(most) days.

My brother bought 100 acres in the Muskoka area, with a dilapidated 45
foot trailer on it. The roof had partially caved in from snow load.

We jacked the roof back up and put new 2X6 roof joists in, stripped
out the old panelling and soggy fibreglass inulation, and added
another set of 2X3 studs (rough cut - actal size - almost regular 2X4)
- to support the joists and double the wall thickness. Put in 6 inches
of "pink" and a full vapour barier, then panneled with pine boards.
The ceiling has over 10" of pink in it. Put 6 inches in the floor and
skirted the whole thing with a board clad wall, tight from ground to
trailer wall.

The place heats very easily and quickly with either the propane
furnace (coleman) or the fireplace. No trouble keeping it warm.

 

[Gymbal Bob]

You know squat about either of us.

Maybe you would like to stick to the topic at hand? Is that too hard for
you?

 

[Gymbal Bob]

Send for the "Smith" brothers....LOL

No, it doesn't sound like a "coping" problem.

Your concern about his finances is curious.

You know squat about his situation and have no reason for discouraging
him other than your seeming desire to be contentious and come across
as a prick.