Just Leav'n city life => 1.5 acres, PROJECT TIME!

[Tryn2C]

Ok, so here we now are... at age 60,

we are finally leaving the small site tract home retired

and jumping into 1.5 acres gently sloping long ways down (145' x 450') zoned rural residential county land allowing actual rural lifestyle (older home included).

Figure to put a 40' x 60' x 16' metal workshop/shed at the rear (bottom) of the site with an thick concrete apron on 2 sides (how large).

Gotta also grade a road down to this area (along the property line?) (gravel/asphalt?).

and trench in utilities (on the inside of the road? water, gas, elec. & cable tv?).

The slope is about 20' down to the 450' end rear of site, so the road down can be strait? (temperate climate SoCal area, little rain, almost no frost)

The workshop/shed should have a potty and work sink (yikes, a separate septic system?).

Since we are doing this anyway, we should upgrade the workshop/shed how? (skylights, high quality rolling doors, office & technical tools room, locking storage cages, bunks? ? ? ?)

Now the tractor??? This 1.5 acres sloping downward with the distant hills background view should be landscaped with my own tractor (tractor size needed?)

We should have a tractor with forklift attachments? all the pto goodies?

Or... we should not bug you all... because you all can refer us to more appropriate forum &/or website locations? (this forum is huge, so you all must know lots, so this is the place to be?)

Thanks in advance... and sorry if we read as just... boring newbie wannabee posers... Just Tryn2C

 

[void777]

Tryn2C
Tryn2C :welcome: to TBN what it your budget based on what you discribe a BX from kubota or a MT125 Ls even used would work for you.

 

[ericm979]

Have a pro who understands your local soils make the road. While SoCal does not get a lot of rain total it can come in large storms and the soils often erode easily. You want the road to be able to withstand storms and not wash out or dump a lot of silt off your property.

Check your local zoning and codes to see what's practical and affordable for your shop. Here on a rural zoning when under 2.5 acres it's much more restrictive and adding a building that needs its own septic can be problematic.

Garage Journal forums can give you ideas and input for your shop. Being in a high fire danger area you'll want to consider fire safety in your shop design and how you maintain the landscape. We have that issue as well. For example when I re-roofed the barn we put in skylights. They let light in but in a fire they can break and let in embers. When I build the shop it probably will not have skylights.

 

[Einthewoods]

As far as the gravel vs asphalt, not sure what state you're in. Does it snow there? Will you have to plow it? If gravel/stone, will it bother you to have to fix it in the spring for the stone that got moved by the plow?

For the tractor, are there trees you plan to clear? Heavy tilling for gardens? Plan to move lots of material for your landscape projects?

For your shop, it all comes down to how deep your pockets are. I'd have a full bar staffed with a bartender if I could.:laughing:

 

[Gary Fowler]

First, I don't understand why you would need such a large shop for just 1.5 acres. You certainly wont need a tractor bigger than a subcompact (Kubota BX) or compact (Kubota B series) for any work that you would do on 1.5 acres. Where I live that is just a small lawn (mine is about 6 acres in size) and a BX with a FEL should work well for any landscaping activity.
As for the shop- unless you plan to also include a living quarters in it, that is much too large for any activity involved with the 1.5 acres of land. Unless you plan to use the building to make a second story, any equipment that you need would fit well in a 10 foot ceiling height (allowing for standard garage door clearance of 1' would still give you 9' of inside clearance.) This lower ceiling would allow for easier heating and cooling of the structure.

Without some further info on what your plans for the property are, we cant give you much advice. While a 1.5 acre tract may seem like a lot when moving from a residential standard 60x100 lot, it really isn't much when looking at a tractor for maintenance compared to a push mower for your previous residence.

 

[atsah]

A subcompact tractor 22-25hp should more than you need, the subcompact tractors thread lightly so you will be able to use it on your lawn and all over your 1.5 acres. Have a professional make the driveway, it doesn't make any sense to buy a bigger tractor than you need to do one job and then it be to big to use for everything else.

If you can swing asphalt that's what I would do, make sure whomever does the job prepares the driveway correctly. Not sure if you have much frost were your located but preparation is key in making a driveway hold up for a long time.

 

[boomer1025]

Here's something to help with your septic problem: Official Home of the Electric Incinerating ToiletIncinolet.com
The gray water could just go to a drain field.
The building is a good size for a workshop, I wouldn't make it any smaller. Just locate it so in the future there is room to expand if needed.
Any of the small sub-compact tractors would work for 1.5 acres.
Enjoy your new place and make it what you want, just remember there are alot of people who love telling you how to spend your money.