I'd love to build a cool earthship or large cabin on some land but in Australia you can't scratch your a$$ without council approval and for the work to be done by approved tradesmen? I'd prefer to do the work myself. Is anything possible? Any advice? Happy to move overseas.

Love our tiny Off Grid paradise

i'm trying to really appreciate the medium term implications of investing in a small solar system versus simply running utility. i could run a 500 yard cable form the main house (let's forget for a moment the cost of this as i might be able to get that one for free), making the cabin a semi-off grid.

I really only run computer equipment in the cabin as i use it as an office. on average, i run a 200w draw for about 10 hrs a day.

at a current average cost of 30 cents per kWh, that's $18/month or so if my math is right.

0.2kW * 10h = 2kWh/day

*30 days = 60kWh/mo

• $0.30 = $18.00

now comparing an investment in a solar system, so I'm thinking a 250W panel should be just enough to actually provide 200W, I'm assuming about $200. Then a charge controller, maybe another $50, then a decent battery, probably needs 200Wh bare minimum (probably should shoot for more, right?), that's likely to be another $400 so now I'm looking at about $650 in terms of one time investment. Am I on the mark there? Would love some input. Sidebar: I have reliable sunshine most of the year and i'm not always using 200W so for sake of simplicity, i'm calling it even between sunshine and power draw.

$650/$18 = 36 months or 3 years before the investment is fully amortized.

If i later decide I need additional things, like for example running additional computers, there would not be really any economy of scale because I'd be building up in 200W increments.

Id like to really know realistically if this is the right evaluation. I'm totally new to all of this.

It's a real 4 season cabin with redundant systems for everything. It's turn key and you could step in today and survive for years with not too much effort.

https://gatewaycityrealty.com/details/ak3_24244--NHN-Legal-Address-Only-Ketchikan-AK-99901/

It's a very general question, on purpose. I've got a year before I build my structure(4000' elevation, lots of snow in the winter) and have lots of time to ponder.

So, what do you have to have to live in the woods? Also, it's not super remote. 35 minutes from the nearest town, paved highway within 6 minutes drive.

Thanks! I've already learned a lot on this sub.

Got some off grid property with a well.
Needing to know how many solar panels is needed to run some luxury items. Griddle Microwave Mini fridge Wi-Fi router Light 900 btu a/c, heater combo

Need some ideas/assistance here. It's time to paint the exterior of my 20x30 cabin, and there are a couple of challenges:

1. Power source: Ideally I'd rent a sprayer from a big box store, but I'd need to power it. Right now, the only power source that would be strong enough is the 7000w gas generator we are using for the well-pump. I guess we could use that in a pinch.

2. The cabin is quite tall (20ft) in some places so we'll have to be up and down a ladder several dozen times which would be awkward with a heavy sprayer tool.

I was thinking of using a cheap cordless sprayer, but wondering if that's a stupid idea. The limiter there is probably burning through the batteries at 20 minutes each.

Yes, I know we could just get rollers and do this by hand but given that we are so limited on time, I thought the sprayer might be good. Or I guess we could do some combination of both at the same time - have one of us up and down the ladder with a roller and the other spraying the bottom half at the same time. I know it won't look exactly the same but considering this is a rough off-grid weekend cabin, I'm not looking for perfection.

Any ideas for us?

Hello, I am in north country ny (think northern adirondacks).

Winters here are the real deal. However my question is, when building my off grid cabin, instead of digging and pouring footings or piers, can i just use an appropriate Mount of deck blocks?

I am aware of frost heaving being a concern, but my logic is, if everything heaves together..will it all rise somewhat evenly or maybe be so subtle of a uneveness that its not really a problem?

It will be an A frame loft cabin 32ft x 32ft for the deck.

The property contains federally and state zoned wetland so digging for a foundation isn't impossible but it is much more expensive and has more paperwork involved.

I am doing all the building myself and with friends

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks!!

Hi everyone, we have a boat-access cabin in a clearing with about 1/3 acre lawn, PNW. We absolutely do not want a “manicured lawn” but we keep the grass cut relatively low to mitigate fire risk and deer ticks.

The land it’s on is rugged. A fair number of rocks and sticks amongst the grass and the ground itself is uneven. Low maintenance is pretty key due to access issues. I can pack in lithium batteries with relative ease and we have solar if recharge is needed but I don’t want to spend a heap of time tinkering with a mower if I’m only up for a weekend and need to get the grass cut before it goes crazy in spring.

Currently I’m using a weed whipper to cut the lawn which is as awful as it sounds. Fire risk is also a consideration but I gather most electric are safe and gas ones rarely combust. Thanks all!

Here are my first two stellated, tessellated, tensioned aircraft aluminum, hybrid harvesting rhombicuboctahedron domes.

All of the main triangles are identical, so any triangle can also be a window. Any of the 8 cube walls are expansion walls so that the domes can be added together infinitely or connected directly to an existing flat structure. Had to build all of this from scratch, including the vertical turbines, triangular PV’s and impact/Dade County rated door system.

I have six more domes ready to assemble and the next two are going on a just completed custom space frame elevated octagonal deck system with four “lander” feet for helical pile anchoring.

My parents are selling a beautiful parcel of land located in Upstate New York. It is located in Afton, NY which is in Chenango County.

Are you in search of a peaceful sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of the city? This property offers an idyllic setting for building your dream home or vacation getaway.

📍 Beautiful 35.01 Acres of Mostly Wooded Land + Two Flat Fields for Building.

🏡 Build Your Private Haven: Embrace the luxury of privacy by constructing your home set back from the road. With ample space and two expansive flat fields, this property provides the perfect canvas for creating your secluded oasis. Imagine the tranquility of waking up to the harmonious sounds of nature, views of the mountains all surrounded by the beauty of your own land.

I have attached the listing to this post, please delete if not allowed.

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/249-Hall-Rd-22_Afton_NY_13730_M92931-95507

Does anyone have advice on a good spot to have a well dug. This is a topo shot of the property that we will be building a cabin. We had a well company come out and they said to just dig where the cars are in the pic. Is that the best place you think?

https://imgur.com/a/0qvWpa7

Overlooking Lake Superior in the Boreal forest of the Sawtooth Mountains.

Here's my the first cabin I finished and my little family stays in while I build an A-frame that'll be big enough to host our friends and family. We bought the structure from Tuffshed, and insulated the floor with 2 layers of 2" foam board. Walls are insulated with R-13 rockwool and ceiling is r-21 rockwool. Walls and ceiling are finished with underfloor plywood. 1-ton Bosch heat pump handles the mechanical functions, and we are on the Arrowhead Co-op grid for power. I'm an amateur builder but studied engineering and have plenty of experience in and around commercial building projects and buildings.

https://preview.redd.it/zthjoiy9mbsc1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=87225e3f7da27f7ceafe0c11bcabdc6141f0c921

I need advice for how to fix my well problem. I tried driving a well for a hand pump on my property. The well does not pull water though I can feel water on a tape measure shoved down the pipe. I'm assuming I mangled the threads somewhere while driving the pipe.

1. Any ideas for how to pull the mangled pipe out of the hole? I do not have a handy sturdy tree to put a rope around. If a tripod how would you build it sturdy enough to uproot a drive pipe?

2. Any suggestions on not mangling the new threads? I thought we did a good job reefing down on the threads during install (with pipe dope). I do not have one of those nifty pipe installers with the lead rod. Just a sledge and a post driver.

Thanks.