Moving to the Farm

wolftree · Sep 8, 2013

Tororider,

I built the home I am now living in largely by myself, hiring only what was necessary. I lived in a mobile home as well while building. It took me four years, as I paid for the materials as I went rather than a mortgage.

Best wishes to you on your new begining.

dave1949 · Sep 8, 2013

When our oldest was 2 yrs old, we moved from an second floor apartment with no yard or outdoor space, to a lot with a mobile. After a couple years we built a house behind the mobile. Except for the brick chimney and hanging the dry wall, I did that myself. The first summer I got the foundation and floor in, it was a ranch on a crawlspace. We moved into the next fall, although there was lots to do yet.

The trailer was no beauty and I sure didn't miss it when it was gone, but it was a way to get to our goal. It's not a bad way to build. Your materials are secure, you are there so you can work for an hour if that's all you have with no wasted drive time, etc. The barn will be helpful.

When you place your septic system and run the utilities, try to make them work for the eventual house location as much as possible.

If you pour a slab for the trailer, I would try to position it and build it to be useful for something later on assuming the mobile leaves eventually, get your money's worth that way.

Stimw · Sep 9, 2013

In 1998 I sold my house in the city and paid cash for 2 rural acres with an old mobile home.
I did some repairs to the home to make it liveable and lived in it for 13 years.
Two years ago I bought a custom designed (by me) new upper end Manufactured Home. The new home cost less than $40.00 a sq ft. Try building a house for that!
If you haven't looked at the quality of Manufactured homes today check them out in your area. They still build the lower quality/cheap homes but if you pay a little more you get a lot better quality.
I put a deposit on the home and they entered it into the factory build schedule and had it built in 4 days!!!
One other advantage is my taxes didn't go up that much.
I believe less is more! If I don't spend it I don't have to earn it! I have been out of debt since 1998.
If I had to go back to a subdivision I would lose my mind!!

ultrarunner · Sep 9, 2013

Do you guys have to renew your permits each year?

Here... you have 12 months from the start date to finish before the city collect fees for each extension...

It can get complicated because earth moving is only allowed after the rainy season is over.

creekbend · Sep 9, 2013

It would be in your best interest to check with the County that you are moving to. If it gets very cold in the area, I would suggest Double Pane windows.

Tororider · Sep 9, 2013

Wolftree, I plan to do similar to what you did. One of the reasons for the move is to get and stay debt free.

When we build, I would like to build with ICFs doing as much of it as I can myself. I have looked at pre fab houses and that would be a consideration as well.

The location of the septic leaves very little wiggle room because of our soils. We will be able to have a conventional septic, but it will be deep. Based on test holes at least 14 feet.

The slab for the mobile will be used as a full sized basketball court when the mobile is removed.

wolftree · Sep 9, 2013

Tororider,

If your mobile home is older, I HIGHLY suggest that you go through and replace EVERY electrical receptacle and switch. I ended up replacing every one in my mobile home before I moved out. The factory receptacles melted, tripping the breaker each time.

Consider SIPs(structural insulated panels) as a means of construction as well if you haven't already.

Tororider · Sep 9, 2013

Wolftree, our mobile home is a 2003 unit, I would hope that we would be good with the electrical.

SIPS would be another consideration. I would truly prefer an icf build, but I have a while to figure that out.

Tororider · Sep 9, 2013

This is where we have the septic marked out as of now.

These pictures show where we have the mobile home marked out. We are trying to find the right balance between being behind the barn, but keeping as many trees as we can.