# Homestead Construction in Southern Oregon



## K.B. (Sep 7, 2012)

Hello,

This series of posts is intended to briefly capture the main phases of construction of our homestead in southern Oregon. 

The house will be a high mass, passive solar home. A wood-burning stove will be used for cooking and to provide supplemental heat beyond what captured through the passive solar design. During the warm seasons, an outdoor rocket stove will be used for cooking, or a gas range inside the home. All power will be generated by photovoltaic (PV) panels or by backup LPG generator, when necessary. Water will be collected off the metal roof and stored in collection tanks to be used throughout the year. Waste will be handled primarily through a graywater system, composting toilets and septic system (mainly for guests that are not comfortable with a composting toilet). The gardens and orchard are located right next to the home to provide a year-round source of fresh food. 

Further details and pictures of each stage will be posted at the site below:
Homestead Construction #1 &#8211; Introduction and breaking ground | wellheeledhills


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## K.B. (Sep 7, 2012)

Homestead Construction #2 - Drainfield Installation

Homestead Construction #2 &#8211; Drainfield Installation | wellheeledhills


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## Seeria (Jul 21, 2006)

Love the progress! We're also looking to settle in the southwest area of Oregon.


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

K.B... nice to see you here.  I look forward to watching your progress! You guys have been working so hard!!


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## K.B. (Sep 7, 2012)

Hi Raeven - Nice to see you here, too! It's been a few years since I have looked around HT very much... wow, this place is really busy. Thanks for the kind words. We are so excited to be finally at the building stage.

Hi Seeria - thank you very much! Is there a particular part of the area you are looking at?


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## speedfunk (Dec 7, 2005)

Look forward to following along with you!! It looks like it might be similar in some ways to our build.

BTW I keep seeing people using this new to me septic latley. Hows the cost as it relates to a more standard type septic? I know that sand is one of the best ways to clean water so i wonder if it supposed to work better being that its surronded by it. Nice job on the self install!

:thumb:


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## old school (Aug 26, 2012)

Well looks like you have big dreams and are following up on them,keep up the hard work and keep us posted .Nice development in the pictures.


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## K.B. (Sep 7, 2012)

speedfunk said:


> Look forward to following along with you!! It looks like it might be similar in some ways to our build.
> 
> BTW I keep seeing people using this new to me septic latley. Hows the cost as it relates to a more standard type septic? I know that sand is one of the best ways to clean water so i wonder if it supposed to work better being that its surronded by it. Nice job on the self install!
> 
> :thumb:


Thanks Speedfunk - I think there are definitely some areas of overlap to your design. I really enjoyed going through your pages over on Countryplans! Learned quite a bit, too... It is practically a novel 

Finished up the drainfield at a total cost of ~$2,600 for materials and excavator time. The tank will be another ~$2,000 for the materials and estimated machine time. Not nearly as bad as I expected overall.

The infiltrators are $11 apiece (~4' in length), so I think they are a bargain as opposed to gravel and pipe systems. Pretty easy to put in. 

The wide cavity under the infiltrators and large number of narrow openings on the side is supposed to allow for better functionality. Time will tell. I still hope we don't use it much and allow most of our waste to get composted and reused around the property!


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## K.B. (Sep 7, 2012)

Thanks Old School - We made lots of progress this week. Pics to follow soon!


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## K.B. (Sep 7, 2012)

Homestead Construction #3 - Progress on the Foundation
Homestead Construction #3 &#8211; Progress on the Foundation | wellheeledhills

Lots of activity this week rockin' and rollin' to get ready for the slab to be poured.


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## K.B. (Sep 7, 2012)

Homestead Construction #4 - Foundation: Moisture Barrier and Rebar
http://wellheeledhills.wordpress.co...tion-4-foundation-moisture-barrier-and-rebar/

We're on schedule for a Monday pour


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## Mironsfarm (Feb 3, 2011)

looking good keep the pics coming love to see how it truns out !


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## speedfunk (Dec 7, 2005)

Thanks KB , its nice to know the effort is worth it  

It has turned into quite a novel, I knew it would . I just really want building our homes (as a culture) to evolve. We have all the materials at our disposal, just need to put them together in a way that makes sense. Luckily there been some pioneers in conceptual areas of design but DETAILS/Examples seem to be what is lacking and now needed. Of course they are very dependent on a whole host of variables, but the more we have, the better.

I checked out your wordpress site, very nice. Looks like your way ahead in your food production. WTG. I do got some hugel beds but b/c things have been so torn up, i feel it was best to put off that part until the house systems had grown into their spot on the land and then work around that a bit. 

:buds:


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## K.B. (Sep 7, 2012)

Thanks Mironsfarm!

Speedfunk - the effort was definitely appreciated. Your documentary of the building process is one of the best examples I've seen where many of the real details are captured. A lot of good discussion along the way, too. Really helpful for someone like me.

I agree that it is very necessary for the building process to evolve. There are many things I'd like to do different with our place, but I'm in an area that is pretty heavily regulated. We are doing the best we can on building a home that will be durable and integrated for the heating/cooling, power, water and waste. I sure hope it turns out well!

Thanks for the kind words on the wordpress site. Growing things is one of my favorite hobbies, so it's fun to post info about some of our projects.


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## K.B. (Sep 7, 2012)

Homestead Construction #5 - Foundation Complete
Homestead Construction #5 &#8211; Foundation Complete! | wellheeledhills

Feels good!


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Looks great, KB!! I'm enjoying watching your progress!!


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## K.B. (Sep 7, 2012)

Thanks Raeven! Progress is a great thing 

Homestead Construction #6 - Walls are Up!
Homestead Construction #6 &#8211; Walls are up! | wellheeledhills

After a two week push, the masonry walls are in place!
*pic heavy post*


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## Raeven (Oct 11, 2011)

Wow, you're really moving along!! 

Well done -- I'm sure enjoying the pics!!


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## K.B. (Sep 7, 2012)

Thanks Raeven!

The roof is on - lots more pics 
Homestead Construction #7 &#8211; Nice and Dry &#8211; The Roof is Finished | wellheeledhills


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