my new home is going to be a barn

[geekette]

I know you mentioned the # of bathrooms vs septic system but I think what you are talking about would probably fall under commercial use which here in Washington has a whole different set of rules ( my desk is next to the wastewater engineers so I here alot of there conversations). Something your friend might want to explore

Thank you! I did think that what I put in barn for personal use is not at all the same as when it is a venue. So many rules and regs to look into...! The mix of property use is going to tangle things.

I was hoping I would also be allowed to use portable septic tanks for the smattering of potties I put around camp, go around with my little camp truck to collect those, dump into my own septic tank, clean, air out, put back into potty house. Not terribly concerned about sawdust going down, too. I would likely be on 3 year pump out schedule.

I might need larger tanks to start with, given my eventual plan. Adding on later would be a bit worse on settled land. I did that here, my septic supports 4 bedrooms but I have 2.

So far, she seems to be set on compost toilets only, does not want septic system (I think she doesn't want to maintain it, and, do everything as cheap as possible). I am more on the line of paying for modern conveniences. I just don't want to be digging a hole a couple times of week in a potty compost pile. I have better things to do with my time... She also found out that she underestimated the new potty pile she made, as she is there almost full time now, and that makes a difference as to .... volume.

I can't get excited about multiple poop hills, no matter how far from main camp or how hidden.

 

[geekette]

....You've got a great plan. It's going to be a matter of what needs to be done first and a lot of hard work.

This is truly The Hard Part. Priorities!!

When barn build that I'm not labor for is happening, I want to get a greenhouse up and get things growing. Work on massive mound garden vs the tiny space she allocated for the first one. There is clearing to do most everywhere, and I'll want to be building a kindling box and cutting massive amounts of firewood to be ready for winter.

Once I'm in the barn, bathroom first, then kitchen, then wood stove (will need to build a fireproof platform and surrounding walls for it). Go without permanent walls as long as possible, preserving cash. Spring is earliest I would be making money, unless I find places to hawk my own artsy craftsy stuff, and not at all sure we'll see all those Christmas bazaars this year....

it is really difficult to have so many ideas swirling around my head... It's a good thing I come from long-lived people, as I will need 40 years to do everything I want to do !

 

[sue1947]

The bunkhouse idea is very good. Families won't book it for their kids if it won't work for their kids, so don't worry about that. Adults on group trips for hunting or other reasons may very well want something like that. Here's a link to a place with a variety of cabins including a bunkhouse option: http://www.rosslakeresort.com/accommodations.html
The question, though is what do you need to focus on first. I suspect getting a few cabins up and running, along with setting yourself up will be a higher priority. The smaller cabin to start will give you a smaller footprint to figure out what works or doesn't work. But you also need to set up the water/sewer or even road system to fit future needs so it's an interesting balancing act between getting things up quicker and adequate planning.

The birds are there. Most won't come to a birdbath and most won't be easily seen; they are up in the trees flitting about and hiding from predators. But that is down the road. Once you get there and are more settled, join the local Audubon for a field trip or bird walk; no experience is necessary. Most birders may not be very chatty, but they love to share their knowledge. Ask about plants to attract birds as you are planting your garden; this is both flowers and shade/camouflage. Maybe hang up some hummingbird or other bird feeders. Maybe a bench near a feeder, but mostly birds, and birders, move around. A lot of times, the birds are heard but not seen and some (not me) can identify them by the calls. Invite them out to the property to check it out and survey the birds, or whatever seems suitable at the time. But this is probably a good year down the line.

Sue

 

[geekette]

YES, Sue, to so much!

I'll first get myself situated in the barn, get set for winter. by then she should be trying to find people for classes (room should be "done" by late Oct). I plan to just coast in my own little world and get settled, and just watch how her vision unfolds.

It's going to take some moving around to get my spaces comfortable and productively functioning. I have never lived in Completely Open Concept. It's a bit mind blowing.

this is first full bathroom, taken from far end where there is a little camp stove. there is not a solar shower bag hanging in far right corner, but that is shower space. The room is much more enclosed now, but the heavy shower curtain to left remains the entry. Similar little huts are pretty easy, hiding actual latrine nature of things (hard to see, toilet seat along a bench along the right; there is a hinged cabinet door underneath for the actual bucket; a huge nice tin of sawdust with a scoop on the bench nearer to us for covering your stuff - it really does work to tamp down odors so long as you maintain the bucket...)

My big bathroom in a building is a massive upgrade, and I will have many of the items I will use myself already.

I have to go easy on depleting my cash, and can wait a bit to make money, especially if I make some off of her businesses, for helping, or camp buys food and herbs from me. Clearing and levelling are hard work, then building foundations....

The Sunrise Coffee Bar is already marked off, it is my next project, and will likely be where I do a lot of cooking, too, and start arranging some of my outdoor furniture... Offering free refreshments is a value add, and would cost me little when it's stuff I grew myself. I'll have to look further into rules and regs on offering for sale, as that is now a shifting landscape with COVID. For now, I'll plan to make beverages and food to share in a decent place to hang out and play cards or do a puzzle... I am not too proud to stick a milk can in the corner for tips...



eta .... bathroom pic ... you also can't see the lovely white porcelain pedestal sink I brought her from a friend's remodel. A nice sink with a maybe 5 gallon pretty drink dispenser with the turn switch for running water. also can't see the shelves, towels and products (must use her eco friendly as this drains to ground)

also, it's no longer shower bags (buggers are heavy). they have a spot where they are easily refilled and sit in sun all day, then drained to a bucket with a pump in it. hands free once you turn the pump on.

 

[chellej]

Once I'm in the barn, bathroom first, then kitchen, then wood stove (will need to build a fireproof platform and surrounding walls for it). Go without permanent walls as long as possible, preserving cash. Spring is earliest I would be making money, unless I find places to hawk my own artsy craftsy stuff, and not at all sure we'll see all those Christmas bazaars this year....

it is really difficult to have so many ideas swirling around my head... It's a good thing I come from long-lived people, as I will need 40 years to do everything I want to do !

I'm not sure of what your winter temps will be nor the size of the barn but I would be surprised if the woodstove would heat the entire barn to a comfortable level. If the winters there don't get bad it might be alright but you might need to rethink the priorities. To build a board...plywood topped with cement board and then tiled. We got a lot of our tile really reasonably at our habitat for humanity store

.

 

[geekette]

Yeah, my wood stove here is on a slab and then brickwork under and around, and I can gather brick from the property, 2 known sites so far...

Can heat whole place with small fire here. I'm pretty good at building fire low and slow to go the night, or raging inferno for heat this up fast, depending on need.

There are normal winters, and extreme winters, and I don't know which is next, or when it starts. It'll be a few years to get used to what normal is down here. I generally don't run it until under 40 here, but, that's in addition to normal home HVAC x2 zones.

Since I'll be solar power, it's going to be heating a lot of water for me, too, and I might do some extra ductwork to use the ambient heat for other purposes, too, like, drying clothes. I can get fancy later, straight up pipe gets me through one winter just fine.

 

[ride2slide]

Buy the lot. Don't build on someone elses land. Trust me, that land will cost alot more after you build than before you build. Life happens and you may need to get your money out of it to relocate or use for something else. Barndominiums are very popular in TX & AR. I have several friends that have them. In fact, we plan to keep a building lot, when we sale our farm, and move to a 55+ community. That way, we can build something like that for our RV and give us a place in the country to escape to.

 

[geekette]

Buy the lot. Don't build on someone elses land. Trust me, that land will cost alot more after you build than before you build. Life happens and you may need to get your money out of it to relocate or use for something else. Barndominiums are very popular in TX & AR. I have several friends that have them. In fact, we plan to keep a building lot, when we sale our farm, and move to a 55+ community. That way, we can build something like that for our RV and give us a place in the country to escape to.

I've been a landowner, I don't want to do that anymore. I'm choosing to go very light on responsibilities and ongoing expenses. It's not an issue for me that the land keeps getting more valuable, I'll be getting value, too. I do not need my money out of it later, after I take my money with me in leaving this place. I'll be making money as I go along and just have to maintain what I build. Leaving with a full IRA isn't a bad thing for me, and this being my last home sale works for me.

The value of her land means nothing unless someone sells it. In the same way, the value of where I am now has only mattered twice - when I buy, and when I sell.

With any other choice, I have the ongoing bills, whether it is rent or property taxes or mortgage+insurance. My odds of outliving my money are greatly decreased, and that matters more to me than what her son may someday sell the land for. This is more than a money decision, it's a lifestyle decision.