If you have built or were to build your retreat house what features would you want?

[Grand58742]

I have no concerns with neighbors that build shooting ranges because they are doing it right. What our issues are here is the 5 acre dreams who step out of the trailer and shoot the 06 at the beer cans laying on the fenceline between them and their neighbor. I would in fact like to have a neighbor that might lemme use the range and help them build a good backstop as a neighborly gesture by showing up with a dozen railroad ties or soemthing

Funny you mention that...

[SCinPNW]

Great feedback, and great idea on how to be a good neighbor.

Thanks,
SC

[motesjm]

We bought our land and built a house about 5 years ago: We just about got to start from scratch on this, and I got almost everything I wanted in the end - even then, I'd change a great deal of what I wanted in the begining. I wish this had been a practice house - the next one I'm gonna get perfect.

Here's what I wanted:

Land:

20 Acres
Mix of open and wooded land, mix of flat and rolling hills
Running but not navigable waterway
Pond
No line of sight neighbors
Fenced areas for livestock
Good wildlife
Good soil
Well water


House:
Plenty of room for stores and for increasing the family, maybe taking some in
Fireplace central to the house with enough room to cook in it
Outdoor kitchen
Large inside kitchen, walk-in pantry, plenty of cabinet space
Propane Cooktop
Solar backup for critical items and lighting
360 views from upstairs
Basement
Well built, Good insulation, No exposed wood, Masonry exterior

I found 40 acres off the beaten path without utilities on site for about the same price as most 20 acres parcels with power and public water. Since I wanted well water anyway, I could live without public water. It cost about 4k to get power to the property line, and I took it underground from there to the house myself for about another 1k.

There wasn't a pond on the property when i bought it but with some creative use of the basement excavation dirt and existing topography I was able to get about 1.5 acres of runoff catchment pond.

The fireplace works great, if you are in the room with it, but it doesnt heat the rest of the house the way I thought it would. If I rebuilt, this would definitely get revised.

As for the neighbors, I wish we were within sight of each other now. Being out of sight makes the place vulnerable when we are gone. Turns out I have some really good down to earth neighbors across the woods. Its a shame we can't keep an eye out on each others places when need be.

If I rebuilt I would also downsize the house. At the time I thought we would probably have 2 or 3 more kids, but the last one has convinced me to re-think that plan. There's a lot of room that doesnt get used now.

[SCinPNW]

Motesjm, thank you for your feedback, your suggestions are really good.

Some of what you learned we have learned as well but not because we built a place in the country. Over 13 years ago we built our current house, however it is in a neighborhood. Our lessons learned are:

House:
1. We built a large house and are now ready to down size to a much smaller house;
2. We want a really nice non-electric woodstove that we can cook on if we want;
3. If possible, we are hoping to have an in the ground basement. I say "if possible" because we have a very high water table here and in the ground basements are very prone to having major water problems;
4. Lots of storage is a must. We have lots now, but it would be nice to have more;
5. Generator vs. no generator. We currently have a generator and it has been one of my favorite things we installed as it runs the entire house and has been used a lot. About 6 years ago we have a really bad winter storm with super high winds and our power was out for 7 days. Our generator, which is connected to natural gas ran for the entire time and our lives did not change at all. Now our neighbors have a different story to tell, many of them left to go stay in a hotel, and the few who did have generators had gas generators and assuming they even got them started they then ran out of gas very quickly and there were no open stations within at least 25 miles. The obvious downside to the generator is the noise. I need to figure out some alternatives that will compliment a generator that we can use if needed, but not all the time in a power outage situation.
6. A low maintenance house. That means having a metal roof, easy care siding, etc.

Land:
1. We are striving to have the right amount of land, not too much that we are just paying property taxes on something we are not using verses having enough to do what we want and then some. As I mentioned up thread, we live in an area where every piece of land has county defined wetlands on it so purchasing 10 acres may net you about 2 plus usable acres.
2. We want privacy, but also neighbors that are not too far away;
3. Property #2 mentioned above has a stream and a waterfall on the very back of the property, so in a PAW situation, you might be able to use that to your advantage. Currently, you would not to mess with it or the county will get on your case.
4. It has to be very sunny. Currently in do not get any sun in our backyard due to all of the trees which we cannot cut down due to the wetlands on and around our property. So any new property has to have lots of sun for the areas where I will be growing my garden, fruit trees, berries, etc.

I am sure there is a lot more I could write, but I need to take the dog for a walk and get busy with my day.

Thanks again for your feedback.

SC

[dusso]

if it's to be a retreat, the land should not be owned by you. Ask Randy Weaver about how easy it was for Big Bro to ruin his life, find him, etc. Corporations can own property, and there's literally a million square miles of BLM land out west. If you "think" that your neighbors won't turn looter if shtf (and I mean in a week or 2), you are deluded. So this homestead thing and shtf don't go together. hundreds of people will know about your place. people talk, guys. If 10 people know, then 100 people know, count on it.

I've been able to pay homeless/poor people to "own" vehicles for me, all sorts of stuff like that. I know that I can get them to "lease" a bit of land in their name. :-) If I had to or wanted to, that is. But I won't pay for such a thing. Mining claims are 20 acres for $120 a year, giving you all the rights of an owner as long as you are paid up. One claim up north and one down south are all you could possibly need.

[motesjm]

Dusso, I think you are on an entirely different plane than me. If you see me dragging my family off to a mining claim or secluded gully on public land you can bet I'm grasping for straws.

Survival is more than continuing existence.

[DIM TIM]

My first thought is an emergency escape tunnel.

[protus]

My first thought is an emergency escape tunnel.

spider hole?

[SCinPNW]

I have thought of the emergency escape tunnel through the basement, however, I am pretty sure it would have to be added after the county was done with their inspections and had signed off on the living permit. ;)

SC

[Grand58742]

I have thought of the emergency escape tunnel through the basement, however, I am pretty sure it would have to be added after the county was done with their inspections and had signed off on the living permit. ;)

SC

Complete plans on achieving same can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkwmIDx9RwQ

[SCinPNW]

LOL, thanks Grand I will be sure to save that link for the when the time comes to make the changes to our foundation. ;)

Great movie by the way.

SC