# We've Got Land!



## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Signed the deal on a piece of land today. It is 5.3 wooded acres in a newly developed area. The roads and ditches have been cut in and county water lines run in. The plots range from 5 - 20 acres. We decided on a squarish property that is on the corner of 2 roads. We considered a larger lot, but 5 acres will be plenty for us to keep up. The area lies relatively flat, and from walking around the property I didn't see any signs of drainage issues or standing water. It is considered upland forest and has no pine or cedar, which suits me fine because cedar pollen does bad things for my allergies. There are deed restrictions such as no single wide mobile homes, no double wide homes > 2 years old when installed, no junk or abandoned vehicles, no commercial livestock operations, no kennels or breeding operations, and no HOA. An HOA would have been a deal buster for me. It is just off a nice paved county road that dead ends about 3 miles north of us and is very peaceful and quiet. 

Our plan is to build a cordwood home, raised bed garden, workshop/garage, chicken coop, and an area with benches and a fire pit to relax at the end of a long day. Of course, we will have to have a fenced in area around the house for the pups. We don't let our dogs roam, and I like to have a fence to keep other people's dogs out as much as to keep mine in. We will start out connected to the grid, but would like to eventually go with a grid tied solar system. 

The first step is to decide on the house site, then clear a drive and the house site. We saw the property developer working on one of the roads with his tractor last weekend. He told us that he is out there working on improving the roads and ditches every Saturday, so if we get some stuff cut and need it moved he will be glad to use his back hoe and bucket to pile it into a burn pile for us. I can deal with free! There is a sawmill about 5 miles away that will sell me cedar or pine beams for less than half what Menard's charges. When I asked him about cedar and pine cutoffs to use for infill for the cordwood, he told me to bring a trailer and they would load me down for free just so he doesn't have to deal with it. More free!

And so the adventure and hard work begins. We talked about just buying a house with a couple acres, but this is something we have talked about, dreamed about, and planned for 15 years. We decided that we have given up enough dreams in our life, so we are going to go all in and make this one happen. It won't be a money making venture, but we plan on raising enough produce and poultry that we don't have to spend the money at the grocery store.


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## MoBookworm1957 (Aug 24, 2015)

oldtruckbbq said:


> Signed the deal on a piece of land today. It is 5.3 wooded acres in a newly developed area. The roads and ditches have been cut in and county water lines run in. The plots range from 5 - 20 acres. We decided on a squarish property that is on the corner of 2 roads. We considered a larger lot, but 5 acres will be plenty for us to keep up. The area lies relatively flat, and from walking around the property I didn't see any signs of drainage issues or standing water. It is considered upland forest and has no pine or cedar, which suits me fine because cedar pollen does bad things for my allergies. There are deed restrictions such as no single wide mobile homes, no double wide homes > 2 years old when installed, no junk or abandoned vehicles, no commercial livestock operations, no kennels or breeding operations, and no HOA. An HOA would have been a deal buster for me. It is just off a nice paved county road that dead ends about 3 miles north of us and is very peaceful and quiet.
> 
> Our plan is to build a cordwood home, raised bed garden, workshop/garage, chicken coop, and an area with benches and a fire pit to relax at the end of a long day. Of course, we will have to have a fenced in area around the house for the pups. We don't let our dogs roam, and I like to have a fence to keep other people's dogs out as much as to keep mine in. We will start out connected to the grid, but would like to eventually go with a grid tied solar system.
> 
> ...


Congratulations!
Good Luck!
Pictures Please!


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

MoBookworm1957 said:


> Congratulations!
> Good Luck!
> Pictures Please!


I agree....sound like a plan.


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## ShannonR (Nov 28, 2012)

I'm going to be loving the cordwood pictures, definitely!!!!! It's a lotta work....personal experience speaking


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## ForestToFarm (Feb 28, 2016)

Congrats and Good luck! 

I would consider getting a chipper and chipping some of that wood debris. It makes excellent compost material and ground cover for your gardens. It improves the soil in a big way. Other than your efforts and the rental fee for the chipper, the wood is free.

Terry


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

ForestToFarm said:


> Congrats and Good luck!
> 
> I would consider getting a chipper and chipping some of that wood debris. It makes excellent compost material and ground cover for your gardens. It improves the soil in a big way. Other than your efforts and the rental fee for the chipper, the wood is free.
> 
> Terry


Based on reading your thread, that is my plan. We are definitely going to need to amend and enrich the soil, and I'm sure the cost of renting a chipper for a weekend will be cheaper than buying bags of mulch. It is definitely more green than burning everything and putting all that carbon into the atmosphere. Between the leaves, brush, and chipper we should have a great compost pile. There is a grassy strip about 30 feet wide between the road and the tree line. With a 10 foot utility easement, that leaves me with a nice 20 foot strip to do something with. As a contributing member of the Arbor Day Foundation, I've got 10 flowering trees coming this fall, and they will need mulch around them as well. I'll be heading out there when I get off work at 6AM tomorrow and will be taking some pics.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Excellent and glad you found a property that suits you, Hard Part #1 dealt with. And you thought finding the land was tough, now the "Adventure Begins ! LOL I'm a huge fan of Log & Cordwood buildings especially and wanted to do a Cordwood place for us but "Time" was my enemy and cancelled that thinking... Around here Cedar is everywhere and is the Natural Medium for Cordwood as opposed to Pine or other woods BUT it has to dry at least 2 years before you start building with it, shrinkage and cracking being the issue if too wet.

Have you got your plan & timelines sorted out ? 5 Year Plan kind of thing...


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Steve_S said:


> Excellent and glad you found a property that suits you, Hard Part #1 dealt with. And you thought finding the land was tough, now the "Adventure Begins ! LOL I'm a huge fan of Log & Cordwood buildings especially and wanted to do a Cordwood place for us but "Time" was my enemy and cancelled that thinking... Around here Cedar is everywhere and is the Natural Medium for Cordwood as opposed to Pine or other woods BUT it has to dry at least 2 years before you start building with it, shrinkage and cracking being the issue if too wet.
> 
> Have you got your plan & timelines sorted out ? 5 Year Plan kind of thing...


Yes, we do. I spent some time walking around the property and found a site that I really like for the house. It puts the house 125 feet from the road, and 300 feet from the remaining property boundaries. I also selected the place for the driveway and a preliminary driveway route that will make the house invisible from the driveway entry. You won't even be able to see that there is a house there from the road. I also scoped out a location for the garage/workshop, garden, and chicken coop. Our property slopes down to a drainage ditch and I saw plenty of deer and raccoon prints in the soil there.

Job 1 will be staking out the house and driveway locations, then start clearing out brush and trees. As soon as we get a driveway and a space big enough we will bring in a storage building so we don't have to carry things back and forth all the time. Our goal is to get the house up in 2 years. My wife is good with moving in as soon as we have a functional kitchen sink and bathroom, then finish out the rest on weekends and days off. We will have a lot more time and money on our hands when we don't lose just under 2 hours making the trip there and back to our current home, which we are renting. We can do a lot with the money we are paying in rent!

While we are clearing the drive and house site, we will be using leaves and brush to start a compost pile to use for enriching the soil for our garden area. Since all the trees on the property are hardwood, we will be bucking trees and storing as much as possible to dry for firewood. By running as much of the smaller stuff as possible through a chipper and using it for mulch and compost, we will be reducing our carbon footprint. I know I will have to burn some debris, but I want to keep that to a minimum.

I scored points with DW today. I told her that I am buying a portable RV flush toilet and a shower/privacy shelter to put it in so she doesn't have to squat by a tree while we are working on the property. It will cost a little over $100, but to her it is priceless. It is going to be a busy, busy time. Lots of hard work. I stopped by the cable company to break their hearts today. When we are not at the property, we will be working on getting rid of stuff we haven't used in years at our current home, so we don't really have time to use the super premium cable package that costs us way too much money.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

All the best. Have any pics of property?


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

melli said:


> All the best. Have any pics of property?


Why yes I do, but the don't show much besides lots and lots of trees. I'm going to utilize as much of what I cut down as possible for firewood, mulch, and lumber for projects. The developer has a guy who wants to come in and salvage as much of the trees from the road clearing that are piled at the edges of the property, so that will reduce my burn pile. In exchange for the lumber, he is supposed to take anything he doesn't want and pile it up so it can be easily burned.

The land has a very gentle slope to the east. I checked it out on Mytopo.com and the elevation change from West to East is less than 15 feet over 626 feet. Where the road curves to the left is the midpoint of the South border of the property.








The marker at the Southeast corner of the property. The cleared area includes the 10 foot utility easement. Water lines are already run along the South side of the road, and the electric coop will be running underground power on the North side of the road.








A view of the West edge of the property from the road.








Heading in on the South Side.








The sold sign is at the midpoint of the South side by the road. The new home site is about 120 feet from the road straight through the trees. The driveway will come in about 100 feet east of this point and curve to the left toward the house site. You won't even know we are there from the road!









We will be thinning out some of the trees around the property, especially the home site, so that the remaining trees will have less competition and more room to spread out and grow. I'll post more pics as we make progress. Wish I was still in the custom slaughter business. You wouldn't believe what you can get done in exchange for some nice steaks.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

For "Securable" storage I would strongly recommend a 20' Sea Container at minimum, believe it or not, a 20' one fills up quickly with tools & kit when building, so a 40' is better BUT more of a PITA... Alternately 2, 20' with space between and a roof over it will provide storage & a dry work space which can later be used as a garage / shop or whatever... I have 1, 20 footer and really wish I'd have gotten two and done that... what a PITA to work under a "Porta Garage" (I got a 32x12 for that) in inclement weather while also using that for storage. Best thing about Sea Cans is they can be moved / adjusted BUT they must be on a hard level surface (better on 4 solid concrete blocks like Cottage Blocks so they're up off the ground) and you can clad them later to blend in...

Couple of thoughts to ponder for you...
* Figure out your compass directions and mark out N.S.E.W. accurately.
* Plan your home to make best use of the solar gains and sheltering from prevailing wind directions, run up a flag pole & figure out where the winds usually come from... Use the trees Nature provided as wind breaks ! A few good trees in the right spot can make a world of difference... 
* If thinking on Compost Toilet & Grey Water system then some thinking has to go into it... particularly the grey water... down slope & away from your well at least 60' (if your putting in a well).


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Steve_S said:


> For "Securable" storage I would strongly recommend a 20' Sea Container at minimum, believe it or not, a 20' one fills up quickly with tools & kit when building, so a 40' is better BUT more of a PITA... Alternately 2, 20' with space between and a roof over it will provide storage & a dry work space which can later be used as a garage / shop or whatever... I have 1, 20 footer and really wish I'd have gotten two and done that... what a PITA to work under a "Porta Garage" (I got a 32x12 for that) in inclement weather while also using that for storage. Best thing about Sea Cans is they can be moved / adjusted BUT they must be on a hard level surface (better on 4 solid concrete blocks like Cottage Blocks so they're up off the ground) and you can clad them later to blend in...
> 
> Couple of thoughts to ponder for you...
> * Figure out your compass directions and mark out N.S.E.W. accurately.
> ...


Fortunately the plat we were provided has grid north on it, and my iPhone works great as a compass. The area is heavily wooded, so even on the windy day that I was out there I didn't get much breeze 100 feet in from the road. The tree tops were moving pretty good, but down on the ground it was pretty still. The prevailing winds are from the SSW, but they can switch to the N later in the day when a front is coming through.

I'm only going to use the RV toilet on the site during construction. We will be putting in a septic system. County water is available, so we will go ahead and use that, although we will put in a rainwater catchment system to use on the garden. I've gotten better results in the past using rainwater on a garden than using city water. 

We were thinking of bringing in a 12 x 24 garage with rollup door and walk door instead of a container. Your idea of 2 20' containers with a roof in between is really good, so I will definitely have to throw that in the mix. It wouldn't be difficult to put a roof between them, and it would be nice to have a covered space to work under if needed. It could always be used as a carport later, and could actually be turned into a garage without much trouble. Cladding them later is also an intriguing idea. There is a business that sells/rents/lease to own 20' and 40' containers. Thanks for the input.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

On the two sea cans, you can late insulate & clad them with siding or something that matches the home you build (yes you can do a Coordwood Veneer ;-) ) Below is an example I pulled from Pinterest to show what I was talking about, these look like 40' units though. Price them out, you might be surprised PLUS they are securable right away so you can lock up tools, generator and what not... Major Life Save... I paid $1700 for mine with delivery. Crunch the numbers up and figure out what a wood framed Gable Roof would cost... Alternately, a properly angled "shed roof" could serve as a platform for solar power generation... Having no power bill IS very sweet indeed ! Plus the independence (read as not dependent / reliant on the outside, or subject to interruptions) is more & more wise as time goes on... IF you have a reasonably local Sea Can vendor that's fair priced, it's a bargain. NOTE - I know it's obvious but many people don't think of it... They get really HOT in summer and very chilly in winter. there are ways to resolve that but be aware.










BTW: My sea can is on prepped hard pack gravel, sitting on 24x24x6" concrete cottage blocks (4 corners) with PT 6x6 running across the front & back for good airflow underneath. Essentially it's 12" to the threshold of the door, so I made a ramp to get things in & out... I did it this way because in Winter when there's 6+ feet of snow on the ground & we get a good blow... Well, it's just easier...


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

oldtruckbbq said:


> Fortunately the plat we were provided has grid north on it, and my iPhone works great as a compass. The area is heavily wooded, so even on the windy day that I was out there I didn't get much breeze 100 feet in from the road. The tree tops were moving pretty good, but down on the ground it was pretty still. The prevailing winds are from the SSW, but they can switch to the N later in the day when a front is coming through.
> 
> I'm only going to use the RV toilet on the site during construction. We will be putting in a septic system. County water is available, so we will go ahead and use that, although we will put in a rainwater catchment system to use on the garden. I've gotten better results in the past using rainwater on a garden than using city water.
> 
> We were thinking of bringing in a 12 x 24 garage with rollup door and walk door instead of a container. Your idea of 2 20' containers with a roof in between is really good, so I will definitely have to throw that in the mix. It wouldn't be difficult to put a roof between them, and it would be nice to have a covered space to work under if needed. It could always be used as a carport later, and could actually be turned into a garage without much trouble. Cladding them later is also an intriguing idea. There is a business that sells/rents/lease to own 20' and 40' containers. Thanks for the input.


Steve's idea of two shipping containers is in use up here...just down the road, some folks have two separate by just 12-15ft, and they just threw on a wood framed (gabled? - can't remember) roof... I'll take a pic. 
I do like the rollup door shed (elegant). Easy access to tools and equipment. A neighbor has this on a smaller shed (albeit, a garage door hooked up to power, so it is easy to access). I'm thinking of doing that on my workshop, whenever that comes to pass. 
I like shipping containers (I have just one), as they are instant storage...no building, just plop it down and you have very secure and watertight 'shed'. The only issue is they look ungodly...lol
I've been mulling over how to disguise it, bury it, just anything to make it look better. I think I'll end up selling it once I have my home built or move it to a location on property where it isn't so visible, then clad it with something. Currently, it is dead center of roundabout...


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## Bungiex88 (Jan 2, 2016)

Now you need a tractor


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## MoBookworm1957 (Aug 24, 2015)

melli said:


> Steve's idea of two shipping containers is in use up here...just down the road, some folks have two separate by just 12-15ft, and they just threw on a wood framed (gabled? - can't remember) roof... I'll take a pic.
> I do like the rollup door shed (elegant). Easy access to tools and equipment. A neighbor has this on a smaller shed (albeit, a garage door hooked up to power, so it is easy to access). I'm thinking of doing that on my workshop, whenever that comes to pass.
> I like shipping containers (I have just one), as they are instant storage...no building, just plop it down and you have very secure and watertight 'shed'. The only issue is they look ungodly...lol
> I've been mulling over how to disguise it, bury it, just anything to make it look better. I think I'll end up selling it once I have my home built or move it to a location on property where it isn't so visible, then clad it with something. Currently, it is dead center of roundabout...


My American Legion and VFW Posts painted theirs.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Spent several days out on the property yesterday marking the house site and determining the driveway location. It will be angled and curved so that you can't look down the drive and see the house. Lots of stuff to clear, but made headway on almost 40 feet of driveway before I ran out of water and opted to call it a day instead of getting dehydrated and getting heat exhaustion. You can muscle your way through a lot of things, but not that. Had a nice, gentle breeze that helped. The only non-natural noises I heard was the gravel truck bringing in a couple loads of gravel to continue improving the roads. The driver was amazing. Opened the gate and tilted the bed at just the right angle and spread a uniform thickness of gravel that doesn't need any further grading. Sheer artistry.

There is a conservation area just 3 miles north of us where the paved road turns to gravel, so I decided to check it out. It is a real gem tucked away out in a remote location off a dead end county road. I think we will be spending some quality time there. Canoeing and kayaking allowed, no power boats or personal watercraft. My kind of place!


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## ForestToFarm (Feb 28, 2016)

I know what you mean about dehydration. This has been the worst year for me ever. I believe I have drank about 1000 gallons of water this summer, lol.

That conservancy looks like a great place to relax.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Got some more work today. Spent 5 hours today walking the property to make sure I was happy with the house and driveway locations. I've cheated them to the West side of the property because I like the way the property slopes down and has some nice views from what will be the front of the house. I ended up with a 7 foot tall pile of smaller stuff to chip, and 6 nice 6-8" diameter poles that I will keep for future use. The developer was out with his tractor and blade working over the ditches and smoothing out the shoulders of the road. About 1/3 of the lots in the development have sold and I'm the only one out there doing work. He said that next weekend he will bring out his backhoe and pull the trees pushed up against my treeline away from the tree line so I can salvage or burn them more easily. He's going to do for free what I would either pay someone to do or rent a machine to do it myself. Free can be good!

Lost some time to a blown boot. After 18 years they decided to let me down. Lost an hour going into town and looking for a new pair of boots.









Got a 60 x 12 section of driveway cleared using nothing but a chainsaw and my hands to drag smaller stuff out to the road. The next 30 feet are the most overgrown on the property.









The pile ended up being about 7' tall.









Unfortunately, the fun is over for a few days. I have to work 6pm-6am for at least the next week starting Sunday. My boss said he'll see what he can do about next weekend, which would be nice to be able to have a holiday weekend with family for a change. I was hoping the 3rd shift guy would come back from his surgery this week, but he talked his doctor into holding him out until the Tuesday after Labor Day. Very interesting.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

18yrs for a pair of boots! I go through them like once a year...guess they don't make them like they used to. 
Maybe backhoe guy will haul away your slash pile...
Nice start! 
Perhaps if your around when backhoe guy is there, a few dollars will convince him to blow in driveway...take but a half hour. Plus, he can pull out stumps. I'd do it for for the fun of it, but alas, I am a wee bit out of the way from you. That sort of stuff would be fun to bulldoze through...


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

The backhoe guy is the property developer. He is doing a lot of improvement work on roads and ditches himself, partly to save money, partly because he enjoys the work. He spends all week in the office with his Land & Title business, weekends he comes out and does fun stuff. You should see the grin on his face when he is on the tractor working. I'm happy with getting the trees pulled away from the tree line. He left them there for months because a guy who sells firewood as a side business said he would like to take as much as he could. Evidently that wasn't much because he hasn't removed any wood in 6 months. He is going to set aside some of the better looking logs for me so I can cut them into firewood since I'm planning on putting in a wood stove. Imagine starting out my wood stove with oak that has dried for 2 years. He did tell me that his backhoe can make really quick work of stumps so he can get those out of the way so I can get my truck to the house site without having to dodge stumps. He is happy to see someone out working on the land they bought and is willing to help out where he can. Not many property developers out there like that.

One of the guys I supervise used to have his own electrical contracting business before the Great Recession. A couple days ago he said "you know, when it comes time to rough in your electrical, we've got you covered. He and another of my guys say they can finish the rough in in 3 days, 2 if I mount the electrical panel and put light switches and outlet boxes where I want them. All it will cost me is some pulled pork and a 30 pack of beer each. Nice thing is, since he keeps his license current he will be making sure everything is to the latest codes. And since the guys doing the rough in both work for me, I know the quality of their work and their attention to detail so I have 100% confidence in their work.

The area that I cleared from the grass to the overgrown stuff looked just like the stuff in the background before I started in on it. I found that a pair of pruning loppers rated for up to 2" works quicker on the small stuff and removing small branches from trees than a chainsaw. I cut stuff until I can't reach or safely climb over to get to more stuff, then drag it away so I can reach more stuff.

The boots I was wearing had been used mostly for working on the yard and hiking on prepared trails. They weren't used to hard work. In actuality, I'm wondering if base for the Permithrin I sprayed on my boots and pant legs to keep the chiggers away attacked the glue on them. Both boots failed in the same way, the soles detached from the heel to mid foot area but stayed attached at the toe. I sprayed around the area my pant leg covers to take care of chiggers. From the ball of my foot on I didn't spray the Permithrin, and that section stayed attached. Hmmmm.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

I doubt the Permethrin would have anything to do the boots surrendering, I think you got more mileage out of them, then their engineered failure was spec'd at. I typically use up a pair of boots in two years and that's only because 1/2 the year I'm wearing different boots (winter here, demands better [aka warmer] boots). What is really Ironic, when I was in the Military, the Combat Boots issued were made by Greb Kodiak and they took an amazing beating and lasted, I've bought Kodiak Work Boots ever since and noted the dismal decline in quality & durability over the years... from crappy linings to poor thread quality (threads in the leather rot out) and the price makes no difference either... Quite disappointing actually.

Good news that the developer is so helpful but it's also in his best interest to have a property being developed as that will show others what a nice area it can be and your place from the limited photo's you've posted looks pretty good. Your also pretty lucky to have a couple of lads who'll do good work for a meal & case of beer - no such luck around here for me... Seems most are flakes or contractors who are "bare minimum specialists" that can barely follow Nailing Schedules... Redoing what the "Pro's" did wrong or poorly is never a good thing and callbacks only get you worse results because they are PO'd for having been called back to fix what they screwed up.

On your clearing for the build, I figured I better make mention of an important point which MAY affect you... I'm in Bush Country like you and the insurance companies have some spec's which are in the "fine print"... Clearances around buildings & structures ! Here they want 30' cleared back from any build, so no trees, bushes or anything that can burn and lead to buildings. I'm getting away with Cedar Siding but it is a low risk zone, where other higher risk zones, such would not be accepted. Best to check limits & requirements so as your clearing your space, you have ample room around to satisfy any such requirements. It also has the benefit of making space for machinery, scaffolding and general work space as your swingin hammers...


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Steve_S said:


> I doubt the Permethrin would have anything to do the boots surrendering, I think you got more mileage out of them, then their engineered failure was spec'd at. I typically use up a pair of boots in two years and that's only because 1/2 the year I'm wearing different boots (winter here, demands better [aka warmer] boots). What is really Ironic, when I was in the Military, the Combat Boots issued were made by Greb Kodiak and they took an amazing beating and lasted, I've bought Kodiak Work Boots ever since and noted the dismal decline in quality & durability over the years... from crappy linings to poor thread quality (threads in the leather rot out) and the price makes no difference either... Quite disappointing actually.
> 
> Good news that the developer is so helpful but it's also in his best interest to have a property being developed as that will show others what a nice area it can be and your place from the limited photo's you've posted looks pretty good. Your also pretty lucky to have a couple of lads who'll do good work for a meal & case of beer - no such luck around here for me... Seems most are flakes or contractors who are "bare minimum specialists" that can barely follow Nailing Schedules... Redoing what the "Pro's" did wrong or poorly is never a good thing and callbacks only get you worse results because they are PO'd for having been called back to fix what they screwed up.
> 
> On your clearing for the build, I figured I better make mention of an important point which MAY affect you... I'm in Bush Country like you and the insurance companies have some spec's which are in the "fine print"... Clearances around buildings & structures ! Here they want 30' cleared back from any build, so no trees, bushes or anything that can burn and lead to buildings. I'm getting away with Cedar Siding but it is a low risk zone, where other higher risk zones, such would not be accepted. Best to check limits & requirements so as your clearing your space, you have ample room around to satisfy any such requirements. It also has the benefit of making space for machinery, scaffolding and general work space as your swingin hammers...


We are planning on a 30' clear area around the house, and are using a metal roof. It is nice having shade to help cool the house, but not so nice having a branch crash through your roof in a storm. We have to clear trees in the back and side to allow for the septic system and to allow for our 22' above ground pool. My wife really enjoys the pool and insisted that there be a place for it. I weighed the costs and benefits of pier and beam or slab, and we are going with a concrete slab. Got to have space around the place to manuever equipment. It looks really pretty to have stately trees close to the house providing shade, but all the insurance companies look at is the risk they pose and the money they might have to pay out. Got to play their game unless you are able to handle replacing your home and contents from your own pocket. I sure can't do that!


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## ForestToFarm (Feb 28, 2016)

We are not having any trees left around our house sites. The humidity has been so bad here the last few years that if there is any place around your house that is shaded much at all throughout the day it gets mildew all over the siding. We do plan to strategically plant a few trees around our houses to eventually get shade during the heat of the summer but far enough away from the house to not fall on it or have roots interfearing with the footings and foundations.

Terry


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

ForestToFarm said:


> We are not having any trees left around our house sites. The humidity has been so bad here the last few years that if there is any place around your house that is shaded much at all throughout the day it gets mildew all over the siding. We do plan to strategically plant a few trees around our houses to eventually get shade during the heat of the summer but far enough away from the house to not fall on it or have roots interfearing with the footings and foundations.
> 
> Terry


Yeah, trees near ladder lines or slab foundation aren't a good idea. The place is wooded enough that clearing 30' from the house won't make a dent on the foliage! There are so many trees so close together that none of them will reach their full potential. Only so much nutrients in the soil. I would rather have trees further apart with a chance to spread their branches than a bunch of stunted trees all jammed together. We are going to have to clear some area for a garden plot anyway. It is pretty humid here in the Ozarks as well, and you can see the mildew and moss on the siding of houses with trees just a few feet away. Hard to knock down once it starts, and since we are doing timber post and beam with cordwood infill, we don't need that risk.


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## ForestToFarm (Feb 28, 2016)

We have a bunch of non native invasive underbrush that we plan to clear out over the years. Probably not going to completely eradicate it but we can try and the brush makes for good compost so that's a blessing in disguise. We also plan to thin and selectively cut a lot of the thick trees we have on the property. There is a mix of very young and very old growth.

Terry


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

A suggestion with your Bush Work, is you may want to consider something along the lines of a "Food Forest" where you plant in assorted fruit & nut bearing trees as well as other forms of "food crops" which can be a part of it. Thanks to deer and others, my forest is littered with Apple Trees (quite a variety) and even a couple of Plum Trees (I doubt deer did that though)... Although I do have mixed bush, it is mostly Cedar & Pine which should not be great for fruit trees but they do well. Another option is to manage the bush with coppicing and once planned, you could have a ongoing source of firewood and other materials... A few good Willows can provide a lot of material for assorted uses too... (think wicker - plus). Try to work "with it" as opposing it and forcing it into something else... I'm not sure about your Climate Zone but you could probably manage several different "food bearing" trees & plants that would pay you back & be a potential bonus for the wildlife as well.

ForestToFarms suggestion of using the shredded shrubbery for mulch is good BUT make sure that prior to cutting, shredding/mulching they are not at seed.... Last thing you would want to do is to shred trees & shrubs which are at Seed, then you'd just be spreading them around for more growth... Cut at the right season to avoid that... May seem obvious but often it's the obvious that gives you unpleasant & unplanned consequences.

BY THE BY... If Humidity is such a problem in your spot with potential for molds & mildews, have you considered using "Bluwood" sheathing ? 
REF: http://www.conradfp.com/building-products-bluwood.php

Knowing the situation beforehand, an ounce of prevention in this case is worth several POUNDS of Cure down the road... Better to build a healthy home right from the start. Just something to consider and discuss with Missus.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Steve_S said:


> A suggestion with your Bush Work, is you may want to consider something along the lines of a "Food Forest" where you plant in assorted fruit & nut bearing trees as well as other forms of "food crops" which can be a part of it. Thanks to deer and others, my forest is littered with Apple Trees (quite a variety) and even a couple of Plum Trees (I doubt deer did that though)... Although I do have mixed bush, it is mostly Cedar & Pine which should not be great for fruit trees but they do well. Another option is to manage the bush with coppicing and once planned, you could have a ongoing source of firewood and other materials... A few good Willows can provide a lot of material for assorted uses too... (think wicker - plus). Try to work "with it" as opposing it and forcing it into something else... I'm not sure about your Climate Zone but you could probably manage several different "food bearing" trees & plants that would pay you back & be a potential bonus for the wildlife as well.
> 
> ForestToFarms suggestion of using the shredded shrubbery for mulch is good BUT make sure that prior to cutting, shredding/mulching they are not at seed.... Last thing you would want to do is to shred trees & shrubs which are at Seed, then you'd just be spreading them around for more growth... Cut at the right season to avoid that... May seem obvious but often it's the obvious that gives you unpleasant & unplanned consequences.
> 
> ...


Our plan is to indeed plant fruit and nut trees on the property. Rather than clearing a large area for a traditional rectangular garden, we have been looking at blogs and articles on sites like Mother Earth News where they use smaller raised beds placed strategically to take advantage of specific conditions (shade, sun, partial sun) for plants rather than ripping everything out for a traditional garden. The results are fruit and vegetable gardens that look more like decorative gardens than a strictly utilitarian garden. We have been doing research on using native flowers and shrubs rather than going to the big box store and putting in non-native species. We are in climate zone 7 so there are a lot of possibilities for us. I'm sure Missouri isn't alone in this, but the Missouri Department of Conservation has a lot of resources available on their web site dedicated to encouraging home owners to plant native grasses, flowers, bushes, and trees. They have survived here on their own for eons and make for a landscape that requires less fussing, watering, pesticides, and herbicides. We look forward to having fruit and nut trees rather than having to make those deposits at the store, and plan on planting enough that the critters can have their share and still leave us with plenty.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Been working 12/7 for the past week, but I will be getting off Sunday and Monday. Family stuff to do, like take my granddaughter and great grandson to the zoo on Monday. I'll be off for several day later in the week and will have an opportunity to get some work done. In the meantime, I found the following link to USDA soil survey that allow you to define the boundaries of your property and has more soil analysis info than you can shake a stick at. The Area of Interest in the map shows our place. You can erase that one and find your own property to get a report on it. Pretty neat tool.

https://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/WebSoilSurvey.aspx


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Finally had a day off and had the opportunity to go out and clear some more brush and trees. I cut down a couple sycamores and oaks with no problem. Next up was a hickory tree. I got it down, but it did a number on my chain! It dulled it so bad that I called it a day because I left my sharpening kit at home and couldn't sharpen the blades. I'm about 2/3 of the way to the house site, and only have 3 more hickory trees to cut down. I'll be saving smaller branches for the smoker, and plan on cutting the rest up into lumber to make kitchen cabinets. Better take my sharpening kit and/or a spare chain in the future. It is very rewarding to be getting the drive to the point we can get back to the house site without needing a machete. I am exhausted, but it is a very satisfying tired. I hope to spend some more time out there over the next couple days. I enjoy being in the woods, especially when I'm clearing my own land in order to make room for our own home.


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## ForestToFarm (Feb 28, 2016)

Sounds like your having fun to me. We beat ourselves up every time we go work on our project but love every minute of it.

have fun,
Terry


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

There is being tired, sore etc BUT such work is a really "Honest Tired & Sore", you sleep like a log after having accomplished a big task, wake up (a bit stiff and slow) but you still feel great and the accomplishment is there... The "Honest Exhaustion" is the best kind IMO... PS in a while, the Sore & Aching part of Hard Work get's less & less as the old chassis get's used to it.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

The past few weeks my Dad has been wanting to go see our new place. After church and lunch today we headed out. He knows the area well, in fact we are only about 4 miles from where my Stepmother's place used to be. We drove around the area and he commented several times that it was a pretty area. Then I showed him the boundary markers and the area I had picked for the drive. We walked up the drive area and stopped and looked around. He commented that where we were standing would be a great site for a house. Then he noticed one of the stakes I had placed. We were standing about where the front door will be. He liked the view from looking out from the front of the house site. Pretty cool. We roamed around the acreage for a while and found several squirrel nests, spots where turkeys had been scratching, turkey scat, deer tracks, and three piles of deer scat. If you go in the morning or late afternoon you can hear birds and squirrels, but in the middle of the day it is pretty quiet. The area is covered with mostly oak and hickory trees but we didn't find any acorns readily visible on the ground. A few acorn crowns, but no acorns or hickory nuts. Maybe the squirrels, deer and turkey consumed most of them? Not having been there in the spring, I don't know what the nut crop might have looked like. There are a few gum, birch, black cherry, sumac, black walnut, sycamore, and one lone cedar tree that I have found so far. 

I've got a couple more days off before I have to go back to work, but I'll be using those to pull the motor from my truck so I can rebuild it and get it back on the road. Seriously thinking of turning it into a 383 instead of a 350. Got to get my truck back in action so I can haul stuff and drive it back to the house site. Our little Focus requires a good road, but my truck can handle driving over short stumps.

And yes, I sleep very well with a "honest tired sore". The satisfaction of doing the work with your own hands instead of paying someone else to do the work, and being able to do the work at 59 is satisfaction in itself.


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## ForestToFarm (Feb 28, 2016)

oldtruckbbq said:


> The past few weeks my Dad has been wanting to go see our new place. After church and lunch today we headed out. He knows the area well, in fact we are only about 4 miles from where my Stepmother's place used to be. We drove around the area and he commented several times that it was a pretty area. Then I showed him the boundary markers and the area I had picked for the drive. We walked up the drive area and stopped and looked around. He commented that where we were standing would be a great site for a house. Then he noticed one of the stakes I had placed. We were standing about where the front door will be. He liked the view from looking out from the front of the house site. Pretty cool. We roamed around the acreage for a while and found several squirrel nests, spots where turkeys had been scratching, turkey scat, deer tracks, and three piles of deer scat. If you go in the morning or late afternoon you can hear birds and squirrels, but in the middle of the day it is pretty quiet. The area is covered with mostly oak and hickory trees but we didn't find any acorns readily visible on the ground. A few acorn crowns, but no acorns or hickory nuts. Maybe the squirrels, deer and turkey consumed most of them? Not having been there in the spring, I don't know what the nut crop might have looked like. There are a few gum, birch, black cherry, sumac, black walnut, sycamore, and one lone cedar tree that I have found so far.
> 
> I've got a couple more days off before I have to go back to work, but I'll be using those to pull the motor from my truck so I can rebuild it and get it back on the road. Seriously thinking of turning it into a 383 instead of a 350. Got to get my truck back in action so I can haul stuff and drive it back to the house site. Our little Focus requires a good road, but my truck can handle driving over short stumps.
> 
> And yes, I sleep very well with a "honest tired sore". The satisfaction of doing the work with your own hands instead of paying someone else to do the work, and being able to do the work at 59 is satisfaction in itself.


It is very satisfying. 

Terry


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

This is my weekend off. I work every other weekend and get 4 days off every other weekend, which gives more time for getting things done. i've been sidetracked a little this weekend though and may not get to do as much work as I want. A lower molar broke off a couple weeks back and Sunday it started getting an abscess. I couldn't get a dentist appointment until Wednesday morning. He slapped me on antibiotics, then told me if the antibiotic would kick in after about 36 hours, and if it gets bigger or doesn't go down after 48 hours to go the the ER for some IV antibiotics. Until this thing goes down, I am having fun dealing with pain and can't really bend and stoop or deal with much exertion. Sidelined by an unforeseen health issue. And to top it off, when the tooth first broke my wife told me I needed to get to the dentist and take care of it ASAP so something like this didn't happen. I didn't listen, so now I REALLY get to hear it.

I guess the message in all this is that if you are going to be building your own place and doing a lot of work yourself, you have to take care of your health and address issues promptly so they don't become bigger issues that sideline you and make you lose time. Had I taken care of this a few weeks ago, I would be out on my property clearing brush instead of home with a throbbing, swollen jaw. We are our biggest asset and primary workforce, so we have to protect that.


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## ForestToFarm (Feb 28, 2016)

Sorry to hear about the tooth issue. Don't ya love it when your wife is right? lol.
Hope you get better soon. You will be back at it before you know it.

Terry


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

@oldtruckbbq 

Indeed one must take extra care with their health when building a project as DIY... In the past 3 years I have had many injuries as I work 98% alone and out in the bush... Now some were unavoidable "Stuff Happens" types, a couple were me being overly gregarious and result = stupid lessons learned and two were inattentive helper that resulted in injuries... Helper must NEVER get distracted by wildlife ! In my case though I have serious health issues which are only worsening as time goes which has been a re-learning experience for my abilities & capabilities and because of having to learn that, I over did it and paid a heavy price a couple of times. I finally found a pace / activity level that works - not as quick as I was (bout 1/2 speed) but now I am getting much done and no more ouches. To think that 5 years ago I could barely walk and couldn't manage stairs for a while and I pushed my way through the naysayers and onward forward...


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Spent most of the day out at the property clearing more trees out of the way for the driveway. Finally called it a day at 2:30 because the 92 degree heat was having its way with me. It is NOT supposed to be in the 90's this late in September! Got quite a bit done before I declare "no mas!" Besides, I needed to get home and replace a toilet valve that would no longer shut off.

Last time out I cut down a black cherry and hickory tree that I cut up and stacked today before cutting down 4 more hickories. I stacked all but the small branches of the cherry in one pile and the hickory in another pile. I won't be buying bags of hickory for the smoker for a while. There are 4 hickory trees that I will have to cut down that are big enough I plan on leaving them in 8-10 foot logs to cut into boards using an Alaska mill, then use those boards for building kitchen cabinets.

I'm getting close enough that I can see the house site from where I've cleared so far. Making progress, just don't get as much time to spend at the property as I would like do I try to make the most of it. Before I got started I observed several squirrels, heard a couple woodpeckers, and saw signs of deer, turkey, and raccoons. I'm off Monday so I'll get an earlier start to get as much time in as I can before the heat ramps up. A mini excavator with an air conditioned cab would sure be nice, lol.

Before I started.









Before I left.


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## MoBookworm1957 (Aug 24, 2015)

Looking good!


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

Even a mini excavator with just a canopy would fly through your property. Although, your doing a good impression of one. 
Amazing job in that heat! I wouldn't have even started in the 80's...lol
I heard it was rather warm in your hood.


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## ForestToFarm (Feb 28, 2016)

Been hot here as well. You start sweating just walking out the door. 
Looks like its coming along!

Terry


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Same here, yesterday 34C (93F) in the shade, 23C (73F) in Cabin and it's been like that for a few days and looks like it will be here at least another week or more... You are doing a good impression of an excavator OldTruck, just get a nice straw hat and your all set... remember, drink LOTS of water ! easy to loose track and become woozy & potentially being at risk at that point. Don't mean to sound like ma or pa BUT gotta be said, heat stroke != fun.


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## ForestToFarm (Feb 28, 2016)

Steve_S said:


> Same here, yesterday 34C (93F) in the shade, 23C (73F) in Cabin and it's been like that for a few days and looks like it will be here at least another week or more... You are doing a good impression of an excavator OldTruck, just get a nice straw hat and your all set... remember, drink LOTS of water ! easy to loose track and become woozy & potentially being at risk at that point. Don't mean to sound like ma or pa BUT gotta be said, heat stroke != fun.



I saw that cabin. Did you mill the lumber for the siding yourself?


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

All the cedar was milled by a friend down the road with our local Cedar, he is using a Wood-mizer Super LT70 with the extras and whips out whatever I need quick... amazing machine that wood-mizer. All the Pine I use is milled by another friend up the other way who runs a mill built by his great grand father which uses the massive circular saw (was water powered but now converted to big diesel and updated a bit) but he can still manage "very Large Log" with that beast... he told me what the blades cost... gave me heart palpitations !

the only place you likely saw that Cabin was in Melli's thread which I posted a pic or two... I was running a thread on my build somewhere else but stopped a while ago but I may revisit that later when I have the time, right now I'm up against time and rushing to get in before the 4 LETTER WORD drops a load on us for winter.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

My wife said her employer might be shutting down the week of Thanksgiving to do some serious maintenance work and replace some equipment. I may take some of my remaining vacation days and rent a mini excavator for a week. I figure if I make a prioritized list of things that I want to get done, the two of us can stay pretty busy and get a lot done. Believe it or not, I can rent a mini-ex with a thumb attachment for $850 a week, including delivery and pickup. I have my eye on a Ford 8N tractor that would be helpful for a lot of tasks around the place. I can cut, top and buck a tree with a chainsaw and good set of pruning loppers, but need help moving 8-10 foot logs that I want to keep intact for construction uses. I'm also looking quite hard at some way to be able to swing getting a mini-ex because it would be a fantastic tool.


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## ForestToFarm (Feb 28, 2016)

I agree a mini ex can be very useful. the ability to pick things up with the thumb is priceless when needed. the the 8n can do a lot of the other stuff. You can topple some of those trees with the mini ex. You can hold the tree off the ground and buck it up with the chainsaw. 

A mini ex can make life easier for sure.

Terry


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

oldtruckbbq said:


> My wife said her employer might be shutting down the week of Thanksgiving to do some serious maintenance work and replace some equipment. I may take some of my remaining vacation days and rent a mini excavator for a week. I figure if I make a prioritized list of things that I want to get done, the two of us can stay pretty busy and get a lot done. Believe it or not, I can rent a mini-ex with a thumb attachment for $850 a week, including delivery and pickup. I have my eye on a Ford 8N tractor that would be helpful for a lot of tasks around the place. I can cut, top and buck a tree with a chainsaw and good set of pruning loppers, but need help moving 8-10 foot logs that I want to keep intact for construction uses. I'm also looking quite hard at some way to be able to swing getting a mini-ex because it would be a fantastic tool.


I guarantee you won't be disappointed with a mini rental (3.5 ton or larger - anything smaller is a toy, relatively speaking, and they usually don't come with a thumb, which is a must with brush and log moving). Also, a smaller one is harder to get appropriate attachments, if you are so lucky to afford them (I've been pining for a jack hammer and a compactor attachment for years!). My jealous building inspector friend bought a ~2-2.5 ton Kubota...having a hard time finding a thumb for it, so he is forced to pull out ropes and chains to move stuff. If I may suggest, you be free the whole week of rental (not working). Of course, buying one is the better option, but a rental will get your hands dirty and illustrate what you can do with one. You will literally plow through your property with one, from the pics you posted.
It will take out any tree...imho...if you do the root dig on one side, and push over. Especially handy when you have no structures on property, so fall placement is not an issue. Try the method on a smaller tree to get the hang of it.
Moving 8-10' logs is a cinch. I just hauled about an 80' fir up my driveway when utilities crew took out my trees. A bit awkward, as my driveway isn't straight...lol
Normally, I cut them into 20-30-40' and haul (depends on girth), but I didn't want to make two trips. I like the longest length, just in case I want to mill them or give them to someone who can. A mill can usually handle a 16', but some have track extensions to 20-24'+.

There is no substitute to owning one. The utility of having one around is immeasurable. I wish I had time and money to make fork attachments...I could make a pallet lift. Even when burning a machine pile, an excavator is handy to stir the fire to get everything burned. On some dump truck sized slash burns I've had with a dozen+ monster stumps in it, I've been able to get everything burned, except a wheelbarrow full of small chunks. Can just burn the remnants in next slash pile or bury them...lol


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

The picture quality isn't that great thanks to overhead fluorescent lights, but here it is anyway. This is a picture from the USDA soil sample map. The red star is the location for our house. The blue oval is a location where we may put in a pond in the future. The straight orange lines are roughly the property borders, and the curving orange line show the break between the 2 different soil types on the property. The driveway curves in from the road at the bottom of the picture. We purposely picked a corner plot. The plot to the north of us (5.3 acres) hasn't sold yet, the plot to the east has sold to a couple in their 60's that is going to put in their retirement home in a couple years. The plots on the opposite side of the road have sold. With the width of the road, location of our house, and the minimum 40' setback, there will be around 200' between our place and the closest possible home on the south and west, 350' to the closest possible house on the east, and 150' to the closest possible house on the north. The border between the 2 closest properties to the south is about middle of the curve in the road, so that means nobody will be building directly across the road from our house anyway. Nobody has really looked at the plots to our north because he hasn't finished up the road on the west border of our property and there isn't any gravel on it. We are hoping that it hasn't sold by the time we are in a position where we can buy it and have a buffer to our north. The fact that it is 2.5 miles north of a highway off a dead end county road really keeps traffic and noise down.


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## ForestToFarm (Feb 28, 2016)

oldtruckbbq said:


> The picture quality isn't that great thanks to overhead fluorescent lights, but here it is anyway. This is a picture from the USDA soil sample map. The red star is the location for our house. The blue oval is a location where we may put in a pond in the future. The straight orange lines are roughly the property borders, and the curving orange line show the break between the 2 different soil types on the property. The driveway curves in from the road at the bottom of the picture. We purposely picked a corner plot. The plot to the north of us (5.3 acres) hasn't sold yet, the plot to the east has sold to a couple in their 60's that is going to put in their retirement home in a couple years. The plots on the opposite side of the road have sold. With the width of the road, location of our house, and the minimum 40' setback, there will be around 200' between our place and the closest possible home on the south and west, 350' to the closest possible house on the east, and 150' to the closest possible house on the north. The border between the 2 closest properties to the south is about middle of the curve in the road, so that means nobody will be building directly across the road from our house anyway. Nobody has really looked at the plots to our north because he hasn't finished up the road on the west border of our property and there isn't any gravel on it. We are hoping that it hasn't sold by the time we are in a position where we can buy it and have a buffer to our north. The fact that it is 2.5 miles north of a highway off a dead end county road really keeps traffic and noise down.
> 
> View attachment 62542



Looks great!

We have one area/property line that has a couple houses on it. Its about 300 or 400 feet from Brian's house. We have cleared that area about 1000' x50 to 60 feet for a field along the back fences of these properties. We are going to use the logs and brush back there and make a Hugelkultur mound of brush and dirt then plant maybe those tall growing hollies or something to form a barrier for sound and view. 
Terry


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

oldtruckbbq said:


> The picture quality isn't that great thanks to overhead fluorescent lights, but here it is anyway. This is a picture from the USDA soil sample map. The red star is the location for our house. The blue oval is a location where we may put in a pond in the future. The straight orange lines are roughly the property borders, and the curving orange line show the break between the 2 different soil types on the property. The driveway curves in from the road at the bottom of the picture. We purposely picked a corner plot. The plot to the north of us (5.3 acres) hasn't sold yet, the plot to the east has sold to a couple in their 60's that is going to put in their retirement home in a couple years. The plots on the opposite side of the road have sold. With the width of the road, location of our house, and the minimum 40' setback, there will be around 200' between our place and the closest possible home on the south and west, 350' to the closest possible house on the east, and 150' to the closest possible house on the north. The border between the 2 closest properties to the south is about middle of the curve in the road, so that means nobody will be building directly across the road from our house anyway. Nobody has really looked at the plots to our north because he hasn't finished up the road on the west border of our property and there isn't any gravel on it. We are hoping that it hasn't sold by the time we are in a position where we can buy it and have a buffer to our north. The fact that it is 2.5 miles north of a highway off a dead end county road really keeps traffic and noise down.
> 
> View attachment 62542


Awesome! Looks like a great palette to work with....trees = privacy. 
And no bragging about your soil...


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

My wife went to the property Friday to help out. She watches our great grandson on weekends while our granddaughter works while going through nursing school so she has only been out there a couple times since we bought the property. Sure wish she could go with me every time because we got over twice as much done as I'm able to get done by myself. It does make felling trees more nerve wracking because I have another person there to be concerned about making sure I don't drop something on. When it comes to dealing with downed trees, having another set of hands is huge. 

To my surprise, she asked me how I felt about buying a used travel trailer to put on the place to live in once we get the utilities in. The money we are spending on rent would go a long way toward materials to finish out a house. With each visit she likes the place more and more and is anxious to get moved to our own place. Having a partner who shares the dream and helps develop the vision really motivates and energizes. We continue to rid our home of things that have been stored in boxes unused for years rather than moving them with us, or paying to store them. We will get a garage building put up to store things we want to keep for our house instead of paying for offsite storage. Once we move those things into the house when we get it ready, I will have a building for a garage and workshop. Even if we do a rent to own garage, it won't cost a lot more than offsite storage and we will have something to show for it. We will both have a much longer commute to work, but we will be there to work on the place each day instead of having to pack stuff up in a vehicle and make a special trip. Working on our own place instead of someone else's place. I like that.


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## ForestToFarm (Feb 28, 2016)

oldtruckbbq said:


> My wife went to the property Friday to help out. She watches our great grandson on weekends while our granddaughter works while going through nursing school so she has only been out there a couple times since we bought the property. Sure wish she could go with me every time because we got over twice as much done as I'm able to get done by myself. It does make felling trees more nerve wracking because I have another person there to be concerned about making sure I don't drop something on. When it comes to dealing with downed trees, having another set of hands is huge.
> 
> To my surprise, she asked me how I felt about buying a used travel trailer to put on the place to live in once we get the utilities in. The money we are spending on rent would go a long way toward materials to finish out a house. With each visit she likes the place more and more and is anxious to get moved to our own place. Having a partner who shares the dream and helps develop the vision really motivates and energizes. We continue to rid our home of things that have been stored in boxes unused for years rather than moving them with us, or paying to store them. We will get a garage building put up to store things we want to keep for our house instead of paying for offsite storage. Once we move those things into the house when we get it ready, I will have a building for a garage and workshop. Even if we do a rent to own garage, it won't cost a lot more than offsite storage and we will have something to show for it. We will both have a much longer commute to work, but we will be there to work on the place each day instead of having to pack stuff up in a vehicle and make a special trip. Working on our own place instead of someone else's place. I like that.



Sounds like you guys are on the right track. Without my son Brian the things we have been doing would have been extremely difficult for me to do alone. Having someone working with you on that common goal makes it all the sweeter. 

Terry


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Currently I'm having to load stuff in one of our cars to drive out to our place. I started a thread "383 Stroker" in the Shop Talk forum to chronicle the trials and tribulations of rebuilding the motor from my old truck to get it on the road again. Instead of a standard rebuild, I am turning my 350 into a 383 Stroker motor with new heads, rotating assembly, alternator, water pump, fuel pump, cam, and various shiny bits. In addition, I'm cleaning years of gunk and grime from the engine bay and painting it, the suspension, and frame rails so the motor has a shiny new home. It helps to be able to do your own wrenching, but it can sometimes be a challenge to find the time.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Ummmm Devils Advocate and a bit of confusion I suppose: And NOT to be mean or anything negative in any way but....



oldtruckbbq said:


> To my surprise, she asked me how I felt about buying a used travel trailer to put on the place to live in once we get the utilities in. The money we are spending on rent would go a long way toward materials to finish out a house. With each visit she likes the place more and more and is anxious to get moved to our own place


383 with the goodies = cost of all your roofing tin... OR all your windows & doors (as long as your not triple glazed)... or possibly your concrete pad for the house... OR a good chunk of the cost for your own "Bobby" or 8n/9n... Saving on rent by living in a travel trailer on site to have more for the build ? BUT a $4K 383 is going to help how ? Gee a new ZZ4 is less than that with a long warranty too OR a summit racing longblock for less... but you would not use that to commute.... Heck that 383 could even pay for a reasonable Trailer / Camper that you could use for a couple of good years during the build...

As a former Hot-rodder, rebuilder and enthusiast I know the draw of Smiles per Miles (Smileage) and the good feelings of a decent rumble, it can very easily contradict the bigger & more important plans we make for the long haul. Just something to reflect & ponder upon and maybe evaluate the trade offs.... 

Again I do not mean to upset or anything but... rather more of a Reality Check & do I really need to do this while I have other bigger better plans? kind of thing....


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Steve_S said:


> Ummmm Devils Advocate and a bit of confusion I suppose: And NOT to be mean or anything negative in any way but....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's why the truck sat unused for several months while I mulled it over. Some things we do in life don't make sense to a lot of people - like buying a patch of woods and building your own place when there are plenty of perfectly serviceable places up for sale. Life is short, and sometimes it is nice to fulfill a dream from time to time. I actually considered the things you mentioned above, but it finally comes down to doing something I find personally fulfilling and enjoyable. I'm not getting any younger, and I've set aside or abandoned a lot of things I wanted to do over the years to take care of family and pay bills. And if it was going to mean not building our place, I wouldn't be doing it now.

I'm sure that you've done plenty of things that look crazy to people on the outside looking in. Sure, I could have done things different, but at the end of the day, I will have a reliable truck that can pull a trailer full of building materials with no problem, and I won't have a bunch of electrical gremlins, sensors, and doo-dads to deal with.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

Haha...I'm just like you oldtruckbbq. Steve is like my Dad (no offense meant Steve!). Yep, I could have built my home years ago, but when something catches my fancy...like my Honda CT90. A rather modest project, but it has added up. My Dad looked at my sheds and shook his head...actually, even the building inspector has shaken his head. I could have bypassed the electrical shed, and certainly spent oodles less building them, but I am just not like that. I want a shed that stands the test of time. 
And my Honda CT90 restore, while frustrating at times (owned previously by an absolute hack), has now given me access to the mountains. And soon, I will be popping in a larger engine with a 12v system and electric start. Had to buy a sandblaster cabinet...lol

I have to enjoy the ride, even if it means the big prize will be delayed. I do think about 'what if' I didn't blow oodles of money on this or that, I'd be in my bunker by now. And Steve, your right, I must maintain some discipline or I'll be staring at a unfinished bunker for a long time...lol

Oldtruckbbq - have any pics of your project?


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

melli said:


> Haha...I'm just like you oldtruckbbq. Steve is like my Dad (no offense meant Steve!). Yep, I could have built my home years ago, but when something catches my fancy...like my Honda CT90. A rather modest project, but it has added up. My Dad looked at my sheds and shook his head...actually, even the building inspector has shaken his head. I could have bypassed the electrical shed, and certainly spent oodles less building them, but I am just not like that. I want a shed that stands the test of time.
> And my Honda CT90 restore, while frustrating at times (owned previously by an absolute hack), has now given me access to the mountains. And soon, I will be popping in a larger engine with a 12v system and electric start. Had to buy a sandblaster cabinet...lol
> 
> I have to enjoy the ride, even if it means the big prize will be delayed. I do think about 'what if' I didn't blow oodles of money on this or that, I'd be in my bunker by now. And Steve, your right, I must maintain some discipline or I'll be staring at a unfinished bunker for a long time...lol
> ...


Just my grimy engine compartment and motor. The rear main seal and one of the valve covers had been leaking for who knows how long. I took care of the leaking valve cover first thing, but you have to pull the motor to do the rear main seal. I like a clean engine compartment so I don't get covered in grease and grime when I work on it.

I had a little surprise when I pulled the hood off. The truck had been sitting untouched for months, and a mouse had taken up residence in the insulation under the hood. As I started working on the truck, it dropped down on the engine, then scampered off. It also chewed on paperwork and left presents in the glovebox.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

Yep, I need a truck too....lol
I sold my truck earlier this year to keep the build alive. It was acquiring rust and rarely used because it was a gas hog (4x4 Dodge 2500 V10 - aka Big Blue). I had put a few bucks into it, but I loathe rust buckets and it was heading there. Fun truck to motor around in. I need an older truck (pre-97 or so). Something without all the electronics vehicles have today. I had a 93 GMC 4x4 before that, and I should have never sold that one. It was perfect (wind-up windows, vinyl floors, and almost no rust), but I was all bent out of shape it couldn't tow Bobby around. Sigh....lol

Enjoy your build! An engine bay where you can see the ground, even with engine installed, is my kind of truck. Trying to do the most mundane maintenance items in Big Blue was torture (and I have skinny arms).


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## MoBookworm1957 (Aug 24, 2015)

Man with his priorities straight.
Good Luck with the rebuild of your truck.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

I like my old trucks. Sold my first one because the frame had been damaged in its days as a farm truck and it didn't make sense to put more money into it. My next truck was "stolen" while in storage at an ex-business partner's place. It disappeared one day and he didn't say anything because he figured I must have driven 6 hours to come get it without letting him know. Yeah, I'm not buying that story either.

It doesn't have the creature comforts of the newer trucks, but it doesn't have electrical gadgets, sensors, or black boxes to worry about either. Parts are readily available and quite reasonable, and I can get to stuff to work on it. It will be getting a workout over the next few months hauling materials to the build site. Just by changing the carb, intake, and exhaust on my first truck I improved the mileage enough to get my money back in a year of using it for my daily driver. I built a 383 with my next truck and not only seriously improved the mileage, but it would haul a loaded trailer a lot easier. Sure wish it hadn't mysteriously disappeared.

I told a couple guys I work with to keep an eye out for a trailer at a good price because I was going to need one to haul stuff. One of them told me that I didn't need to buy a trailer because his house is on the way and he has a 16 foot trailer he uses maybe twice a year. All he asks is that I call to let him know I'm going to use it so he doesn't call the sheriff if he comes home and it isn't there. All he asked for in return is a pot of white beans and ham and a pan of jalapeno cornbread. I'll take that deal!


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Father Steve chiming in again... LMAO... Turning that one over in the Thinking Pan....

Well, I understand and get it... I've mentioned previously the "Should've, Coul've, Would'ves" Been there Done that... I also have to remind myself constantly about the old rule of Penny Wise & Dollar foolish... and The Rule of Three.... 

On Three... At the moment I drive a 98 Mazda B4000 pickup, handy, tough little beast and the past 70,000 kms (since I've owned it) have been hauling & working while earning it's keep... BUT it is a V6, 4Litre, 5spd and as such limited... So I have Big Truck too...
1986 Chevy K1500 4x4 which needs a new Cab & Box, neither are repairable so I bought a 1981 C10 longbox with 108,000 Kms (about 60,000 miles ish) and that had been oiled every year of it's life, well maintained and unabused... BUT I got it cheap as the last time the guy took it for oiling the kid sprayed everywhere, including exhaust... the guy took it to get an oil change after and it suffered an engine fire... put out fast but all rubber plastic etc underhood and immediately inside cab gone... The Cab and Steel work is still OK, so the intention was to use that on my 4x4 Driveline which is one of the military ones... BUT 2wd C10 onto K15 frame the Trans Hump doesn't work... The 2WD Cab has NO RUST, nowhere ! Not even underneath due to the annually oiling, so don't want to chop that up.... 3" Body Lift Kit for cab & box ? That would do it but... Now they both sit as I forge ahead on priorities and ponder which path to take... I could not chop up the 2wd drive cab, it would be wrong on so many levels.... Now debating just using the K15 as donor for all electrics and bits required like dash etc... sadly suspension parts are not transferable and so much of that is new... ugh... The 4x4 has saved me a couple of times and out where I am, it's darn near mandatory on heavy winter days. Time & Money is focussed on other things so next spring with luck... 

Pre Computer you pretty much have Chevy pre-87 as 87 was 1st year they started to computerize their trucks... Ford & Mopar I'm not sure but pretty much same time I think.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

Yeah, if I could find a truck pre ODB-II, which is about 1995 or earlier. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On-board_diagnostics#OBD-II
I was ok with a rudimentary diagnostic (doesn't DOA truck if diagnostic is not working)...they just went crazy later on, and now, your truck is DOA if the BCM (body control module), PCM, etc., is acting up. Worse, one cannot buy a BCM and plug it in. Have to get it programmed to your truck/car. 
And I live in sticks, and if my electronics go, I am forced to ship SUV to city, a $500 tab at min. 
Then I get to pay dealer near a grand for a $20 hunk of plastic with a few chips in it...

I have a Scanguage 2 in my SUV, and can monitor most everything, and kill codes. Right now, I have an emissions 'leak'. I just need a new gas cap. BTW - Amazon has bluetooth ODB-II readers that your cellphone can pick up (for $20). 
I used one for Big Blue...kind of neat being able to see/diagnose everything. But heaven help you if one of the boxes dies.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

melli said:


> Yeah, if I could find a truck pre ODB-II, which is about 1995 or earlier.
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On-board_diagnostics#OBD-II
> I was ok with a rudimentary diagnostic (doesn't DOA truck if diagnostic is not working)...they just went crazy later on, and now, your truck is DOA if the BCM (body control module), PCM, etc., is acting up. Worse, one cannot buy a BCM and plug it in. Have to get it programmed to your truck/car.
> And I live in sticks, and if my electronics go, I am forced to ship SUV to city, a $500 tab at min.
> ...


My first truck, a 78 Chevy C10, was giving me fits because the bushing in the distributor was slap worn out and the vacuum advance mechanism froze up. I left the truck sitting in a parking lot, walked 10 or 12 blocks to a parts store and spent $129 for a new Accel distributor and HEI coil. I then walked back to my truck and with nothing more than a box end wrench, replaced the old distributor, adjusted timing by ear, then drove it home and used my timing light to dial in it. Basically, if you have voltage to the distributor, gas to the carb, and enough juice at the starter you can get it to run. And with really minimal care they will last a long time. It doesn't take much to make one pretty reliable.

If it weren't for losing oil pressure, I wouldn't be doing this work now. Yes, it had a slight leak at the rear main seal and the oil pan, and when I bought it both valve cover gaskets leaked, but compression was good on all 8 cylinders. I took care of the oil pan and valve cover leaks. But when the oil pump pickup fell out of the oil pump it lost pressure while doing 65 mph. By the time i realized I had no oil pressure pulled off the road and shut it down, the damage had been done.

Crank journal for #1 and #2 pistons.








Crank journal for #3 and #4 pistons







Block after being stripped down and getting its first cleaning. I'm going to grind down some casting flash and remove plugs prior to taking it to the machine shop for block prep. A couple of the cam bearings had rough spots I could feel with my finger, and the camshaft journals had some scoring on them. Fortunately the bores are in really good shape with visible cross hatching. Like I said, if I hadn't lost oil pressure, I wouldn't be rebuilding it right now.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

On the homestead construction front, we will be going out Friday and Saturday to do some more work on our property. I have a cousin and her husband who live just a few miles away and they have offered help and use of a compact tractor. One of my guys at work has offered me use of his 16' trailer whenever I need it. Now I just need to come up with a friend or relative who just happens to have a mini excavator and portable saw mill and I'll be in pretty good shape.

I did find a guy with a portable sawmill who will come out to your property and mill your lumber on site. That has possibilities.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Have you started collecting Pallets to store materials / stuff on ?
Good pallets are so handy for so many things... amazing the uses one can come up with for them...
Might ponder a Porta Garage / Garage in a box... very handy, I got one off Kijiji (like craigslist) 32x12x8... very handy indeed to keep stuff out of the weather and shelter for doing stuff when weather being icky... 

Of course secure storage in a Sea Can or something is needed for Generators and tools etc... dragging things up & down from there will get tedious in a hurry.... especially when you get up there and realize you forgot some essential tool you needed back home... happens 3 times and you'll be Sea Can shopping ;-)

Those Portable Mills are quite something, my Cedar Guy has a Woodmizer LT70 with the extras so not really "portable" as such anymore... amazing machine... If you can cut up a bunch of your own wood and set it flat and sticker / air dry them for a good season your way ahead...


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Steve_S said:


> Have you started collecting Pallets to store materials / stuff on ?
> Good pallets are so handy for so many things... amazing the uses one can come up with for them...
> Might ponder a Porta Garage / Garage in a box... very handy, I got one off Kijiji (like craigslist) 32x12x8... very handy indeed to keep stuff out of the weather and shelter for doing stuff when weather being icky...
> 
> ...


There is a local company that leases and sells 20 and 40 foot containers. A 20 foot container, delivered, set, and leveled, is around $2500. They will also do "rent to own" with a final cost coming out to just under $3500. The local Menard's has the porta garages, and we will most likely go that route at first. They are very reasonable priced and would be great for keeping lumber and supplies dry. I know it won't last forever, but I don't need it to last forever. I will definitely need secure storage once we get the area cleared enough to start construction.

It is already getting to be a pain dragging stuff back and forth, so as soon as we get a sufficient space cleared out we are putting in some type of storage.

I've already got a stack of pallets at home, and thanks to work, I can get my pick of free pallets whenever I need. Most of them are once used oak pallets in really good shape. 

Yeah, the guy with the "portable" sawmill pulls it behind an F450 dually truck. He recommends that you have some type of loader on hand to feed him logs because he charges by the hour and the more you can feed him the better deal you get. I'm just wondering if he includes a surcharge if you have a lot of hickory to cut. If it does to his blade what it does to my chainsaw, it won't be pretty!


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

My wife took a vacation day today and we spent it out on the property doing more clearing. Aside from making the turn on the drive and being 2 trees away from the house site, I learned that I must purchase a camp toilet if I expect my wife to go back out for another work day with me, and a freshly sharpened chainsaw chain dulls to the point it won't cut hickory trees about the same time that I run out of steam to tote material to the burn pile or the wood pile! I thought oak was hard, but that was before I tangled with hickory. I was going to put my other chain on and continue until my wife reminded me that we needed to go get cleaned up to take our granddaughter to dinner. Whew!

The front left corner of the house is about 15 feet past the 2 trees with the green paint on them. The tree on the left will have to go to make room for the drive, and the tree at the far right of the pic will have to go since it is in the living room. The remainder of the trees are basically saplings and a couple dead trees. We will of course have to cut down other trees around the house site as well. All is not lost though, as those oak trees will be used to make the posts and beams for the house. I know everyone in the states uses softwood for home construction, but I figure that since oak is the preferred timber for post and beam timber construction in the UK, I can learn from that and make it work here. I've found some really good info the websites from the UK, Canada, and New England about using oak in timber framing and construction.


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## ForestToFarm (Feb 28, 2016)

Looks good.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

After taking a look at several different options online over the weekend, I've about reached the conclusion that perhaps the best solution for my wife's toilet request would be an outhouse. She really doesn't care for outhouses, but when you consider what you have to deal with if you have a portable RV type toilet, a 5 gallon bucket toilet, or the type that uses a plastic bag to catch the waste, an outhouse doesn't sound like a bad option. I'm figuring a rather shallow outhouse not too close to the house and garden site. I'm not concerned about it filling up or becoming a huge sanitation hazard because it will mostly end up being used by my wife when she has the opportunity to go out with me.

She is going to be off a few days after Thanksgiving due to new equipment installation where she works, so she proposed to me that we gather up our camping gear and just go camp out there for a few days so we can work without having to drive back and forth. She loves being out in our own piece of woods and is really motivated to get the place to where we can start building our home. A couple of my Aunts were giving me suggestions yesterday for people who could build a house for us. My wife is good with having someone come do a slab for us, but she really wants to work with me on building as much of the place as possible ourselves. She has really embraced the dream and every time she has a chance to go with me she works her tail off until she barely has enough energy left to get back in the car. 

She has also started doing her own research and reading on things we can do and grow to make a living off the place and not have to drive back and forth to jobs. I didn't see that one coming, but I sure will support her in that. I just need to find someone who can work with her to turn her brown thumb into a green thumb.


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## ForestToFarm (Feb 28, 2016)

oldtruckbbq said:


> After taking a look at several different options online over the weekend, I've about reached the conclusion that perhaps the best solution for my wife's toilet request would be an outhouse. She really doesn't care for outhouses, but when you consider what you have to deal with if you have a portable RV type toilet, a 5 gallon bucket toilet, or the type that uses a plastic bag to catch the waste, an outhouse doesn't sound like a bad option. I'm figuring a rather shallow outhouse not too close to the house and garden site. I'm not concerned about it filling up or becoming a huge sanitation hazard because it will mostly end up being used by my wife when she has the opportunity to go out with me.
> 
> She is going to be off a few days after Thanksgiving due to new equipment installation where she works, so she proposed to me that we gather up our camping gear and just go camp out there for a few days so we can work without having to drive back and forth. She loves being out in our own piece of woods and is really motivated to get the place to where we can start building our home. A couple of my Aunts were giving me suggestions yesterday for people who could build a house for us. My wife is good with having someone come do a slab for us, but she really wants to work with me on building as much of the place as possible ourselves. She has really embraced the dream and every time she has a chance to go with me she works her tail off until she barely has enough energy left to get back in the car.
> 
> She has also started doing her own research and reading on things we can do and grow to make a living off the place and not have to drive back and forth to jobs. I didn't see that one coming, but I sure will support her in that. I just need to find someone who can work with her to turn her brown thumb into a green thumb.



Sounds like you guys made the right choice in building over buying an older home. It just keeps getting better.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

The poison ivy I picked up on my last trip to the property is pretty much cleared up. I spent Saturday out at the property clearing more trees and walking the property to make sure that I'm still happy with the house location. The new to me Stihl chainsaw is a beast. I really like the felling dogs on it. Man, do they harness the power of that motor and just chew through wood. Well, it chews through everything but hickory. It definitely does better than the Poulan, but it gets tested hard by hickory. That is some tough stuff!

While I was out there the property developer came walking down my drive. He was please with what I've done so far and liked the location we picked out for the house. He had been out in the area earlier in the week putting up No Hunting signs. One of the other property owners has seen a guy on a red atv blowing down the roads, they running off into the woods. A few minutes later he heard a couple shots, then the guy blew back down the road and sent gravel flying when her turned the corner. I think the thing that upset the developer the most was that the guy ran over one of his For Sale signs. With that in mind, I'm going to put a chain or cable across our driveway to keep people from driving up onto our property in our absence. Its a shame that you have to post and control access to your property to keep people off. I mean, its private property, not public land, so they should realize that since they don't own it they should stayy off it. Doesn't work that way for some people, and it will bet worse when we put in a nice smooth gravel drive.

Since it rained today, and will rain tomorrow on the vacation day I took on Monday, I spent this afternoon putting the crank and a couple pistons in my truck motor so I can clearance the block for the stroker crank I'm puttin into it. Monday I'll be at it again so I can put the old grey mare back on the road again. I know its not constructing a homestead, but its going to be hard to proceed without a truck to haul stuff, so it is a part of the construction process I guess.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

oldtruckbbq said:


> The poison ivy I picked up on my last trip to the property is pretty much cleared up. I spent Saturday out at the property clearing more trees and walking the property to make sure that I'm still happy with the house location. The new to me Stihl chainsaw is a beast. I really like the felling dogs on it. Man, do they harness the power of that motor and just chew through wood. Well, it chews through everything but hickory. It definitely does better than the Poulan, but it gets tested hard by hickory. That is some tough stuff!
> 
> While I was out there the property developer came walking down my drive. He was please with what I've done so far and liked the location we picked out for the house. He had been out in the area earlier in the week putting up No Hunting signs. One of the other property owners has seen a guy on a red atv blowing down the roads, they running off into the woods. A few minutes later he heard a couple shots, then the guy blew back down the road and sent gravel flying when her turned the corner. I think the thing that upset the developer the most was that the guy ran over one of his For Sale signs. With that in mind, I'm going to put a chain or cable across our driveway to keep people from driving up onto our property in our absence. Its a shame that you have to post and control access to your property to keep people off. I mean, its private property, not public land, so they should realize that since they don't own it they should stayy off it. Doesn't work that way for some people, and it will bet worse when we put in a nice smooth gravel drive.
> 
> Since it rained today, and will rain tomorrow on the vacation day I took on Monday, I spent this afternoon putting the crank and a couple pistons in my truck motor so I can clearance the block for the stroker crank I'm puttin into it. Monday I'll be at it again so I can put the old grey mare back on the road again. I know its not constructing a homestead, but its going to be hard to proceed without a truck to haul stuff, so it is a part of the construction process I guess.


Glad to hear your Poison Ivy has cleared up. Grateful we have none here of any note. Odd why it isn't rampant around here, as all manner of things grow here. 
Until folks start living in your hood, you'll have trespassers (signage should help some). I ran into the same situation in my old place. A few months after moving into my new home, I had a mason pull up my driveway, drive over my yard, and use a seasonal running ditch wholly on my property, to clean his tools. I was having my morning coffee as I watched him from house. He drove over my freshly planted grass to get truck backed up to ditch. Was I livid...lol. I got a rake, walked down to guy, and with very few words handed him the rake. He didn't loiter. I suspect he could tell I was ready to go ballistic. 
Normally, 'No Trespassing' signs keep most folks out. I recall visiting my Dad, and in his hood, some neighbors at end of road had some unique signs, but the one that said, 'We Don't Call 911' resonated with me...lol
That sign left no doubt. A chain will do wonders I think. Keep out folks who respect private property.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Glad you survived the Poison Ivy... Ohh I HATE that stuff. Happier that you like your "Real" Chainsaw hehehe... does make a huge difference doesn't it, just remember that is a tool that wants to harm you so treat it accordingly, with much respect and I know you do.

Hunters & Trespassers, the bane of every Cabineer ! Chain gate or better is good, no trespass signs, the ones with big Red Dots & No Hunting / No Trespassing are popular around here. Once you have equipment / stuff up there, will be time to put bush cams in place and THAT is a well worn subject 

Gee, I always thought hanging a skeleton from a tree with a sign around it's neck that says "Retired Trespasser" would get the message across (just one of those plastic ones eh)...


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Steve_S said:


> Glad you survived the Poison Ivy... Ohh I HATE that stuff. Happier that you like your "Real" Chainsaw hehehe... does make a huge difference doesn't it, just remember that is a tool that wants to harm you so treat it accordingly, with much respect and I know you do.
> 
> Hunters & Trespassers, the bane of every Cabineer ! Chain gate or better is good, no trespass signs, the ones with big Red Dots & No Hunting / No Trespassing are popular around here. Once you have equipment / stuff up there, will be time to put bush cams in place and THAT is a well worn subject
> 
> Gee, I always thought hanging a skeleton from a tree with a sign around it's neck that says "Retired Trespasser" would get the message across (just one of those plastic ones eh)...


It would be funny to tie a skeleton to a tree with barbed wire and hang a No Trespassing sign around its neck. I figure a chain will keep out crackheads looking for stuff to steal to make a few bucks. If they can back a truck up to a shed they are all for it, but if they have to walk 250 ft down a drive and tote stuff by hand, well that's a bit too much like work!


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Due to her employer replacing aging equipment my wife has been off work all week. She finally goes back Friday. The first couple days were spent running back and forth to the hospital for my Dad. Fortunately he came home in good health and is doing well. We spent most of the last couple days out on our property cutting, clearing, and burning. The drive is now clear, and the garage and house sites are about half cleared. Still a lot of work to do, but we are making progress, especially considering that I'm only able to get out there every other weekend right now.

My wife is a trooper. She gets out there and works her tail off until sundown. She did ask about me buying something for a hand washing station. I told her that I didn't need to buy anything, that we have everything we need. Three poles, a few feet of rope, and a 5 gallon plastic water jug we already had for camping, and we now have a hand washing station. I think I'll fancy it up by adding a shelf to hold the soap container. Now I'm obligated to build a lunch table using wood from the site. I'm getting ready to purchase a chainsaw mill to start making lumber from some of the trees I'm cutting down.








The green stick with the pink ribbon marks one corner of the house where the kitchen will be located. The area looked just like the area in the background before we started. We are going to cut out all the small stuff and quite a bit of the medium size stuff so our dogs will have a good place to play and enjoy themselves.









The view looking out from where the front door will be located. The logs from the tree in the center of the picture will be used to make some of the posts and beams for construction the house. At the right of the picture you can see a bunch of poles leaning up against a tree. These are poles I saved from 20 or so smaller trees I cut down from the garage and house sited today. I'll be using them to make a headboard and footboard, chairs, and possibly a love seat. The burn pile started out about 7 feet tall and 15 feet in diameter. It makes a real difference in how things look when we clear several inches of leaves off the drive.


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## MoBookworm1957 (Aug 24, 2015)

Looks good


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## Echoesechos (Jan 22, 2010)

oldtruckbbq said:


> Based on reading your thread, that is my plan. We are definitely going to need to amend and enrich the soil, and I'm sure the cost of renting a chipper for a weekend will be cheaper than buying bags of mulch. It is definitely more green than burning everything and putting all that carbon into the atmosphere. Between the leaves, brush, and chipper we should have a great compost pile. There is a grassy strip about 30 feet wide between the road and the tree line. With a 10 foot utility easement, that leaves me with a nice 20 foot strip to do something with. As a contributing member of the Arbor Day Foundation, I've got 10 flowering trees coming this fall, and they will need mulch around them as well. I'll be heading out there when I get off work at 6AM tomorrow and will be taking some pics.


We do lots of chipping thru our work. Start off Arvin g your debris correctly from the get go. Winrow the materials with the cut ends all facing the same direction. That way you can scoop and go. Untangling it from a pickup stick pile just doubles your work load.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

Looking great! Finally some pics to look at on this topic! lol 
Been quiet here lately. Sort of like that fall look...can see a ways. 
I would see if the developer has his machines kicking around...see if he will de-stump your house plot for a small outlay. Depending on machine size, could clear the area in a day, and stack the slash/logs. 
Would gladly lend you mine, but the several thousand mile haul would cost a penny. 

BTW - you have services at lot line?


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Good to see you still hard at it, was wondering if your gonna break for winter or not... Pending White Doom here, so rushing before it falls & stays... seems I have about 10 days (if I wanna believe forecasts which are less accurate now than every before... so much for technology eh.) I am wondering one thing however, have you figured out which way the wind comes from predominantly, so you can orient your build so the wind isn't blowing at you in the worst of spots ? Lot of trees so much wind break but always good to know where the wind usually comes from ? one of those pesky details that can lead to many variations of Should'a, Could'a & Would'a.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

Steve_S said:


> Good to see you still hard at it, was wondering if your gonna break for winter or not... Pending White Doom here, so rushing before it falls & stays... seems I have about 10 days (if I wanna believe forecasts which are less accurate now than every before... so much for technology eh.) I am wondering one thing however, have you figured out which way the wind comes from predominantly, so you can orient your build so the wind isn't blowing at you in the worst of spots ? Lot of trees so much wind break but always good to know where the wind usually comes from ? one of those pesky details that can lead to many variations of Should'a, Could'a & Would'a.


Good point Steve...on my place it was easy (South Easterlies)...I took out any big tree to the SE of my bunker, to about 100yds...lol
At my place, trees will fall over (ideal situation) or top (bad situation)...a topped tree chunk can sail a ways before it hits earth (sometimes like a javelin). As you know, I am thoroughly paranoid, and falling trees are at top of my list. When one clears a spot for a house build, they subject the trees left behind (exposed) to further 'strain'. Ideally, best to wait a couple of years before building so trees can sort themselves out, but if not, I take the cautious road, and take out any tree that is in striking distance.
I think OldTruckBBQ will have plenty of trees left over for wind break.

I agree about orientating house so predominate winds are hitting side of house with the fewest windows and short side...although, sometimes it isn't feasible. Most houses are orientated facing southerly...with good eaves, can avoid direct summer sun, but get winter sun. Plus, roof will be aligned for solar, if going in that direction.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

The weather has been crazy warm for the most part, so we have taken advantage of that. I'm good with being out all day in 40+ weather, but below that I can't handle more than a couple hours at a time. I have Cold Urticaria and more than a couple hours around or below freezing overpowers my antihistamines and I start breaking out in hives. Before that happens, my nose begins running uncontrollably. Not fun because I actually enjoy the cold weather and when we lived in the Chicago suburbs we owned cross-country skis and spent a lot of time out on the snow.

The winds charts for the area show that the prevailing winds are from the SSE, which I find puzzling because quite a few trees on the property either have a lean or bend to the E. Those trees, regardless of location, will be cut down because it is only a matter of time before they end up breaking or falling over anyway. Most of the rainstorms that blow through the area sweep from SW to NE. Winter storms come in from the NW. The trees make a noticeable difference in wind intensity, even with the leaves being off the trees. That will all change when finish clearing for the house. Our house will be oriented facing SSE with a shed roof, high side on the front which makes it pretty much a no-go for solar cells. Our garage, which will be about 15 feet from the house, will be oriented with the front facing almost due E, so it will be a good location for future solar panels when we go that way. We have already made a few changes in plans and layout since we started, and I'm sure there will be others as we get closer to having to make the final decision on building locations. One of the good things about clearing the area ourselves is that as we spend more time there and see the area at different times of day, varying degrees of sun/shade, and different amounts of foliage, we get a better feel for where we want things located. Had we gone in on day one with a contractor to clear and start construction, things would look a lot different than they are going to be now.

It would definitely be easier to hire the clearing done, but we are doing as much grunt work as we can ourselves so we can devote more of our finances to building supplies and construction. The developer has a backhoe and a tractor with a box blade that he uses from time to time to work on drainage. He hired a contractor to clear and construct the roads. That contractor merely pushed trees up against the tree line and left us a mess to have to deal with. I've cut into a few of them to see if there was anything worth salvaging and struck out.

The pile my wife is walking past is most likely the last burn pile we will be doing. We identified a place where we are going to clear to put our hugulkulture mounds and will begin stacking logs and debris there. Next trip out I'm taking some welded wire fence and T-posts with me to set up an area for a couple compost piles. We will start with leaves and small branches and take appropriate food waste from home to add to it when we go out there. When the contractor removes stumps and scrapes off organic material and topsoil for the road, garage, and house, we will use that to cover the hugulkulture mounds. 

In spite of my efforts, I ended up getting some poison ivy on my right arm. I bought some Tecnu poison ivy and oak scrub and rash relief spray and it seems to be doing a great job of limiting how many bumps are popping up. Definitely better than last month when my right forearm was a solid mass of nasty from wrist to elbow. My wife does not appear to be sensitive at all to poison ivy, so she suggested that I leave anything with poison ivy vine on it to her. Works for me! We are being very careful to keep anything with poison ivy vine off the burn pile. I won't have to worry about it for a few days because my vacation time is over and I'm getting ready to start a string of 10 days, most of them 12 hour days, before my next days off, and that will be the weekend before Christmas and we will be quite busy then.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Wouldn't you know it, the plant closed the week between Christmas and New Year's and the temps have been well below freezing so I haven't spent much time out at the property working. Long Johns and jeans just don't cut it for more than a couple hours when the temp is in the 20's. It really makes a difference when you don't have a place where you can go warm up. Hopefully I'll get some above freezing temps in a couple weeks when I have some time off.

We paid down several of the bills for 3 surgeries for my wife and 1 for me in the past 3 years, so I've been looking at buying a compact utility tractor. Several manufactures have tractors with front end loaders, 3 point hitch, PTO, and an optional mower deck. I could get the payment around what we were paying on medical bills. I could sure get more work done in the same amount of time with a lot less effort if I had a small tractor with a front end loader. And with a 54" mower deck, I wouldn't be paying out $40 a week for 7 months of the year to get my yard mowed. When I presented the finances to my wife and told her that when we are clearing we could take the tractor to the area, cut stuff to the size to fit into the end loader, and use that to put it on the burn pile instead of dragging it by hand, she thought it sounded like a great idea. And it will sure beat using a come along, straps, and chains to drag logs a few feet at a time.

I have managed to get a lot of work done on my truck engine though, even if I've had to come in and warm up every couple hours. Hard to wear gloves that will keep you hands warm when you are doing mechanical work.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Finally got a chance to go do some work on the property again over the weekend. Since it was raining Saturday, we took a trip to a building supply surplus and salvage place in a small town about 75 miles away. It was definitely worth the trip. We found doors, cabinets, windows, and bathroom fixtures for half what we would pay in a big box store. Even hardware was cheaper. If only they carried ceramic tile there.

After all the rain and snow we have had, my wife has decided that she wants tile throughout the whole house. The dogs track in so much sand and dirt that it is doing a number on the hardwood floors in our current house. When I showed here the wood look ceramic tile at the local Menard's she was sold on the idea. I've been keeping my eye out for other surplus and salvage building supply places to see what kinds of deals I can find.

I'm hoping to get the driveway put in early March. It will be nice to not have to park on the side of the road and tote stuff by hand, especially since our goal is to start putting in the piers for the house foundation in late March or early April.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Oh Oh... your entering the "Hoarding Stage" where your looking at the goodies for the future home, seeing deals and getting antsy to get some for that "vision in the minds eye" secured for use. Where oh where to put it, so it's safe & sound till it can be used. YUP... Can you tell I've been there and done that ? LMAO... Your gonna need a Sea Can or decent shed or something to store the goodies somewhere.

Lessons Learned Dept. I bought some stuff too early and had to store it, unfortunately stored too long in not best conditions caused some losses (luckily not major). Still a bit disappointing as I hate to waste anything, much rather yard sale it if unneeded that to chuck it cause it's gone punky or whatever.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Steve_S said:


> Lessons Learned Dept. I bought some stuff too early and had to store it, unfortunately stored too long in not best conditions caused some losses (luckily not major). Still a bit disappointing as I hate to waste anything, much rather yard sale it if unneeded that to chuck it cause it's gone punky or whatever.


We resisted the urge to purchase anything. I've done that before too. By the time you rent or purchase a space to store things, you have blown through any savings from the original purchase. Nothing like buying 2400 sq ft of laminate flooring because you found a great deal, then having half of it damaged or destroyed when a storage unit leaks. And don't buy indoor ceiling fans and put them in a storage unit that isn't climate controlled. By the time we took them out of the box, the blades were warped and coming apart. Kind of like Melli's debacle with the free kitchen cabinets. 

I've also resisted the urge to buy tools and equipment I will need later on and restricted myself strictly to items I need right now for the job at hand. But I do look forward to the day when I can put in a locking storage shed so I don't have to tote things back and forth or wonder if things I've left under a tarp on the wood pile will still be there. Needless to say, my chainsaw doesn't stay out there right now.

It is so hard to window shop and plan for the future. Buying is so much more fun! There isn't much out there today that you won't be able to find somewhere 6 months from now when you need it. And if you are patient, you can always find a deal if you take the time to dig for it.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Yeah, these are some of the Trials & Tribulations aren't they. Window shopping and thinking is fun yet oh so frustrating too... I got turned onto Pinterest which has the upside of many ideas on a theme so if you have an idea / thought, sure as heck someone else has too an pictures are likely on Pinterest. THAT can become addictive and distracting too... fortunately, can also present solutions, options & ideas not considered before which is good... solved some of my stuff that way.

I'm happy I got the 20' Sea Can but wish I had have gotten a 40' one instead... oh well, should've, could've, would'ves...


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Steve_S said:


> Yeah, these are some of the Trials & Tribulations aren't they. Window shopping and thinking is fun yet oh so frustrating too... I got turned onto Pinterest which has the upside of many ideas on a theme so if you have an idea / thought, sure as heck someone else has too an pictures are likely on Pinterest. THAT can become addictive and distracting too... fortunately, can also present solutions, options & ideas not considered before which is good... solved some of my stuff that way.
> 
> I'm happy I got the 20' Sea Can but wish I had have gotten a 40' one instead... oh well, should've, could've, would'ves...


Yeah, but if you had a 40' you would want another.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Friday I was off so I spent it out in the woods doing some more clearing. On days when my wife can go with me we can get so much more done. I can cut while she drags stuff to the burn pile. On those days I basically run the saw until it runs out of gas, then start hauling what I have bucked up. Depending on the weather, we should be ready to have a gravel drive put in and the garage and house sites graded by the end of March. I have 3 rollover vacation days to use before the end of March so that will help. Each step closer brings greater resolve and a renewed sense of purpose and excitement. 

Saturday brought freezing rain, so I stayed in town and put a pork loin roast on the smoker. I was anxious to try out my new smoker temperature controller anyway. It worked great and made a real difference in the quality of the end product. We took it to my Dad's and had a family dinner. As much as I love working on our place in the woods, i can't neglect family. 

My wife says she is taking a vacation day on my next 3 day weekend so she can go with me. Works for me, because not only is she good company, but she enjoys working toward the dream too. 

We had thought about doing a concrete slab but have decided to do pier and beam instead. The plan is to buy a compact tractor, and I'm debating on getting it with an auger or buying or renting a hand operated auger. I've seen good prices on both on CL and FB Marketplace.

Now for 10 days of working the day job until my next weekend off.


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## KansasBead (Feb 18, 2006)

Congratulations!


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Good going ! Every step forward is a good step indeed.

I thought you wanted a Log Cabin, sis you change that idea ? Pier & Beam + Log Cabin, I dunno about that. That's a heck of a lot of weight for piers unless they are seriously huge and then the substructure to go on that to support a log building... longevity might be an issue as well resale ability & values too maybe.


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## HeavyHauler (Dec 21, 2017)

Right on! I'll be watching this thread with interest too!


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Lots of log homes are built on pier and beam foundation. The key is making sure you have a good base for the piers and sizing them correctly. I have a cousin who lives just a few miles away. She and her family live in a 3500 square foot 2 story log home on a pier and beam foundation. There is no sign of settling, no creaking or bouncing, no issues with level. It fits their lot nicely. It helps that the guy who runs the construction company my plant uses has told me that if I provide him a copy of my plans he will have his engineer draw me up a pier and beam plan. If I need it stamped for building permit purposes I'll have to pay, but since I'm building in an area where I don't need a permit and there are no inspections he will do it for free. Sometimes good things happen when you are nice to people.

Last week was a wet one. Saturday was especially bad with a tornado striking about 10 miles from where we currently live. The rivers near where we are building are in flood stage, and many roads were impassable Saturday night. Sunday was a beautiful day so we loaded up to see what we could do and how the property fared with such heavy rains over several days. The road fared very well, and the ditch was in good shape with clear water running in it. We have a couple big bare spots on the property where we have burned brush, and we barely left footprints in them. We checked the rutted remains of an old logging road near the east edge of the property and there was no standing water. We could see evidence of where water had flowed down the slope, but no erosion and no standing water. Our current home is a different matter - we can't step into the yard without water squishing up and leaving footprints. I'm liking our new place more and more.

Having my wife out there means we can get a lot more work done. She works her tail off and is really motivated to make this happen. We are on track with having the driveway put in by the end of March. Quickly following that will be a storage building so we can secure tools and materials in it instead of under a tarp. I can even peel logs and cut timbers in the rain once we get a building on site! If it weren't for this working to make a living thing we could really make progress!


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Right on, having a friend through work that can design it up for you is a Big PLUS. I've just never seen a Log Home on piers and there are a lot of log homes in my neck of the woods but if the piers are down to bedrock likely be just fine but if not.. well, I wouldn't personally do it then. Good that you got out there just after worst weather conditions to see how the property & roads took it and knowing you won't wash away. 

Twisters... ugh... already ? I had one very bad experience with one very mean one when I was about 8 years old, could never live in a twister area after that... none of us seriously injured but when the car your in get's relocated from highway over 2 fields, it makes a permanent impression. IF I had to live in Tornado Alley, I'd build a High End "Hobbit Home".


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## MoBookworm1957 (Aug 24, 2015)

I live in "Tornado Alley" got fault lines thru the area too. Only thing we don't have is typhoons,hurricanes. But are built on top of coal mines. 6 one way half dozen another.
Got to love Missouri. Weather changes daily, hourly too. lol


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Steve_S said:


> Right on, having a friend through work that can design it up for you is a Big PLUS. I've just never seen a Log Home on piers and there are a lot of log homes in my neck of the woods but if the piers are down to bedrock likely be just fine but if not.. well, I wouldn't personally do it then. Good that you got out there just after worst weather conditions to see how the property & roads took it and knowing you won't wash away.
> 
> Twisters... ugh... already ? I had one very bad experience with one very mean one when I was about 8 years old, could never live in a twister area after that... none of us seriously injured but when the car your in get's relocated from highway over 2 fields, it makes a permanent impression. IF I had to live in Tornado Alley, I'd build a High End "Hobbit Home".


Every place I've ever lived has it challenges. You just have to check out the soil and topography and determine the best type of foundation. A big part of the success of the foundation is the prep work done. I've know people in $300,000 -$500,000 homes in Texas and Oklahoma that had wall and foundation cracks within a couple years. Foundation repair companies are a dime a dozen. We lived in a pier and beam house that had some levelling issues. My neighbor worked for a house levelling company and for a couple 30 packs of Miller Lite he helped me level the house one Saturday. I'm figuring since I'm getting some free help, I'll provide him the USDA soil analysis of the area, our floor plan and construction type, and get his recommendation for a foundation that will carry the load.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

MoBookworm1957 said:


> I live in "Tornado Alley" got fault lines thru the area too. Only thing we don't have is typhoons,hurricanes. But are built on top of coal mines. 6 one way half dozen another.
> Got to love Missouri. Weather changes daily, hourly too. lol


Currently we are about 40 miles from the New Madrid Fault. Our new place is about 80 miles from it. I don't know if being on the Ozark hills will help or not when the big one strikes again. I graduated high school in coal mine country in Southern Illinois. The town decided to build a new middle school and went through several sites before finding one that wasn't undermined. One summer the bath house and beach of our favorite swimming area at Rend Lake disappeared due to an abandoned coal mine collapse. With all the coal, lead, and zinc mining in some areas of MO, there are a lot of dangerous places to build because aside from the opening, most of the older ones aren't on any maps. We went on a hike on several miles of the Ozark Trail, and I was astonished to find so many abandoned mines out in the middle of nowhere.

Don't forget the mosquitoes. Here in Swampeast MO, they can make an outdoor space unusable. That is one of the things I checked when we were looking at property. I wanted a place that wasn't overrun with mosquitoes.

An Uncle told me years ago that if you are looking at buying real estate, go look at it in pouring rain when you can see the problems, not on a beautiful day.


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## MoBookworm1957 (Aug 24, 2015)

oldtruckbbq said:


> Currently we are about 40 miles from the New Madrid Fault. Our new place is about 80 miles from it. I don't know if being on the Ozark hills will help or not when the big one strikes again. I graduated high school in coal mine country in Southern Illinois. The town decided to build a new middle school and went through several sites before finding one that wasn't undermined. One summer the bath house and beach of our favorite swimming area at Rend Lake disappeared due to an abandoned coal mine collapse. With all the coal, lead, and zinc mining in some areas of MO, there are a lot of dangerous places to build because aside from the opening, most of the older ones aren't on any maps. We went on a hike on several miles of the Ozark Trail, and I was astonished to find so many abandoned mines out in the middle of nowhere.
> 
> Don't forget the mosquitoes. Here in Swampeast MO, they can make an outdoor space unusable. That is one of the things I checked when we were looking at property. I wanted a place that wasn't overrun with mosquitoes.
> 
> An Uncle told me years ago that if you are looking at buying real estate, go look at it in pouring rain when you can see the problems, not on a beautiful day.


Mosquitoes, for some reason don't like citrus smelling Germiums around here.
So that's what's in flowerpots by the BBQ grill.
That's what my grandfather said, go look at place in rain, instead of pretty like the real estate guru's wanted you too. Go stand in the yard get honest layout of the land in middle of rainstorm.
As for old mines being abandoned they're everywhere.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Got lots of work done the past couple days, especially today with my wife joining me. Conditions were perfect, so we burned a huge brush pile. The nice thing is, the rain we got tonight will put out any embers and cool things down. I was fussing and fuming about a newly sharpened chain not cutting worth a crap until I realized that I had sharpened it 3 times without addressing the depth guides. After taking care of that oversight, it cut pretty good. An engineer from the electrical coop stopped by looking for someone else. Since he was on my property, I took advantage and asked him some questions. The coop will run 800 feet to a foundation at just the cost of a meter base as long as it is to a place that is a minimum 1000 square feet. Looks like we will be using a generator until we get the foundation in. If I have them run power to a portable building, I will have to pay most of the cost. If I have them run it to a post for an RV type hookup, I will have to pay full cost. They won't run power at no cost based on presenting a house plan, they want to see a foundation before they put power in. Can't say that I blame them because the area has no power anywhere on it, so they are going to have to run underground lines down the roads and tie in houses from there. So, I got my questions answered and he showed me where power would come from the road to where I have marked the foundation site.

I did buy a portable camp toilet and used poles (from trees I cut down) and a couple tarps to build an outhouse for my wife. She was very appreciative. Now to rest our sore, weary bones for the next trip out.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

oldtruckbbq said:


> Got lots of work done the past couple days, especially today with my wife joining me. Conditions were perfect, so we burned a huge brush pile. The nice thing is, the rain we got tonight will put out any embers and cool things down. I was fussing and fuming about a newly sharpened chain not cutting worth a crap until I realized that I had sharpened it 3 times without addressing the depth guides. After taking care of that oversight, it cut pretty good. An engineer from the electrical coop stopped by looking for someone else. Since he was on my property, I took advantage and asked him some questions. The coop will run 800 feet to a foundation at just the cost of a meter base as long as it is to a place that is a minimum 1000 square feet. Looks like we will be using a generator until we get the foundation in. If I have them run power to a portable building, I will have to pay most of the cost. If I have them run it to a post for an RV type hookup, I will have to pay full cost. They won't run power at no cost based on presenting a house plan, they want to see a foundation before they put power in. Can't say that I blame them because the area has no power anywhere on it, so they are going to have to run underground lines down the roads and tie in houses from there. So, I got my questions answered and he showed me where power would come from the road to where I have marked the foundation site.
> 
> I did buy a portable camp toilet and used poles (from trees I cut down) and a couple tarps to build an outhouse for my wife. She was very appreciative. Now to rest our sore, weary bones for the next trip out.


Well, that is pretty generous, that they will run power for 'free' once foundation is in. I got thoroughly cleansed by my utility, electricians and material costs, for the pleasure of having power. I paid so much, I could have paid for a bona fide solar system. I must try not thinking about it, that it cost me about 25% of my house build....


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

melli said:


> Well, that is pretty generous, that they will run power for 'free' once foundation is in. I got thoroughly cleansed by my utility, electricians and material costs, for the pleasure of having power. I paid so much, I could have paid for a bona fide solar system. I must try not thinking about it, that it cost me about 25% of my house build....


It isn't quite free as there is always a "transmission charge" to recover infrastructure costs. The reason they pay the first 800 feet (used to be 1000, but that changed a couple years ago) for a house over 1000 feet is they know you will be paying for power every month, and that even if you sell it the people who buy it will be using power. If i wanted to put in a temporary service to a portable building or an RV hookup, then there may be months when I'm not using power so they don't recover any of the cost. The engineer was quite open about the fact that it would be much cheaper to purchase and run a generator for occasional use, then I would get a no cost feed when I have the foundation in. I'll still be responsible for everything from the bottom of the meter base on, but that's quite alright. He told me that he really likes the area and the lots and may be buying one up the hill from us in a few months.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

As we get closer to having a drive and getting the area for the house cleared, we have been seriously going over our list of needs/wants for the house. We had pretty much settled on a floor plan that provides the needs on our list and most of the wants, just doing some fine tuning. As I look at the 3D view of the house on my home design software I am struck by how plain a rectangular house looks. We want this to be a place that has personal touches and things you don't find in a typical contractor built tract house, so we've been doing lots of watching DIY and HGTV, as well as surfing the WWW. A couple days ago I came across a site that features octagonal home designs. While we know the features we want in our house, we are open to different layouts that will provide a unique character to the home instead of being just another box.

Here's an example of an octagon layout we liked. It gives us the open floor plan kitchen/dining/living area that we like, and it has the uniqueness of a central conversation pit. Rather than having the open deck section, I would rotate the master bedroom into that area and put a laundry/utility room between the master bath and guest bath. Since we won't be having a second floor, that area would be used to enlarge the master closet and bathroom. Construction would be more challenging because of the angles and cuts needed, but it would provide us with a house with character and something "out of the box".


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## MoBookworm1957 (Aug 24, 2015)

Are you going to bury it underground too?
Somewhere in Missouri there is one of those Dome houses
buried for even temperatures.But of course I can't remember where right now.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

MoBookworm1957 said:


> Are you going to bury it underground too?
> Somewhere in Missouri there is one of those Dome houses
> buried for even temperatures.But of course I can't remember where right now.


No, it will be above ground and still use post and beam with cordwood infill for the exterior walls. This will be more work than a rectangle, but it will have a unique look and character that we want.

When we go to the property this weekend we are taking some welded wire fencing and pallets to start a compost pile using leaves and deadfall instead of burning all of it. I don't think starting a garden is going to be in the cards for the spring, maybe later in the year for fall vegetables. If we start a compost pile this spring, it should provide some good material for starting the garden next spring.


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## Mickie3 (Aug 28, 2010)

oldtruckbbq said:


> As we get closer to having a drive and getting the area for the house cleared, we have been seriously going over our list of needs/wants for the house. We had pretty much settled on a floor plan that provides the needs on our list and most of the wants, just doing some fine tuning. As I look at the 3D view of the house on my home design software I am struck by how plain a rectangular house looks. We want this to be a place that has personal touches and things you don't find in a typical contractor built tract house, so we've been doing lots of watching DIY and HGTV, as well as surfing the WWW. A couple days ago I came across a site that features octagonal home designs. While we know the features we want in our house, we are open to different layouts that will provide a unique character to the home instead of being just another box.
> 
> Here's an example of an octagon layout we liked. It gives us the open floor plan kitchen/dining/living area that we like, and it has the uniqueness of a central conversation pit. Rather than having the open deck section, I would rotate the master bedroom into that area and put a laundry/utility room between the master bath and guest bath. Since we won't be having a second floor, that area would be used to enlarge the master closet and bathroom. Construction would be more challenging because of the angles and cuts needed, but it would provide us with a house with character and something "out of the box".
> 
> View attachment 65397


There was a dome house (octo) in Louisville years ago (when I lived there) that went up for sale. Was much like the house you are thinking of. Was in a neighborhood of houses that sold for 250-350k range. After years on the market, finally sold for mid-100s, IIRC. Only build a "unique" home if you never intend to sell it.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Mickie3 said:


> There was a dome house (octo) in Louisville years ago (when I lived there) that went up for sale. Was much like the house you are thinking of. Was in a neighborhood of houses that sold for 250-350k range. After years on the market, finally sold for mid-100s, IIRC. Only build a "unique" home if you never intend to sell it.


We aren't building a dome. The walls will still be pier and beam with cordwood infill and a conventional roof. The only difference is instead of being a rectangle shaped house, it will be an octagon shaped house if we decide to go that way. I am a spreadsheet junkie. I've already completed cost comparisons between a rectangular layout and an L-shaped layout so we know the difference in cost. I'm in the process of doing the same with an octagon shape to see if it puts construction cost and build time outside our window.

It is sad that people are so stuck on rectangles that unique homes with character have a very limited appeal. Even as I say that, I have to admit that I have visited a dome home and a dome church and didn't really care for them. One of the things that I like about the octagon is that it creates very interesting sight lines and lends itself to some nice customized built-ins to take advantage of the shape, yet it still has walls that are straight vertically. We don't anticipate having to sell either when we both have to go into a home or we pass and our grand-daughter has to take care of our estate, but resell is something we have to take into account.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

You'll note a difference in round / rectangle, there's no wind catching corners as such, so a more balance air flow around the build. Something to consider if your going to have any balconies or porches, as to how winds & breeze's will interact with the house. From what I read by people who built these, there's quite a few advantages in the way you can manage your house airflow, I'm sure you came across similar stuff in your research & readings.

Looking forward to watching your progress.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

So, while we were out at the property yesterday my wife told me that one of her co-workers used to do construction and has an excavator. He looks for work to do on weekends to bring in some extra cash. Looks like for less than the cost of renting a mini-excavator for a weekend I can get an excavator with an experienced operator. Now we are talking! I figure an experienced operator can get more done in an hour than I can in a day learning how to operate the thing. Plus, if he's knocking stuff down and moving stuff while I cut and rig we can get a lot more accomplished than if I have to do both.

While I was out Friday I ended up with a couple ticks, so before we headed out Saturday I sprayed our boots and pant legs with a permithrin spray. I ended up with no ticks. My wife was moving brush by holding it close against her body as she carried it and she had over a dozen just above and below her waist line. Fortunately only a couple had attached themselves. Lesson learned - spray the waist area too. All a part of the joys of transforming forest that has been used for nothing except for deer hunting for the past 50 years.

Question: In the area I am planning on putting the septic lateral lines, should I clear out all the trees or just the ones where the lines will be run? I figure since we know where we are going to put it, I can have him knock down trees and I'll deal with them over the next several months until we come to the time to put in the septic system.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Steve_S said:


> You'll note a difference in round / rectangle, there's no wind catching corners as such, so a more balance air flow around the build. Something to consider if your going to have any balconies or porches, as to how winds & breeze's will interact with the house. From what I read by people who built these, there's quite a few advantages in the way you can manage your house airflow, I'm sure you came across similar stuff in your research & readings.
> 
> Looking forward to watching your progress.


Thanks. As soon as we get the drive in so we can get materials back to the house site we will start foundation work. My wife is really pushing the idea of getting a used travel trailer, putting stuff in storage, and living on the property while we work on the house instead of paying rent and living 50 miles away. We will be getting water put in at the same time as we get the drive put in. The electric utility will run power for us as soon as we get the foundation in. After that, all I will have to do is put in the septic system and we will have all we need to get hooked up. She is really wanting to get moved out to our own place in the woods.

We started a compost pile near where we will be putting in the garden once that area is clear. With 5+ acres of woods, we have lots of materials for a compost heap. The more we can reuse instead of burn, the better. I noticed several good size gardens on the road leading up to the property, and the USDA soil survey for the area classifies it as prime farmland, which is a good thing for us.


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## Mickie3 (Aug 28, 2010)

oldtruckbbq said:


> Question: In the area I am planning on putting the septic lateral lines, should I clear out all the trees or just the ones where the lines will be run? I figure since we know where we are going to put it, I can have him knock down trees and I'll deal with them over the next several months until we come to the time to put in the septic system.



Go ahead and remove any trees that have roots near where you are going to put lateral lines now and save yourself some pain and agony later. Nearly impossible to grow grass over one of those lines and they kill trees that are near them or are planted over them. I have 1st hand experience with this.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Agree with Mickie3, clear the septic field area and some around it, yanking stumps is such a joy... ugh...


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Mickie3 said:


> Go ahead and remove any trees that have roots near where you are going to put lateral lines now and save yourself some pain and agony later. Nearly impossible to grow grass over one of those lines and they kill trees that are near them or are planted over them. I have 1st hand experience with this.


Thanks for the advice. A smart man learns from his mistakes, a wise man learns from the mistakes of others, lol.

Looks like I will be renting an excavator. The guy I was hoping to hire is a no go. He blew out the transmission in his excavator last weekend. Not only is he not in a position to get it repaired, but he is having a hard time finding someone to help him get it pulled up from where it died so he can load it on his trailer. When a plan falls apart, its time to look for the better one that must be around the corner.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

I spent Thursday out at the property doing some cleaning and a couple projects. Made a rack to hold tools instead of just leaning them against a tree and coming back to them on the ground. Used some t-posts and chicken wire to make a compost bin, and used some poles and tarp to make an outhouse for my wife so she isn't exposed. The ticks are pretty bad. I'm hoping that the freeze we are enduring the past couple days will kill some of them off. Bad thing is what it is going to do to the trees that have budded out. I spent yesterday getting my rebuilt engine and transmission back in my old truck. The 20-30 mph cold North wind finally drove me inside. 

I was going to put a flower bed and some azalea bushes in for my Dad, but the freeze put that off for another week. I'm hoping to get a job at a place that works 4 days a week, 10 hour shifts, with an occasional half day on Friday. Working nearly every holiday and every other weekend is really cutting into my time to work on our place, let alone have time for family. If I were getting compensated for it, that wouldn't be quite so bad, but being on salary and averaging 60 hours per week is for the birds.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Spent Friday putting a new exhaust in my truck and doing some other work toward getting ready to fire the rebuilt motor for the first time. Saturday we went out to the property and burned 3 large piles of brush that were an eyesore by the drive entrance. While there, the developer was out with his backhoe doing some work and stopped by for a chat. There are 28 properties, and we were only the 3rd to purchase land here. There are only 8 properties left, one of which runs along our north border. We have been talking for 6 months about wishing we were in a position to buy that lot as well and have a buffer between us and the next property.

As it happens, I got an unexpected raise last week that will just about cover the cost of the additional 5.9 acres. We talked with the developer and he is going to hold it for us until my next Friday off so we can sign the paperwork. When we first bought the place, my wife was wondering what in the world we would ever do with 5.3 acres. As we spent more time out there and walked the property to get a better feel for it, she began wishing we could buy the neighboring lot. Very excited that it worked out so that we can. 

The developer was out with a dozer operator clearing right of way to make the electric utility happy. He is more eager to work than the first guy I talked with, and he is more reasonable. He will be able to clear out stumps, smooth, and level a lot quicker. He figures he can do the work we need in an 8 hour day at $85 an hour. Sold! Now to find out tomorrow when my next weekend off will be so I can get him scheduled.

We did a rough layout of the house as well to make sure we like the fit and the views. I'm looking forward to getting to the point where we can start the foundation work and get moved out.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

I suspect the prime motivator of moving into the sticks is to avoid having a neighbor build within feet of your house, unlike the city, where you are virtually sharing gutters. 
Having a larger footprint can accomplish that. Glad to hear, you're able to take pro-active steps to secure more privacy. When I first moved out here, we were given the impression we'd be 'miles' from each other, but once the houses went up, many of us were in for a rude awakening. My one neighbor was a scant 20ft from deck-to-deck. At that range, you don't have to strain to hear what your partying neighbor's are talking about, even inside my house...lol. Beyond their inability or care to keep their dogs on their property, one incident springs to mind, is when the police showed up to tend to a domestic issue, late at night. The bloody police car had to keep his lights flashing (probably standard procedure). Being so close to neighbor, the car's lights lit up my place like a disco. Really hard to sleep when you have the 'strobe effect'. Seemed like hours...
Even my neighbors three, four and five doors up could idle away the time watching me tend to my garden, from their deck (and they did). Was an odd feeling, tending to my garden, and I had an audience (I even had to dress appropriately for the occasion!). Their houses were on the side of cliff, and they bought for the view. They had no flat land to tend to, so they stared at those that did. And their kids discovered, they could throw rocks off cliff and reach my property....it was a gong show in the summer. 
One can change a lot of things, but it is rather hard to make more land...
The only complaint I hear from my old hood neighbors, is because they are cheek-to-jowl to their neighbors. And it wasn't a rare occurrence...almost every time I visited them, it came up. It is like a festering disease...never goes away. It finally went away for me, once I moved...lol
Folks underestimate the value of having a good buffer (land). 
Heck, the number 1 issue with bylaw officer and building department is neighbor disputes (especially waterfront places, as they are crammed in)...and many around here, being well healed, drag them on and on (lawsuits).


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Reasonable space & good fences make for better neighbours LOL. Seems like the "Strata, Condo, HOA" mentality is spreading like the Black Death of old and the rodents (citiots) are the carriers... Even the town close to where I am, is becoming infested with the Weekender Citiots pushing their City problems on us... yet they come out here "to escape" the stupidity of Urban Containment and the fools trapped within.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Steve_S said:


> Reasonable space & good fences make for better neighbours LOL. Seems like the "Strata, Condo, HOA" mentality is spreading like the Black Death of old and the rodents (citiots) are the carriers... Even the town close to where I am, is becoming infested with the Weekender Citiots pushing their City problems on us... yet they come out here "to escape" the stupidity of Urban Containment and the fools trapped within.


Fortunately, the developer has sentimental attachments to the land. It was the first sizeable acreage he bought when he started having some financial success with his business. He and his sons hunted turkey and deer on it for years. They are grown and out of state, so he decided to subdivide and sell. We don't have a HOA, and there are provisions in the deed covenants to prevent one. He did however, put deed restrictions such as no single wide trailers, double wide less than 2 years old when installed, only 1 family dwelling per lot, no junk or inoperable vehicles, no commercial breeding operations, no commercial livestock operations (like the guy who wanted to buy 5 acres, put up a 7 foot tall fence and free range 200,000 chickens!), and no commercial establishments bringing in customers (like the guy who has a welding/fabrication shop that he wanted to move out there). He is however, just fine with me putting in a building with a commercial kitchen that I can use for prepping bbq to cater and sell at festivals, so long as I don't start selling from the building and have customers driving up. There are also set-back provisions from the road and property borders. You can't build anything closer than 40 feet to a property line, so there would be a minimum of 80 feet between me and a neighbor. Ours is set back 120 feet from the north border, and since that lot is 450 feet wide, there will now be 610 feet between us and the closest possible building to the north. Won't be any issues with skinny dipping in our pool out there!

I know he asked me at least 20 questions before he agreed to sell to me. He claims to have turned down more people than he sold to. He is looking to sell to people who are wanting to build a nice, permanent dwelling and are looking for peace and quiet. That's what I'm all about. You keep your stuff and your noise in your yard and I don't really care what you are doing, as long as you aren't abusing kids or animals, and I expect the same from you.

We are clearing out a lot of the small trees and bushes around the house area and will be expanding that area as we go. However, I'm going to leave about 20 feet along the tree line where I don't clear out all the small stuff to make it a view block. And I can't agree more about the Citiots. They don't like all the bs where they live, but then insist on bringing it with them.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

We signed the paperwork Friday on the 5.9 acres on our north border. I have the dozer guy scheduled to come out on May 17, my next day off that he has an opening, to do my driveway. Guess I should have set a date and taken a couple vacation days, but I'm trying to save those as much as I can. 

I was going to lease to own a portable storage building, but then I looked at the DIY kits sold at Home Depot and Menards and figure for the cost of a weekend I can get the same thing for a whole lot less. Things either cost time or money, so part of it comes down to how much time I have available and which would actually be the better value.

There are now only 2 of 28 properties left in the area where we bought, and we were only the 3rd people to buy land there last August. He actually sold us the additional acreage for what we paid per acre for the first parcel, which was $2000 less than he had quoted another lady. I thought it was decent of him to sell to us at the same per acre price we originally paid, and not the current price. That isn't how it usually works out for me.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

Now, I am wishing I had more land...lol
I went for a walk on a neighbor's property today (they just bought recently)...about 13 acres. Now, 13 acres of say, pastureland is nothing, but forested land, it felt spacious. They had trails throughout, so we went for a walk. They had so many nooks and crannies to do stuff, like an art studio, fruit trees, garden, etc. But, the biggest plus, was no visible neighbors. Forest really makes one's place feel private, and does a reasonable job of muffling noise. 
Glad to hear you got the extra chunk. One day, if need be, you could probably subdivide off a piece, or rent it out (and you can make sure their home is situated where you want it to be). 
Ever consider a shipping container? While it is an outlay, one in good shape is money in the bank if you need to sell it. I've been happy with mine (about as secure a building as one can get). No moisture issue either, which is surprising (but I haven't unpacked yet...lol). It is full with my household junk.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Second on the Sea Container, I have a 20' unit and it cost me $2000 CAD delivered in 2014, seem to be still at the same price. There were cheaper ones with slight damage and even new ones were $4000. Many companies also rent them pretty cheap. Being a big steel box designed for rough conditions it does offer some more piece of mind. Does not take much prep to drop one in place, just has to be firm & level ground (otherwise doors can bind). I put mine on 18x18x6 Concrete Cottage Blocks with 6x6 PT, picture bellow to keep it well above the ground for air flow.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Steve_S said:


> Second on the Sea Container, I have a 20' unit and it cost me $2000 CAD delivered in 2014, seem to be still at the same price. There were cheaper ones with slight damage and even new ones were $4000. Many companies also rent them pretty cheap. Being a big steel box designed for rough conditions it does offer some more piece of mind. Does not take much prep to drop one in place, just has to be firm & level ground (otherwise doors can bind). I put mine on 18x18x6 Concrete Cottage Blocks with 6x6 PT, picture bellow to keep it well above the ground for air flow.
> 
> View attachment 65975


After reading responses from you and melli, I checked out a local place that sells and rents containers. For just over $2K they will deliver and set a 20' container. Similar size portable buildings cost twice that, and by the time I buy a similar size kit or materials to build one myself, I would have that much or more into it. A container may not be glamorous, but you are correct about it being rugged and meant to take a beating in the elements. Something that will protect cargo during a hurricane will certainly keep my stuff high and dry during a thunderstorm, and it will certainly be secure.

With all the work we have to do, a container makes a lot of sense because the time it would take me to build something and the money it would take to buy something pre-built would be much better used in getting the house built.

I was checking out threads about containers on this forum to get some ideas and saw pics from a couple people who put in 2 containers, then built a roof over them and used the area between them for a carport and/or sheltered work space. Setting one up the way Steve_S did should make it last long enough for my heirs to have to figure out what to do with it, lol.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Steve_S said:


> Second on the Sea Container, I have a 20' unit and it cost me $2000 CAD delivered in 2014, seem to be still at the same price. There were cheaper ones with slight damage and even new ones were $4000. Many companies also rent them pretty cheap. Being a big steel box designed for rough conditions it does offer some more piece of mind. Does not take much prep to drop one in place, just has to be firm & level ground (otherwise doors can bind). I put mine on 18x18x6 Concrete Cottage Blocks with 6x6 PT, picture bellow to keep it well above the ground for air flow.
> 
> View attachment 65975


Did you put the blocks and PT just at the ends, or did you put some in the center also?


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

A cans strength is at it's corners, hence one can stack them (as they do on ships and when lifting them). I have them blocked with PT wood at corners, and put some at midpoint for extra support. Mine is about 6-10" off ground to allow airflow underneath. I'd point yours in prevailing winds, so a hurricane etc., cannot tip it over. The underside is metal ribs with wood flooring, the underside is sprayed with that black undercoating, similar to what is used on cars. 
No issues in the 4-5yrs it has sat there. I got a 'one tripper' for $3500CDN ($4500 with tax and delivery). It was built in China, then filled with stuff, sent over here, unloaded and sold. I'm glad I got a virtually new one, as I hear some used ones have moisture issues (neighbor talk). 
I do like the security aspect. Great when your not around at your place all the time. Get one with a metal guard over main lock point. Also, no one can see what it inside, so I think it discourages most folks. If you have serious crimes issues, one can even get a GPS tracker for it.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

oldtruckbbq said:


> Did you put the blocks and PT just at the ends, or did you put some in the center also?


As you see in my photo that I posted nothing in the centre as there is no point on a 20 footer, a 40 footer with weight inside I would just because but the side beams and structure are very strong and it's all CORTEN Steel so no worries about rust... BTW: Welding on Corten requires MIG with Gas if you has such aspirations... some folks will tell you otherwise BUT they haven't done it and learned, I fortunately learned when a fried tried with Oxy-Acetylene and then a gasless MIG but he was stubborn.

You CAN paint them, even put siding or whatever on it... Even a fake Cordwood finish and put a roof on top (attached to anchor points) with an overhang beyond the doors.

Fake Coordwood using 4-6" long stubby cuts, screwed to 4x8 Ply which is attached to strapping or direct, then mudded with Mortar (never cement) and voila... once done, your hard pressed to see it isn't cordwood. Sea Cans are great for many things. I was originally pondering 2 20's and a 40 to make a big U shaped affair and dropping a roof over the whole thing to use as shop / garage... plans change....


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Gee wiz, forgot a point, slightly important one to consider with Sea Cans. They are NOTORIOUS for humidity issues and ventilation for obvious reasons... it is a big tin can afterall. 2, 100CFM Computer type box fans, 12v @ 0.2a in as intake in one corner at the vent and one as output in other corner with a small 12V Solar panel to drive them during daylight time makes a world of different. the fans and little panel wold not exceed $50 if bought off ebay and the panel doesn't have to be serious and no battery either unless you want... Those little Coleman / Sunforce kits when on sale are not a bad buy for something like that, and if you got one with the 40A panel, you could keep a small AGM Battery fully charged while running those fans without any issues. I say AGM because a Lawn Tractor AGM is cheap and won't be subject to cold / hot issues and will give many years of maintenance free use.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Steve_S said:


> Gee wiz, forgot a point, slightly important one to consider with Sea Cans. They are NOTORIOUS for humidity issues and ventilation for obvious reasons... it is a big tin can afterall. 2, 100CFM Computer type box fans, 12v @ 0.2a in as intake in one corner at the vent and one as output in other corner with a small 12V Solar panel to drive them during daylight time makes a world of different. the fans and little panel wold not exceed $50 if bought off ebay and the panel doesn't have to be serious and no battery either unless you want... Those little Coleman / Sunforce kits when on sale are not a bad buy for something like that, and if you got one with the 40A panel, you could keep a small AGM Battery fully charged while running those fans without any issues. I say AGM because a Lawn Tractor AGM is cheap and won't be subject to cold / hot issues and will give many years of maintenance free use.


Thanks for the tip about ventilation. My unit in the Army had a container that we used for storing field gear. Every time we took the tents and camo netting out we had mold and mildew issues to contend with. Makes sense that with no ventilation there is going to be condensation.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Had an excavating contractor come out yesterday afternoon to schedule the driveway, level the house site, and clear the septic and leach field area. He said he needs a couple "small jobs" next week to keep busy between a couple big jobs. Figures 4-5 hours of dozer time, 3 loads of dirt to fill in the old logging road, 30 foot culvert, dirt to cover it, and a 6 inch layer of river run rock on the drive. He figures about $1750, maybe as high as $2000, but not more then 2K. I was figuring it would cost twice that, but then again the developer and a neighbor who used him told me he was very reasonable.

There was supposed to be a chance of scattered thunderstorms today. I had been out less than an hour when I noticed it getting dark, a cool wind picked up, and my phone buzzed to alert me that there was a severe thunderstorm coming. It was severe alright. Amazing how much trees can sway in a 30mph wind! I was under a tarp trying to stay dry and let it blow over when my phone buzzed again extending the alert for another hour. Then about the time the hail hit, my phone buzzed again that the alert was until 8 PM. Time to wrap up in the tarp, grab my chainsaw and bag, and head for the car. I took video of the water overflowing the shallow ditches several feet onto the road so I can share that with the developer. He has been out after a rain, but I'm sure he hasn't been out there during a deluge like that. May be time to rethink his drainage strategy.

The way the weather changed and came up so quickly just shows that no matter how advanced technology gets, nature can throw in surprises, so we need to stay prepared and flexible. A tarp tied to poles secured between trees is great for keeping the sun off, not so good during a storm with 30mph winds. It didn't take long to cut it loose so I had something to wrap myself in on the walk down the hill to the car. Didn't get much work done, but have a great story about not getting blown away or struck by lightening.


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## MoBookworm1957 (Aug 24, 2015)

oldtruckbbq said:


> Had an excavating contractor come out yesterday afternoon to schedule the driveway, level the house site, and clear the septic and leach field area. He said he needs a couple "small jobs" next week to keep busy between a couple big jobs. Figures 4-5 hours of dozer time, 3 loads of dirt to fill in the old logging road, 30 foot culvert, dirt to cover it, and a 6 inch layer of river run rock on the drive. He figures about $1750, maybe as high as $2000, but not more then 2K. I was figuring it would cost twice that, but then again the developer and a neighbor who used him told me he was very reasonable.
> 
> There was supposed to be a chance of scattered thunderstorms today. I had been out less than an hour when I noticed it getting dark, a cool wind picked up, and my phone buzzed to alert me that there was a severe thunderstorm coming. It was severe alright. Amazing how much trees can sway in a 30mph wind! I was under a tarp trying to stay dry and let it blow over when my phone buzzed again extending the alert for another hour. Then about the time the hail hit, my phone buzzed again that the alert was until 8 PM. Time to wrap up in the tarp, grab my chainsaw and bag, and head for the car. I took video of the water overflowing the shallow ditches several feet onto the road so I can share that with the developer. He has been out after a rain, but I'm sure he hasn't been out there during a deluge like that. May be time to rethink his drainage strategy.
> 
> The way the weather changed and came up so quickly just shows that no matter how advanced technology gets, nature can throw in surprises, so we need to stay prepared and flexible. A tarp tied to poles secured between trees is great for keeping the sun off, not so good during a storm with 30mph winds. It didn't take long to cut it loose so I had something to wrap myself in on the walk down the hill to the car. Didn't get much work done, but have a great story about not getting blown away or struck by lightening.


Stay safe,


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Well, that was quick. I posted a video showing water running out of the shallow ditches and halfway across the road. The developer saw the video and thanked me for it because he has never been out there in that kind of rain and had no idea how well (or not) the ditches he put in were working. He's going to show it to the road guy and have him go out and take a look at what he needs to do when it dries out.

I was debating on either going out for a work day or burning some premium riding my Harley. Looks like I should have picked what was behind door #3 and stayed home. It wasn't a total waste though if the video I shared helps get the drainage improved.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

The best part for you being on the property at the time is you got to see what happens, not only on the roadways etc BUT on your own land too, always good to know where & how the water & winds affect things. That Excavating Guy does sound quite reasonable, maybe as he takes up the organics to make the driveway & building pad, he could shift that on top of the berms you been making. Also a good use for filling areas that dip & pool water etc... hopefully you noticed those with the deluge.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

After several failed attempts, was finally able to get the excavator to the property today. The bad thing is, I worked until 3AM, then had to come home and smoke a brisket and prep sides for my Dad and Stepmom's 85th Birthday party on Sunday. Somehow managed to get it all done and it is only 1AM on Sunday now. 

It took him 6 hours to clear stumps from 250 foot of driveway, the house site, take out another dozen good sized trees, clear the area for the septic and leach field, and install a culvert at the road. He's going to be out tomorrow after the ground he cleared today dries some more so he can take out some more roots and do some more smoothing before bringing out gravel.

The downside is that we now have a huge burn pile to get rid of before we can begin work on the house foundation. The good news is that he was able to knock most of the dirt off stumps before putting them on the burn pile.

The electric co-op has been giving the guy up the road a lot of grief about putting in power. They want him to pay $8000 to get the line run along the road, and since he has built a 1500 square foot garage with living quarters and hasn't started a house yet, they want to charge him to bring power to the garage. At least the co-op has now relented and said that when there are 2 house foundations in the area they will run the power lines at not cost to anyone. At least, that is the story today.

It is good to be making headway so we can start doing something besides cut down trees and drag brush.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Hopefully the Power Coop put that in writing - trust them as much as you can throw one of their power poles ! What do they intend to charge you ? Can you get solar in place ? Are there any perks, rebates, feed-in tariffs etc that you might be able to take advantage of ?

Good News on getting the excavator out and things cleared out properly. Watershed moment that is, remember to take lots of photo's. Be careful burning the roots, especially Pines & Cedars as their pitch will boil and burn very hot + darned hard to put out once burning. Maybe one way to get rid of some of it is to dump it into the Berms if your still doing them.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Steve_S said:


> Hopefully the Power Coop put that in writing - trust them as much as you can throw one of their power poles ! What do they intend to charge you ? Can you get solar in place ? Are there any perks, rebates, feed-in tariffs etc that you might be able to take advantage of ?
> 
> Good News on getting the excavator out and things cleared out properly. Watershed moment that is, remember to take lots of photo's. Be careful burning the roots, especially Pines & Cedars as their pitch will boil and burn very hot + darned hard to put out once burning. Maybe one way to get rid of some of it is to dump it into the Berms if your still doing them.


No pines, only a few cedars and they aren't anywhere near the house site. We have 95% oak and hickory, with a few birch, black cherry, and cedar trees. I've had to cut down a couple black cherry trees and have save every bit of wood I can to use either for future projects or the smoker. The stumps are pretty dry because I've cut the trees down over the past year. The trees we had to push down are another matter as they were in full leaf. 

The co-op does state on their website that they will run up to 800 feet to the foundation of a 1000 square foot or larger home. They will run to a garage, portable building, or RV connection, but they charge you for the actual cost and make you sign a 2 year contract with a minimum amount you will pay whether you use power or not. It is understandable because they have to pay for it somehow. Their engineer told me that they are being sticklers because there have been several development areas where they have run main lines and now several years later there still aren't any houses built so they haven't recouped any of their cost. They have told several of us that when there are 2 qualifying foundations they will run the main line down the road so people can start tying in. In the next couple weeks I'm going to go pay my $5 membership fee to the co-op and get it in writing.

We have looked at solar, but when I run the cost of solar with the amount of time we will live in the place until we end up in the cemetery or retirement home, it is more cost effective to go with grid power.

It is amazing when I compare pictures of what the area used to look like with what it looks like now. The excavating contractor told me that a timber company bought the land, then determined that it would be about 10 years before it would be prime timber, so they bought an area that was ready right now and sold this to the developer. He and his kids hunted and ran wheelers on it for a few years, then he decided to open it up. Most areas around here that are opened up for development are opened AFTER the timber has been harvested so the area is pretty rough. The last time timber was harvested on our land was around 50 years ago, so we have a lot of nice big trees.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

The excavator came out Saturday! We now have a culvert, driveway, cleared house, septic, and leach field sites. Toward the end of this week he will be bringing in gravel for the drive. All I have to do now it get out a few stray roots, burn the big pile, and we can start laying out the foundation piers. Thanks to Tropical Storm Alberto, the culvert will get tested this week. I'm hoping to get some big rock down around the culvert to prevent erosion, but don't know if I can get that done before the rain hits. The jeep you see is my sister's from when they went out to look at it with me on Sunday. Yesterday my wife and I were out burning some premium on the Harley and drove out. We actually drove onto the lot and parked the bike on the drive! Weather permitting, I'll be out again later this week when I'm off work. By the time I get the gravel in, I will be out about $1700. Not bad for a 20' culvert, 3 loads of fill, taking out stumps and grading a 250' driveway, taking out stumps and trees on a house site, septic and leach field area. And he did it all in about 8 hours. He does ponds and septic installs too, and he is very familiar with the soil in the area.

Can't wait to get the pile burned so we can start on the foundation. Almost doesn't seem real.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

I'm going to put up a gate very soon. What do you think of this sign?


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

I wish there was a LOVE IT button !


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Got to spend Friday and Saturday doing some more clearing and trying to burn the pile of stuff that was knocked down last Saturday. We had a couple days of rain between the dozer work and Friday. I took out roots and a few small stumps the dozer didn't get, and was actually able to drive my Focus up to the garage area. The clay/gravel fill at the driveway and the old logging road was packed hard as concrete, but there was a very soft spot about halfway down the drive and a very muddy spot on the hill up to the garage area. The culvert did quite well in the downpour. The neighbors at the next property west did a hurry up job on their drive and it is so rutted that I can't drive our Focus on it. I don't want to fight that for the foreseeable future, so I asked the excavator if he could put some clay/gravel fill on the soft spots. He did one better and put it on the entire drive and packed and leveled it quite nicely. I won't need much gravel on it to make a good drive, basically just enough so my tires don't pull up the clay when it is wet. We aren't due rain for over a week, but as soon as we get rain I'll be going out to see how the rest of the drive fared. 









The road is just past the slight curve to the right. This drive goes up the hill to the right to the garage area.








Looking from the garage area down to the drive, which curves to the right. With the curves in the drive, you can't see the house or garage site from the road.








Looking up the slope to the garage area. He's going to bring in one more load to widen this section out so we can part 2 vehicles and have a place to turn around. The house will be where the burn pile is located to the right in this picture. We are in the process of taking out a lot of the small stuff between trees and selectively removing some trees to make it easier to get around the property and allow space for the nicer trees to fill out. Because of the area being so overcrowded and overgrown, virtually none of the larger trees have any branches lower than 20 feet. My wife's pose is telling me that she does not want to have her picture taken and wants to know when I'm taking her to get lunch. Looking forward to getting back out to get that pile burned so we can start foundation work.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

Looking great! Looks very private and idyllic. 
I just got a burning ban notice in mail...won't be able to burn anything til fall. Weird spring here...started out with near summer temps (driest May on record), now we are back to normal (cool - warm).


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Woke up this afternoon (don't think poorly of me, I work from 3pm to midnightish) to no water. The whole town was without water due to a broken fire hydrant. This got me to thinking about our new place. In a couple weeks I'm having county water run to our house site. It will cost me around $1000 to get a meter put in and a line run to a spigot near the house site. We are already planning to install rainwater catchment for use in watering the garden. Now I'm considering the feasibility of somehow isolating the bathroom water so that I could switch it to the rainwater containment supply in case of water loss without also potentially getting rainwater into the potable water line. I know it can be done with backflow preventers, just don't know if the cost and hassle is worth it when we typically lose water for just a few hours at a time, not days at a time. Of course, I could always run a bucket of water from the rainwater collection to use for flushing the toilet.

We have considered going off-grid with solar and a water well, but at our age and the potential remaining years we would live there before ending up in a home or a pine box, the return on investment would go to whoever lives there after us. I've checked the state website and most of the water wells in our area are down around 400-450 feet, so the cost of a well is much higher than the cost of hooking up to county water. Yes, I will have a monthly water bill, but with a well I will have the monthly cost of power for a pump and UV sterilizer. As much as I like the idea of being independent for power and water, the entry cost of going off-grid vs. the entry cost of connecting on-grid is really prohibitive for us right now. I can source the materials we are going to need for the house for what it would cost for a capable off-grid electrical system. 

Amazing all the things you can think of while getting ready to build. I can only imagine all the things we will think of AFTER we build!


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

I cannot think it would be hard to 'jerry-rig' a solution that takes water from your rain water catchment system to use in house. My only concern would be ensuring water is 'pure' before piping it through house plumbing. Perhaps a 'tap' off your water filter/system for emergencies. 
At my old place, even with power outages, we still had municipal water. Seems they had storage tanks built so they'd run via gravity (perhaps some power backup too). 
One thing I have noticed, is that water is no longer 'free'. Water meters were introduced a few years ago (for muni users). They haven't charged for volume yet (just a yearly set fee), but I suspect, they soon will. As it is, one can have their tap running 24/7 with no increased financial burden. Seems some folks were doing just that. Actually, an old neighbors place had a broken muni line that had a full break for about ~10yrs! Water works folks finally found the leak. Rather humorous, as those neighbors always had a swampy backyard. Now, it is dry. I suspect it is also the reason some trees died in their backyard (roots drowned). 
I guess one has to look at water costs to decide if alternative methods are warranted. I think it was about $100-200/yr for water (yearly bill included septic line, so not sure exactly - total bill was $400). For clean water, that is a bargain. I suspect my yearly well costs will average that. Although, I can use as much as I like. I do like the 'not being a slave to gov services' (well or septic). But, it does mean having to be a water and septic maintenance person when the need arises. 

I faced the same dilemma as you on power. Solar or street power. I did go with street power. Still wondering if it was worth it (20k+ in infrastructure). Sounds like your tab will be a lot lower. My concern, 5yrs ago, was battery storage. Now, Lithium batteries are out there. Still, they are not cheap. I think I was just a few years too early. Now, I would give solar serious consideration. Some neighbors I know of, are building a new house, and have 2 Tesla powerwalls on order. Albeit, money doesn't seem to be an issue for them (they have a Tesla car).


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

We do pay on volume. With just my wife and I, our water bill (we are on septic so there is no sewer charge) is <$20 per month. The reason we were out of water is that there was a fire hydrant break and they had to shut off water to most of the town to isolate the line so they could work on it. My thoughts on rain water storage for backup would be to use it only for the toilet, possibly for the shower. The only way that would work would be to use a separate on-demand water heater for the shower so the rest of the hot water system wouldn't have impure water going to it. I have seen examples of cistern systems that used bleach, filters, and UV sanitizer to provide clean water. I guess the amount you want to spend depends on the reliability of existing systems and your desire to be independent of outside resources. That is a philosophical discussion that can go on forever.

My grandfather was one of the first in his area to bring electricity into his house when it became available. Back in the 70's when the county ran water lines into the area, he was one of the first to sign up for county water. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, nor am I so determined to be self-sufficient (if that is even possible in this era) that I abhor utility services. For me it is simply a question of reliability and cost, and whichever solution provides the best combination is the one that I will use. I do plan on having a backup for water and electric for essential services though. I want my frozen food to stay that way and my toilet to flush!


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## Mickie3 (Aug 28, 2010)

Where I moved from, you were charged for the amount of water you had used (metered system) and they used that to base the sewer charges on, as well. Wells and septics were declared illegal and you had to replace them, not that the county and city were using all this as a revenue stream (read as: new taxes.) Now am on private well and septic. 


As Info: Normal monthly water and sewer bill for two people was over $100USD per month.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

View attachment 66724


I know its not much, but we now have a picnic table to eat lunch on instead of balancing our food on our legs while we sit on folding lawn chairs. We spent $98 on a picnic table kit from Menards, and another $40 on stain/sealer and polyurethane varnish. It took part of an afternoon to assemble the table and apply a couple coats of stain/sealant. The next day we applied a couple coats of polyurethane varnish. We also invested about $8 in concrete landscaping blocks to put under the legs to level it and keep the legs from sinking into the dirt. I don't have a picture of it, but we also managed to get about half the burn pile to burn. When we go out this coming weekend we will work on consolidating and burning the rest of it. I'll have the excavator use his bulldozer to push the stumps out of the way of the house site so I can get rolling there while working on getting rid of the stumps.

For those who may not remember, I have been working for some months now on rebuilding my old truck's motor. Finally got the job done and got it in the truck. This week I got everything connected and fluids filled so I could start it. After pouring some gas in the intake, it started first time. I only had to prime it twice to get it running long enough for the fuel pump to get fuel to the carb. It starts and runs well. Now it is just fine details, re-torquing head bolts, adjusting rocker arms, adjusting timing, and putting the hood back on. Now I will have a way to get building supplies to the build site! Timing couldn't be better.

A co-worker has a 90's Foton 30hp, 3 cyl compact 4 wheel drive diesel tractor he is selling me for $400. He bought the tractor because he wanted the implements that the guy was selling with it, but doesn't need the tractor because he already has a larger one. It needs a battery, seat, and fluid changes, but seems to be a pretty good tractor. Since I don't have a building on the property to store it in, I may just put new duct tape on the seat for now. The guy he bought it from used to work with us until he retired a few weeks ago. His retirement present to himself was a new bigger tractor with new implements.

This coming weekend when we go out we are going to install a couple posts and a gate across the driveway to keep people from driving up while we aren't there. There are several of us coming out on weekends as we can to work on our places, but when I go out during the week I'm the only one in the area. I'm hoping that putting a gate up will make it less likely that someone will drive up and decide to relieve us of our stuff. I did promise my wife that when we put a storage shed in I will install a couple game cameras to take pictures of anyone coming up on the property.

Can't wait to get the remains of the burn pile pushed off the house site and get it leveled so we can start laying out the foundation!


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

What a weekend. Bought a Chinese made tractor, complete with owner's manual and parts manual, for $400. Did another burn on the 80 foot long burn pile and have it down to about 20 feet, which is small enough to get it pushed down away from the house site so I can burn it later while we lay out the house.

The South and West borders of the property are almost solid with blackberry bushes. They are just starting to ripen and we picked enough to make a nice cobbler for Sunday dinner. While the burn pile is in the way of getting the foundation laid out, we were able to stand where the living room door will be and decide the angle we want to place the house. The heat index the past several days has been well over 100, so we didn't have long work days.

We did sit down and take a look at octagon and rectangular shaped house plans and discussed pros and cons. We decided that while the octagon is a unique shape and has some interesting possibilities, the rectangle will be quicker, easier, and more economical to build, has advantages in the room layout, and will have better resale possibilities when that time eventually comes. Preparing land and building a home is pretty stressful, but it helps to be able to talk about it and work things out together.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

The excavator came out Saturday morning, moved the stumps remaining in the burn pile out of the way, smoothed and leveled the house site, and did some smoothing on the low spot in our drive. In a couple weeks when he gets done with the big job he is on he will bring out another load of clay/gravel fill for the low spot and to widen out the end of the drive so you can park 2 cars side by side. He only charged me $100 since he was doing another job down the road from us. Not bad for just over 1 hour work.

We braved the 97 degree heat with 110 degree heat index as long as we could. We did manage to pick out the area we are going to clear for the garden. We decided to purchase the acreage on our north border and did some exploring on it. My wife really wants a fire pit, and we found a small clearing surrounded by trees with character that would be a great spot. We will clear a pathway and eventually put gravel on it. A nice little retreat about 100 feet from the house. Just far enough, and just enough trees between that it feels secluded.

Before we let the heat chase us away, we laid out stakes and string to mark the borders for the house. My wife was very concerned about us building a lopsided house, but the exercise in squaring the picnic table kit we bought helped her understand making diagonal measurements and adjusting to get it even. Our stakes, which are initial marks for the corner piers and by no means final, are 3/16" from being square. It will be pretty simple to adjust sonotube position before we pour concrete. You can just make out some of the stakes.










This is the house plan we have decided to use. It is 2 bedroom, 2 bath. We enjoy a nice size kitchen that flows into the dining and living areas, with the stove facing them so when I'm cooking I'm not isolated from everyone. The "guest" bathroom will have a bath/shower combo. My wife really wants a nice walk in closet, and she wants a tub sized shower and a vanity with his and hers counter space. There is a covered porch that the living room and master bedroom open onto. The porch will be under the same roof as the rest of the house to simplify the roof construction and give us a covered porch from the get go. We plan on a shed roof with the high side (12 foot) on the living/dining/kitchen side and the low side (8 foot) on the bedroom side. We will put gutter and a couple elevated IBC totes on the bedroom side to catch rainwater for our garden. The garden site we selected will be about 75 feet from the house. Eventually we plan to put in a pond down slope from the house. It will be visible from the front porch. It will be a few weeks before we start putting in the piers. I'll be working this coming weekend, and the next weekend we are going camping, doing a float down the Current River, and visiting Alley Mill Spring for our 60th birthdays.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

All sounds great and must be feeling better all the time seeing the progress... I know it sure spun my crank as things were taking shape... LOL might even say burnt some rubber as a result in my project.

I would make a suggestion on one part.. pathways through the bush have assorted caveats and using gravel will create more issues that you can imagine (BTDT)… far better off and way ahead if you clear your pathway areas well to soil, then lay commercial grade landscape fabric and pin it down with cedar stakes / spikes and top with good medium coarse mulch. Keeps weeds and other things from growing through, allows rainwater to pass through, mulch is neutral and degrades PLUS if it scatters when weed whacking, no problem... easy to lay a new layer when needed. As you will be living "in bush" more or less, you could make your own mulch with a chipper (also solves a lot of burn pile issues) or if there are local saw mills, it along with sawdust may be readily available for free or next to nothing. (Cedar Mulch takes much longer to break down that others - saw dust mixed with mulch can make a very firm base).

I'm doing some paths and "hidden gardens" on my property inside the bush and learned a few things I should have known better had I thought out instead of rushing off into it. Luckily it was an easy, not troublesome and cheap lesson quickly learned.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Steve_S said:


> All sounds great and must be feeling better all the time seeing the progress... I know it sure spun my crank as things were taking shape... LOL might even say burnt some rubber as a result in my project.
> 
> I would make a suggestion on one part.. pathways through the bush have assorted caveats and using gravel will create more issues that you can imagine (BTDT)… far better off and way ahead if you clear your pathway areas well to soil, then lay commercial grade landscape fabric and pin it down with cedar stakes / spikes and top with good medium coarse mulch. Keeps weeds and other things from growing through, allows rainwater to pass through, mulch is neutral and degrades PLUS if it scatters when weed whacking, no problem... easy to lay a new layer when needed. As you will be living "in bush" more or less, you could make your own mulch with a chipper (also solves a lot of burn pile issues) or if there are local saw mills, it along with sawdust may be readily available for free or next to nothing. (Cedar Mulch takes much longer to break down that others - saw dust mixed with mulch can make a very firm base).
> 
> I'm doing some paths and "hidden gardens" on my property inside the bush and learned a few things I should have known better had I thought out instead of rushing off into it. Luckily it was an easy, not troublesome and cheap lesson quickly learned.


Thanks for the pointers. Yeah, mulch doesn't make near the deadly missile that gravel does.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

oldtruckbbq said:


> Thanks for the pointers. Yeah, mulch doesn't make near the deadly missile that gravel does.


As you know, I'm also quite big not only on personal safety but on what's good for the land under my feet which is my / our home and it needs to be cared for too... Mulch works a treat and when you can make it yourself out of scrap on your property it's a Triple Win and saves a pile of dough too.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Well, it has been a few weeks since I have had a chance to do any work on our place. Had a guy take vacation and I ended up working an 84 hour week. Last weekend I was off but we went camping and took a 22 mile float trip down Current River to celebrate our birthdays since they are only 8 days apart. While relaxing by the fire at our campsite we did a pros and cons checklist on a couple different house layouts and decided that going with a 32x40 footprint gave us what we really value at the best cost and the quickest build time. It's real easy to get caught up in all the neat gee whiz things you see on the home improvement shows, but we don't need a fancy bedroom suite with a sitting area because that is what the living room is for. The design we have decided on puts the bedrooms and bathroom at the back of the house and the kitchen, dining, living as one big room across the front of the house. The windows on the front side of the house all look down the slope to where our future pond will be located and affords the best views. We will be putting on a 10-12 foot deep covered porch across the front of the house.

The last house we rented in Texas was previously owned by a lady who had become wheelchair bound and had a ramp built over the back steps. My wife asked if we could forgo steps and just put in a ramp from the get go. She liked walking up the ramp better than dealing with stairs. Sounds good to me, because it will make getting things in and out of the house a lot easier. I've been reviewing ADA standards and will build to those since we are just a few years away from retirement. And after having to take doors off the refrigerator to get it through doors, we are going to have 48" entry doors to the place. The stove, fridge, washer, and drier we will be moving into the house with us range from 7-18 years old, so they probably aren't too many years away from needing replacements.

I get off work at 6AM Friday and the plan is to go out to the property and stake out where the spread footing will be. When I get that done, I'll contact the excavator to come out and deliver a load of gravel and dig the trench for my footing so I can start forming it up. My goal is to have that done before the end of August when my mid-year bonus comes in. It should be a couple hundred more than I need for the concrete for the spread footing and the spot piers down the center of the house. Can't tell you how much I look forward to that. Once we get those end we can start rocking and rolling.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Went out to the property after a 12 hour night Thursday and did a couple hours work. Don't know if I'll be doing that much in the future because it makes it rough to come in Friday and Saturday for more 12 hour nights.

Just got off the phone with the excavating contractor to set up coming out Friday or Saturday to dig the trench for my spread footing and pull downed trees away from the tree line on the edge of the property so I can cut and burn them. I'm excited to get both jobs scheduled. It has been a lot of work to get to this point.

We are also going to start fencing in a part of the property where we will set up a tent so we can camp out there on my long weekends and not lose all the time running back and forth. The purpose for the fence is to be able to take the dogs out with us instead of having to board them for the weekend. It costs $108 to board them for a long weekend. It pains me to pay that when a 330' roll of woven wire fencing is $149 at Menards.

My wife and I both find ourselves obsessively evaluating every bit we spend in light of what we could buy for building the house. Why spend $108 at the kennel when that money can go toward a fence that will be a permanent part of the property? Why spend so much on cable when that money can go toward the house? Why upgrade a perfectly good iPhone when that money can go toward the house?

We have talked off and on about buying a travel trailer once we have water, electric, and septic and living in it while building the house. My Dad just bought a used 28' trailer with 2 slide outs so my Stepmother's daughter can live in it while helping care for her. We checked it out yesterday, and my wife pretty much decided that as nice as the trailer was, she really didn't like the idea of trying to live in something of that size with 2 cats and 2 labs. I think we would trip over each other!

Sometimes I chafe because it seems like things are taking forever. My wife says her head spins because it is happening so fast. Somewhere in there must be a happy medium.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

oldtruckbbq said:


> Went out to the property after a 12 hour night Thursday and did a couple hours work. Don't know if I'll be doing that much in the future because it makes it rough to come in Friday and Saturday for more 12 hour nights.
> 
> Just got off the phone with the excavating contractor to set up coming out Friday or Saturday to dig the trench for my spread footing and pull downed trees away from the tree line on the edge of the property so I can cut and burn them. I'm excited to get both jobs scheduled. It has been a lot of work to get to this point.
> 
> ...


Having just completed a spell in a RV, your wife has the voice of reason...lol 
The problem, as I see it, is how long do you plan to stay in a RV. I really thought I'd spend a year in mine. That thought became 4 yrs and 23 days. 
An RV is fine for vacationing in, but for an extended time, it does wear on one. I get the financial savings...that was my thinking (why rent, when I could be living on property). 
If you are confident of a quick exit plan (that is, it won't drag on like mine did), I could see a RV as a solution. 
Looking forward to the footings! Best.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Had the excavator out to do some more work the past couple days. I now have trenches for the spread footings for our pier and beam foundation. Today we got out there and I cut the roots out of the trench, did some fine leveling and started compacting the trench bottom. About a foot down the nice sandy loam topsoil turns into HARD clay and gravel mix and the front of the excavator raised up half a foot or more when he dug in. I think the only way i would have a firmer base for my foundation is if I was on rock. As you can see, he used a laser level to make sure the trenches are nice and level.









I also had him push the trees and brush away from the tree line. It was pushed there a couple years ago when the roads were put in. Sure makes a difference in not only how the place looks from the road, but how it looks looking out from the property. Nice not to have the wall there anymore. There is more on the southeast side and a lot more all along the west side. One step at a time. It sure burns good. We will put fence along the utility easement (10' from the road) and once the stuff is all burned and the ground leveled we will plant native wildflower seed, dogwood and red cedar trees.








Never get tired of the view down the drive.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

melli said:


> Having just completed a spell in a RV, your wife has the voice of reason...lol
> The problem, as I see it, is how long do you plan to stay in a RV. I really thought I'd spend a year in mine. That thought became 4 yrs and 23 days.
> An RV is fine for vacationing in, but for an extended time, it does wear on one. I get the financial savings...that was my thinking (why rent, when I could be living on property).
> If you are confident of a quick exit plan (that is, it won't drag on like mine did), I could see a RV as a solution.
> Looking forward to the footings! Best.


We have to weigh how long it would take to recover the cost of an RV from not paying rent. The issue is the amount of money we would have to spend on septic, water, RV, and propane. Yes, we would not be paying rent, but the amount of liquidity we would have to sacrifice to do that now would really set us back on building the house. And yes, we would save the money on rent, but we would have to pay for a storage unit and gas. Right now we have 10 and 12 mile drives to work. We would be trading that for nearly hour long drives, and that isn't cheap.

With our current jobs, finances, and long term goals, staying put in a house with low rent makes more sense.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

We managed to get some more of the piles in the pic above burned. The developer was out with his backhoe Sunday and pushed everything we had burned down to the first pile you see in the picture. Yesterday we burned the stuff up at the top of the pic and the excavator is going to push stuff from the corner down to it. Sure makes the place look better. A little more work and I'll be putting down grass seed and straw.

I got about 1/3 of the rebar in my trenches. The heat index was 104 and I had enough for the day. Would have liked to get cooled off and go back around supper time but we had a family thing to attend. As much as I would have like to do some more work, sacrificing family time with my 85 year old Father and Stepmom just doesn't seem right. I'm going to take a few days vacation next week so I can have concreted poured on 9/7. Hope it works out.


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## Redlands Okie (Nov 28, 2017)

Your kind of far along on your planing but just a thought. Keep in mind that IF you ever wanted to add onto the house where would you most likely do so. Same for shop building or sheds. 
Keep those thought in mind when locating and installing electric poles, service lines, electric breaker box, a couple of plastic conduits from the electric box and down and out of the footing into the yard a foot or two, gas or propane lines and tanks, septic tanks and lines, water supply lines, well houses, parking area for garage, drainage for water from around the house, a plumbing drain line clean out that runs thru the footing a couple of feet can be a feature tie into the existing plumbing, etc. Your probably getting the idea. You might never do anything, and your likely saying this is what we want and nothing else. Who knows you might want to sell the place some day and a little forward thinking can have a huge influence on what it sells for. Times and needs and desires change and it really is frustrating to realize that with very little cost or work things could have been done to make those later plans so much cheaper or easier or in some cases even possible. All of the above items often interfere with each other or feature plans quite often. 
Looks like your on the way to a nice future with the place, enjoy


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

We decided to change the location of our septic tank to keep the north side of the house clear. That is the logical place to expand if desired, because the detached garage will be on the south side. When we build the garage I'll be putting in at least a toilet and laundry sink, so we have already planned for running a cleanout to that side of the footing. Same with water. We will be putting in a propane tank eventually, so I'm putting in the pipe for that. I hadn't thought of it, but I might as well put in a propane pipe at the same time as I do the sewer and water for the garage in case I want to use a propane heater instead of wood stove. All good suggestions. What you think will be plenty today ends up being not enough in a short time. Kind of like when I bought that nice Craftsman roll around toolbox, but that is a story for another day.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Progress has been much slower than I would like. I was supposed to work 3-11:30pm this week, and my plan was to go to bed as soon as I got home, get up and go work at our place for a few hours, then go to work. That plan fell apart due to an unexpected change to 6p-6a for the last couple days. Did get out this morning for a couple hours to do some work, then got a few hours sleep before coming back to work tonight. I'm off for a few days starting Thursday morning, so I'll get off work at 6am and head to the property to try to get the trench cleaned up and the rebar completed. I would love to be able to get concrete on Friday, but who knows. May have to bite the bullet and get it next Monday and just forgo sleep before going in to work. I get to do 12 hour shifts for 12 days straight beginning next Monday.

We continue to pay down debt while saving money to build. It can be a challenge sometimes, but it has kept us focused and increased our discussions about finances. Some days it is stressful, but overall it has improved our marriage. Last night my wife even suggested that I think about retiring in a couple years at 62 and she would carry me on her insurance until I hit 65. She figures that way I would have time to do a garden and take care of critters, as well as sell bbq on weekends.

For now, the focus is on FINALLY getting that footing poured so we can start the construction. It has taken a long time of working on it every other weekend when weather permits. Here's hoping the next few days gets us past that hurdle.


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## Redlands Okie (Nov 28, 2017)

May be going slower than you want but good to see its moving along  thanks for the update


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Spent another weekend working on Serenity Hill. The developer had a logging outfit out with a couple trucks, one with a picker for loading logs. The electric utility insisted that the treeline on the property next to us had to be cleared of fallen trees before they could run power. While they are at it, he is going to have them remove all the fallen trees against the treeline on our west border. That will be nice because it is 900 feet lone with fallen trees piled anywhere from 1-8 feet high.

I worked on trenches and forms Thursday, Friday and Saturday. My wife was able to come out and help me Saturday, and I think I got 4 times the amount of work done compared to doing it myself. No 2 trenches were the same length, and no 2 corner angles were the same. The excavator was going to come out and correct it, but his helpers stuck his dozer, big excavator, and roll-off truck he uses for the mini-excavator up to their frames on another job. Instead of doing any work, he was trying to figure out how to rescue his equipment and resist the urge to shoot someone. I did what I could by hand and now have the corners squared up. The front and back trenches are off by a couple feet. I don't know if I marked wrong, he dug wrong, or a combination of the two, but it has been a learning experience. Getting the foundation footings square and level is critical.

That being said, my wife is feeling much more positive because she was involved in squaring and leveling the corner forms and knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that she will have a rectangular house with 90 degree corners and straight walls. That alone makes the whole exercise worth it. She admitted that she had been dragging her feet because she didn't want to live in a house that was all cattywampus.

I wish you could have seen her face when I told her we were going to use Pythagorus to help square the corners and Theodorus to make sure they are level. Amazing what you can do with a little string and plastic tubing! If she were able to go out with me every time I had a few days off, we would probably be putting the roof on instead of working on footings! She's a hard working gem, and I'm a very lucky man.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Got some footing work done a couple weeks ago when I was off until I got chased in by rain. I have gortex pants and parka so I'm not afraid of some rain, but things become a muddy mess and make it hard to get foundation work done. Supposed to get 1-2" on Wednesday, then light rain and showers Thursday followed by showers on Friday. Guess I'll work on projects at the house on Thursday and Friday in hopes that it isn't too soupy to get some work done on Saturday. I can't do anything about the weather except work around it.

If it is too soupy to work in the trench, at least I have plenty to do otherwise.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

The area got 3" of rain last week and the footing trench had about 6" of water in it. While I did bail as much water out as I could, it was way too muddy to get anything done. With the rain that has come the last couple days, I'm sure there is at least that much water in it again. We did manage to cut out some more undergrowth we wanted gone and started the piles for our hugulkultur beds. Also made a trip to Harbor Freight and spent $169 (love sales!) on a 17x20 "portable" garage. I doubt it will last more than a couple years, but that will serve our purpose just fine.

My wife has been having more problems with her right hip and was diagnosed with degenerative joint issues. Waiting now for an appointment with the doc who replaced her left hip about 4 years ago. Maybe we can get that out of the way before spring comes around again.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Last weekend ended up being a bust for getting work done at the homestead. Had a colonoscopy on Thursday, had rain on Friday, spent Saturday working on my Granddaughter's car, then on my wife's car. Sunday spent half the day at the ER with my Dad and Stepmother. Looks like I'll be off Thursday, but work Friday, Saturday, Sunday at the plant. With luck, I'll be off next Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Right now the forecast calls for showers, so I guess I'll break out the Goretex if I want to get anything done. Its no wonder my wife wants me to retire early. 60+ hour weeks don't lend themselves to getting work done on the homestead, especially when your current abode is an hour away. We'll just keep plugging away.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Went out Saturday and found the 18" deep footing trench was full to overflowing thanks to all the rain we got last week. We did some cleanup and finished up the portable garage we bought from Harbor Freight. Than another trip to Harbor Freight after dark to buy a 2" gas powered pump. This isn't the first time I've been stymied by a water filled trench, and I want it to be the last.

Sunday I hooked up the pump and drained the trench in nothing flat. Once I got the water level down, I dug a sump pit to drop the intake into to get all the water out. Then put 3 wheelbarrow loads of fill in the scar left in the driveway by the electrical utility. The engineer told us that we wouldn't be able to tell they had been out there if it weren't for the green boxes they installed. Guess he forgot to mention that to the contractors who did the work! At least it is fixed right now.

Monday I was able to do some cleanup work in the trench and get another footing put in. Also put most of the "stuff" sitting around inside the garage. Much better putting materials an tools inside a shelter than having tarp covered heaps all over the place.

We were going to do a 32x40 house, but the only way to get the storage we want is to have only 1 bathroom. After doing some playing around with designs, we opted to go with 32x44. The extra square footage lets us have 2 bathrooms, more storage, and a bigger living room. Since we haven't started with footings on the other end, it wasn't that big a deal to move the markers on the North end of the house to lengthen it by 4'. Those corners will the the next, so after that we are locked in to 32x44.

Here's hoping for half decent weather next weekend when I have a chance to get back out there. At least I won't die of heat stroke while digging!


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## Hooligans (Jul 11, 2017)

Sounds like some darn good progress there!


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

So much for my weekend plans. Supposed to be off Friday to Monday to make up for working through the Thanksgiving holiday. The forecast calls for rain all day Friday and rain Saturday morning. Sunday won't be bad, but unless we skip church, we will only have a few hours in the afternoon. Monday is forecast to be pretty nice, but that day off got pulled because it was inconvenient for the department manager for me to be off Monday.

Time for Plan B. I've been thinking of putting a can light in the shower ceiling so it isn't so dark in there, and I guess Friday will be a good day to do it. Between the rainy weather and the boss pulling days off out from under us, it is hard not to get frustrated and discouraged. Especially when it looks like we will probably end up working through the Christmas and New Years holidays too.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Pumped water out of the pit again and remeasured and squared the north side corners. We decided to increase the length of the house from 40' to 44' to allow for a second bathroom and larger master bedroom and closet. We also gain more storage area in the pantry.

The forecast for this weekend is really nice, but I'll be working 12 hour days starting tomorrow up until whatever day we get off for Christmas, if any. Ho, ho, ho. Of course, the extended forecast for my next weekend off is calling for wet weather.

On a positive note, I surprised my wife with an early Christmas gift. I purchased materials and installed a fire pit on Friday and surprised her with it on Saturday. She has wanted one for years, but I couldn't bring myself to install a fire pit at a rental property. She was very pleased. No, it doesn't get us closer to getting the house built, but it does provide a way to enjoy the place a little while we are out.

We spent a few hours out Sunday basically doing some cleanup and organizing, then enjoyed a fire before heading back to the house. While it was tempting to spend the whole day out Sunday, we are trying to build without cutting church and family out of our lives while doing so. Trying to balance everything can be quite a challenge.


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## Catalytic (Sep 15, 2010)

oldtruckbbq said:


> Pumped water out of the pit again and remeasured and squared the north side corners. We decided to increase the length of the house from 40' to 44' to allow for a second bathroom and larger master bedroom and closet. We also gain more storage area in the pantry.
> 
> The forecast for this weekend is really nice, but I'll be working 12 hour days starting tomorrow up until whatever day we get off for Christmas, if any. Ho, ho, ho. Of course, the extended forecast for my next weekend off is calling for wet weather.
> 
> ...


Beautiful fire pit! And yes, trying to balance everything in life can be a frustrating challenge. I enjoy reading your updates!


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Right after Christmas we went out and pumped water out of the trench. Again. After 18" of water has sat in a trench for several days, it takes a while for it to dry out enough to work in it without creating mud soup. I finally had one of those "Aha" moments that I can't believe took so long to get through my noggin. Since the house site slopes 17" in 32 feet, I dug a ditch from the East side of the trench down the slope so it can drain naturally. At most it will now accumulate 1" in places, which evaporation and perking will take care of pretty quickly compared to 18" of water!

My wife had hip replacement surgery on her right hip Jan 2, so that and her recovery is pretty much taking up our time right now. A week out from surgery she has cut her pain pill consumption in half and is getting around well with the walker. She will be able to drive again in 5 more weeks and hopes to be back at work in 7 or 8 more weeks. It was almost 4 years ago that she had her left hip replaced, and it hasn't slowed her down a bit as far as work and her ability to help at the property. I'm impressed with how she attacks her physical therapy.

We are set to get snow and rain this weekend, with showers next weekend when I'm off work. I'm hoping that with the trench now being self-draining I won't have such a muddy mess and will be able to get some work done. I've set a goal of getting all my footings in over the next couple months so that by the time my wife finishes her rehab she is able to help with getting the subfloor put in. Once we have that done, the electric utility will put in power for $450 so I won't have to run a generator to use power tools and use portable lighting to extend workdays.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Finally had a weekend off that was dry enough to get some work done. Worked 6PM Friday until 6AM Saturday, then went out and put in 8 hours at the property. I was so beat that I went to bed about 6:30. Tired, but happy because I got some work done.

Went back out Sunday after lunch with my Dad. Stopped in to visit with a couple around the corner since they were out working on their place. Had a good visit. We have met 4 other couples building in the area and they are much like us in age and house building plans. Seems like we are all doing as much work as we can ourselves so we don't have a mortgage going into retirement. It did my wife good to hear from someone else our age who is doing the same thing we are doing.

It was Deb's first trip out since a couple weeks before her hip replacement. She is just over 4 weeks out from surgery and navigating without a walker or cane. We were both pleased with how well she was able to navigate. I hope to get out a few mornings before I go in to work to do some more work. That will mostly have to wait until my wife can drive again since I am having to take her to 3 PT appointments a week. Well worth it though because she has been my right hand out there and it will be nice to have her help again. I swear, 2 people can do 3 times the work of 1 person.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

I had 5 days of vacation to burn before the end of March, so I spent them last week. The week started off great, then my car laid down on me. Got that fixed, did some more work, then got sick. I spent half of Friday, and most of Saturday and Sunday in bed. I don't know if it was flu, cold, or "just" my allergies, but it hit my upper respiratory system hard. Now I'm back at work for the next 11 days before my next opportunity to get back out there. 

I was able to get all the footings on the South side completed and got the North corners done. Now it is connect the dots to get the rest done. I've also decided that since I have a supervisory position and don't do physical labor, I need to start exercising at home to get my strength and endurance up to snuff.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

It was a beautiful weekend so we got a lot of work done Friday and Saturday. Sunday was supposed to bring thunderstorms so we made other plans. Those plans got changed Saturday night when my wife tried to do a load of laundry and our 9 year old washer refused to run. It has been having mental issues for a couple months, and the transmission getting louder and louder, so we knew it wasn't long for this world. Saturday night it went brain dead so I pulled the plug on it. We only got 9 years out of this one, the shortest lived washer yet.

Sunday we headed to Lowe's to take advantage of their appliance sale. Lots of people must have, because their delivery schedule is packed. No problem, we can wait until Saturday. My wife decided to wash we needed for the week at the laundromat and bring it home to dry. She figured maybe a couple bucks a load. It was $5 for a large washer, $2 for a small washer load! I don't know how much it was to dry a load. Man, if you don't have your own washer and dryer, it costs a fortune to keep your clothes clean!


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Continuing with footings, and doing some planning for the future. I planted 18 blackberry brambles to make up for all the brambles that were ripped out when we cleared the treeline of all the trees piled up along it from the road clearing. Amazing how many wild blackberries have come back, although they are a fraction of what was there tangled up in the 8 foot high wall of felled trees.

Also planted 3 bare root apple trees from Stark Bros. Within a week of planting they all had leaves budding out from top to bottom. The blackberries also came from Stark Bros. and they are doing nicely. On a whim I bought a couple rose bushes from Menards and planted on either side of the drive. My wife loves roses, so the bushes made her very happy. So far they are looking very good. I'll add some more and make some nice beds in coming years so we have rose gardens on either side of the drive.

I get a couple days off for the holiday this weekend and a favorable weather forecast, so we will get some more work done. Monday will start out with a visit to the nearby Veterans Cemetery to pay our respects to my fellow veterans who never transitioned out of uniform. Let us never forget that Memorial Day isn't just another excuse for bbq and beer drinking, it is a day to honor those who gave their lives defending our nation and our freedoms.


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## [email protected] (Sep 16, 2009)

you must not get snow like we do in the nort..
we would never plant anything along side of the driveway


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

[email protected] said:


> you must not get snow like we do in the nort..
> we would never plant anything along side of the driveway


When we do get snow, it is usually just a few inches and doesn't last more than a few days. They are actually about 5 feet from the driveway, which with my wife's driving is probably still too close. There are zero street lights in the area, so it is dark enough to see the stars at night. She has already let me know that I'm going to have to put lights along the driveway so she doesn't end up in the ditch. And if I don't put up lights and she ends up in the ditch, it will by MY fault, not hers.


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## Mickie3 (Aug 28, 2010)

oldtruckbbq said:


> When we do get snow, it is usually just a few inches and doesn't last more than a few days. They are actually about 5 feet from the driveway, which with my wife's driving is probably still too close. There are zero street lights in the area, so it is dark enough to see the stars at night. She has already let me know that I'm going to have to put lights along the driveway so she doesn't end up in the ditch. And if I don't put up lights and she ends up in the ditch, it will by MY fault, not hers.


Those little marker (solar powered) lights are $1 at the dollar store. Go ahead and put them every few feet along the drive. I keep a few spares so if they are run over, errrr.... I mean jump out in front of wife.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

She swears that is what happens!


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

You know.... if she cannot see the driveway with the headlights on and "needs" such additional lighting... it may be a good time for serious eye tests ! BTW, if you haven't yet realized this (cost me $$ to realize it) these types of lights really Annoy wildlife and sometimes not for the best IF you want them around... just a thought to ponder on.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Steve_S said:


> You know.... if she cannot see the driveway with the headlights on and "needs" such additional lighting... it may be a good time for serious eye tests ! BTW, if you haven't yet realized this (cost me $$ to realize it) these types of lights really Annoy wildlife and sometimes not for the best IF you want them around... just a thought to ponder on.


She has cataracts but 2 different doctors say they aren't to the point they will do surgery yet. Her night vision has never been the best anyway. I'm thinking lights on a timer and motion activated lights on the drive, if I go with lights. Nothing real bright, just a reference for her. We don't want bright lights and we don't want to introduce light pollution to the area. I've been out there on a clear night, and you can see every star in the sky. Absolutely amazing.

I'm actually thinking reflectors near the road, then more reflectors along the drive. That will mark out the drive but not have annoying light.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

We are making slow but steady progress, especially considering the wet weather and my work schedule. We now have only 6 more perimeter footings to put in, then start putting in concrete block piers. We also started moving the oak logs for the post and beam frame to an area where we can debark and square them. I'm hoping that we will have the frame up and be starting on the sub floor by the end of the summer. Once we get the dirt and concrete work done, we will be less restricted by weather. There have been a lot of days with no rain but the ground was too soft and muddy to work on footings. I'm figuring the weather has us at least 3 months behind.

People think we are crazy doing the work ourselves, especially so much manual labor. We both come away tired, sore, but feeling very content and peaceful. You can't put a price on that.

DW is 5 months out from her second hip replacement surgery. She continues to get around better all the time, but gets frustrated that she can't do more heavy work. Part of that is my fault, because I try to keep her from overdoing. She has gotten to where she can drag brush and get up and down better, I'm just not ready for her to try pulling a cart with 360 lbs of concrete mix just yet. And since she weighs about 130, I don't know if she could budge it anyway.


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## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

The markers would be the best try first I think and it's a cheap solution with a lot of options (tape to discs or even poles). If that doesn't do it, low level Solar Lights maybe... If you wanna get carried away, put a "beam" at both ends of the driveway, like a 3-way with timer or so that lights up the drive once triggered... I like automation, especially if I'm bored but that's not your case for quite a while yet. LOL  Sure is nice to see the clear night skies isn't it ? Makes it all come together somehow, hard to explain but you know what I mean.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Got more done last weekend, in spite of the 90 degree temps. It was the first really hot weather of the year, so it was pretty brutal. I've got this weekend off as well, and am really hoping that the isolated thunderstorms in the forecast don't isolate right over our property! If the weather gives me a break, we will finish the footings this coming weekend and be ready to start the concreted block piers.

Foundation work is vital to the success of a build, but you sure put in a lot of work that doesn't have any visible results. When the piers start going up, it will look like we are finally doing something. Every step of the way I check level and square. I'm kind of obsessive about it, but I'm good with that.

I'll post some pics when we get the corner piers built. We will probably have a celebration that day too!


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

Heard a comedian the other night that is 56 years old.
He said at his age, he needs 5 seconds from the time he stands up to the time he knows it is ok to start walking.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

GTX63 said:


> Heard a comedian the other night that is 56 years old.
> He said at his age, he needs 5 seconds from the time he stands up to the time he knows it is ok to start walking.


Some days it's more like 10 seconds. And I keep a bottle of Tylenol and Ibuprofen in my first aid kit.


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

My wife came down the stairs one morning wincing on every step.
"Oh, my hip" she said.
"What did you do to it yesterday?" I asked.
"I don't know." she replied.
Three days later she came down the stairs holding her wrist, and asked me to make her coffee.
"It's been hurting for three days" she said.
"How did you hurt it?" I asked.
"I can't remember"....


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Got some good work done over the weekend. Didn't get to spend as much time as I wanted on the 4th because I had to work until 2:30AM instead of 11:30 PM. That sucked. Friday was spent on a road trip with my wife to take care of some business. Spent about 10 hours Saturday. After church and lunch with my Dad and Stepmom, I went back out and did about 5 hours of work. I could get more done if I spent the entire day on Sunday, but I'm not going to forgo church and family time. Temps were in the low 90's and humidity was high. By the time I'd been at it a couple hours my clothes were so wet it looked like I'd worn them into the shower. Much gatorade and water was consumed, and many prayers for shade and breeze were offered up.

Deb wasn't able to help me this weekend. She missed a couple days work and had to go for some tests. Her diverticulitis flared up and her gall bladder started giving her fits at the same time. Also found out through the CT scan that the soft "bump" below her belly button that has been "pretty sore for several months now" is an umbilical hernia. So now she is scheduled for surgery in a couple weeks to repair the hernia, take out the gall bladder, and take care of some adhesions in her lower abdomen due to a couple surgeries she had. Getting old really sucks.

On a positive note, there is only 1 more perimeter footing left before we start going up with concrete blocks for the piers. Then we start going up and progress will be more visible. I figure the piers will go much more quickly that the footings. And then instead of having footings at or below ground level with rebar sticking up, we will have concrete blocks going up. I've already started cleaning up and squaring ends on some of the logs that will be used for the timber frame. These will be anchored to the concrete I'll be pouring into the concrete block piers. The rebar coming up through the piers goes down into the footings themselves, and they have a 90 deg bend at the bottom with about 6" of rebar horizontal near the bottom of the footing. There's also a double layer of 1/2" rebar in each footing as well.

When it comes to the piers, I'll dry stack the corners and check for dimension, square, and level before I start using mortar. Then it will be much simpler to keep the piers between corners properly lined up. Getting those corners as near perfect as possible is the key. Looking forward to posting pics of something besides rebar sticking up out of the ground!


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Got the corner piers put in last weekend. Having to work 12 hour days this weekend. Looking forward to seeing our efforts bear fruit and enable me to get off that treadmill. DW went back to work this week after less than 2 weeks off from her hernia and gall bladder surgery. She did quite well, which is a huge relief for both of us. I've missed her being able to help out on the property.

Over the next couple weekend trips I'll be putting in the remaining piers and filling in the open trench. Once the piers are complete I'll begin filling them with concrete. Next will come rigging a gin pole hoist to use for hoisting the oak posts up on the pilings. I'll be installing a metal termite barrier cap between the posts and columns to prevent moisture from the concrete leaching into the posts and keep termites from crawling up the piers onto my columns.

I'll make sure to post picks of the gin hoist and probably a video of it in use. I tried posting a couple pics with this post but kept encountering errors.


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