Posted: 2/1/2016 3:26:17 PM EDT
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Here's a good thread for those who are interested in building an off grid home.
He makes some mistakes (who hasn't) and builds as he has the money to do it. So, there are some good lessons learned for anyone who might by wanting to build their own place (off grid or not). |
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I thought so but suspect that a lot of people here probably haven't seen it. Quoted:
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Been posted before, but it is a fun thread to read through for those that haven't. I thought so but suspect that a lot of people here probably haven't seen it. I hadn't seen this one yet. Thanks for posting. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
| My dad was a custom home builder for 50 years and I subbed out several mountainside homes of my own. I've long studied home building and determined that conventional wood frame construction was the easiest to build, least expensive and roomiest per dollar spent. A-frame, on the other hand, has many disadvantages: among which are low resale value, slanted walls and poor head room upstairs. Also a concrete daylight basement, or even a conventional basement, while costing more has lots more benefits compared to pier construction such as additional living and storage space, a much stronger load-bearing base for the upper stories and protected space for plumbing and heating equipment. |
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Here's a good thread for those who are interested in building an off grid home. He makes some mistakes (who hasn't) and builds as he has the money to do it. So, there are some good lessons learned for anyone who might by wanting to build their own place (off grid or not). Wow, very impressive, just read every page. |
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My dad was a custom home builder for 50 years and I subbed out several mountainside homes of my own. I've long studied home building and determined that conventional wood frame construction was the easiest to build, least expensive and roomiest per dollar spent. A-frame, on the other hand, has many disadvantages: among which are low resale value, slanted walls and poor head room upstairs. Also a concrete daylight basement, or even a conventional basement, while costing more has lots more benefits compared to pier construction such as additional living and storage space, a much stronger load-bearing base for the upper stories and protected space for plumbing and heating equipment. No disagreement but the poster in the thread linked had to build as he had the money....and he didn't have lots of money. So, he built over time as he could afford it. Sometimes what you have to do or the way you have to do it isn't the best but it's the only way to get it done at the time. |
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No disagreement but the poster in the thread linked had to build as he had the money....and he didn't have lots of money. So, he built over time as he could afford it. Sometimes what you have to do or the way you have to do it isn't the best but it's the only way to get it done at the time. Quoted:
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My dad was a custom home builder for 50 years and I subbed out several mountainside homes of my own. I've long studied home building and determined that conventional wood frame construction was the easiest to build, least expensive and roomiest per dollar spent. A-frame, on the other hand, has many disadvantages: among which are low resale value, slanted walls and poor head room upstairs. Also a concrete daylight basement, or even a conventional basement, while costing more has lots more benefits compared to pier construction such as additional living and storage space, a much stronger load-bearing base for the upper stories and protected space for plumbing and heating equipment. No disagreement but the poster in the thread linked had to build as he had the money....and he didn't have lots of money. So, he built over time as he could afford it. Sometimes what you have to do or the way you have to do it isn't the best but it's the only way to get it done at the time. That's true.But if you build just a basement first, you can live in it while you finish the rest when you can afford it, which a distant 2nd cousin did in MI. Or even buy an inexpensive older mobile home or RV to live in while building, which I did once. |
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That's true.But if you build just a basement first, you can live in it while you finish the rest when you can afford it, which a distant 2nd cousin did in MI. Or even buy an inexpensive older mobile home or RV to live in while building, which I did once. Quoted:
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My dad was a custom home builder for 50 years and I subbed out several mountainside homes of my own. I've long studied home building and determined that conventional wood frame construction was the easiest to build, least expensive and roomiest per dollar spent. A-frame, on the other hand, has many disadvantages: among which are low resale value, slanted walls and poor head room upstairs. Also a concrete daylight basement, or even a conventional basement, while costing more has lots more benefits compared to pier construction such as additional living and storage space, a much stronger load-bearing base for the upper stories and protected space for plumbing and heating equipment. No disagreement but the poster in the thread linked had to build as he had the money....and he didn't have lots of money. So, he built over time as he could afford it. Sometimes what you have to do or the way you have to do it isn't the best but it's the only way to get it done at the time. That's true.But if you build just a basement first, you can live in it while you finish the rest when you can afford it, which a distant 2nd cousin did in MI. Or even buy an inexpensive older mobile home or RV to live in while building, which I did once. He ended up building a basement. |
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My dad was a custom home builder for 50 years and I subbed out several mountainside homes of my own. I've long studied home building and determined that conventional wood frame construction was the easiest to build, least expensive and roomiest per dollar spent. A-frame, on the other hand, has many disadvantages: among which are low resale value, slanted walls and poor head room upstairs. Also a concrete daylight basement, or even a conventional basement, while costing more has lots more benefits compared to pier construction such as additional living and storage space, a much stronger load-bearing base for the upper stories and protected space for plumbing and heating equipment. I agree with building a basement. When I lived in TN basements were very common. Since I moved to South Carolina I have seen only a handful that have basements. Some of that can be living at 300 ft above sea level and a high water table. A basement can be built but takes special care when building concerning drainage and proper sealing. Most here are either pier or slab foundations. Neither of which I am a fan of. We have been looking at the stacking foam forms that are poured with concrete. They also have the same for pouring a concrete ceiling/floor for living area. It would allow us to build a livable basement before building a main living floor. One of my main concerns I have with it is having cold pour seams in building the upper walls. |
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Quoted: I agree with building a basement. When I lived in TN basements were very common. Since I moved to South Carolina I have seen only a handful that have basements. Some of that can be living at 300 ft above sea level and a high water table. A basement can be built but takes special care when building concerning drainage and proper sealing. Most here are either pier or slab foundations. Neither of which I am a fan of. We have been looking at the stacking foam forms that are poured with concrete. They also have the same for pouring a concrete ceiling/floor for living area. It would allow us to build a livable basement before building a main living floor. One of my main concerns I have with it is having cold pour seams in building the upper walls. Quoted: Quoted: My dad was a custom home builder for 50 years and I subbed out several mountainside homes of my own. I've long studied home building and determined that conventional wood frame construction was the easiest to build, least expensive and roomiest per dollar spent. A-frame, on the other hand, has many disadvantages: among which are low resale value, slanted walls and poor head room upstairs. Also a concrete daylight basement, or even a conventional basement, while costing more has lots more benefits compared to pier construction such as additional living and storage space, a much stronger load-bearing base for the upper stories and protected space for plumbing and heating equipment. I agree with building a basement. When I lived in TN basements were very common. Since I moved to South Carolina I have seen only a handful that have basements. Some of that can be living at 300 ft above sea level and a high water table. A basement can be built but takes special care when building concerning drainage and proper sealing. Most here are either pier or slab foundations. Neither of which I am a fan of. We have been looking at the stacking foam forms that are poured with concrete. They also have the same for pouring a concrete ceiling/floor for living area. It would allow us to build a livable basement before building a main living floor. One of my main concerns I have with it is having cold pour seams in building the upper walls. Were I live water is less than 5 feet underground. A basement is an indoor swimming pool! Of course, getting water is easy-peasy. |
| Obviously there are places where basements are not possible due to high water tables. In those cases cement slabs are preferable to piers. Down here in deep SE TX where I now reside there are very few basements. What there is are concrete slabs under higher grade homes and wood posts or small free-standing concrete piers/blocks under shackier type homes. I have a slab under mine. I'm not condemning the OP's very strong concrete piers poured into buried (Sono?) tubes and have used the exact same method to support a two story hillside porch in the Rockies, so don't get the wrong idea. But I do wonder how his house was attached to the piers. |