[JerseyGiantChick]

Husband works with electricity, not the home power. After asking he is thinking about solar panels now, have to be patient to wait and see. Could mean I have to guve the kitchen garden, but that is the best and safest spot to put the panels. Do not want them on our home, maybe we can put them on Stellage and plant under them. There are farmers planting vegetable and fruit under the panels way up.

Water with ibc 1000 l tanks system, also filter system with plants. And fish is on our planning, with vegetables and small fruit like strawberry.

[JerseyGiantChick]

Wow what a story, so you got the land with building site. Maybe you can build the most and than save and build ready in stages.

[CarolinaCarefree]

This is exactly where we are. We have the land and are in the planning stage of building. As we are an older couple that have lived in large houses before and have lived in apartments,, we have come to the conclusion that all we need is a smaller (not tiny) house, all onn one floor. We have figured out that getting older may mean not going up and down stairs easily, so eliminate the from the start. A small kitchen, living area, and two bedrooms, (one for visitors,or out-laws, I mean in-laws.) With two full baths. Again one for us and the other for every one else. To make up for the small kitchen inside, we want to do an outdoor covered kitchen area. For get together. Small herb garden nearby maybe between the house and outdoor kitchen. Well, that’s what we would like, we shall see what we get. The thing is the older we get, the less we want. I’ll start with a small shed to keep my tools in at the site, until we can build the rest. Since I have done some building of houses on mission trips I have some knowledge. As well as some plumbing and electrical experience. So at least that’s a start.

[JerseyGiantChick]

Maybe living units are a possibility, like Living Tradition (please correct me if it is nit right). Fertig Häuser they call them over here, build the units and than place them on the site. Maybe it can be built and placed in faces and not at once, so save between is possible.

[Hippocrates_Garden]

Well, to start it would be passive solar. If I get to build from scratch, why in the world would I build something that will, over it’s life require -more- energy to remain comfortable, rather than less energy. Design to capture free energy first.

Smaller, not larger. partly goes with the above, but also, less to clean, less space to lose stuff in, force me to downsize to what’s needed. I keep remembering George Carlin’s skit about having too much stuff, then getting a bigger house, which has empty space so you need MORE STUFF!

As much as possible, materials that biodegrade, so stone, wood, fiber etc. less plastic.

And situated on a permculture-based homestead so that what I need often is close, and systems are connected for resiliency and abundance.

Lastly, not in a town or city. My tolerance for booming automotive sound systems and loud exhaust has been exceeded. Give me a rooster crowing, any day.

[Jen-in-Ok]

I would look into adding solar hot water (builditsolar is a great resource )

and i so want to build a methane digester here for cooking gas. but i do have lots of animals and things to feed it with here.

[BiggKidd]

We have been using solar hot water for several years now it’s great compared to other options when off grid.

[Jen-in-Ok]

I want a solar hot water too!! one day I’m going to build me one ; )

[NanaKK]

DREAM HOME!!!

Wow… presently we live on 1.2 acres, rural little town in Northern Arkansas. Would love to have 10+ acres. I drew up plans years ago using a 40 x 80 Pole Barn. Self sufficient. Half for living, half for garage, workshop, and storage. but I guess a pipe dream. At 65 yrs don’t see it happening unless we win lottery…lol

But if wanting to have ideas, look up European old farm houses. They have lasted years for a reason.

Prayers and Blessings sent, hope your dreams come true

[Redcap]

If I could have designed our house, I would have used a lot of passive solar and gravity-feed rainwater. Solar heated water (not panels, just black tanks) running under the floors for heat maybe. I also would have lived somewhere less humid but still had four seasons (is that possible?) so I could use evaporative cooling in summer. I would also have a nice but small wood cookstove which would also heat the house. And light tubes in the ceilings to replace a lot of lanterns or candles – well installed so they don’t constantly leak rain. I’d also have a nice laundry wash-tub set-up in a large cool room/pantry. Definitely want a root cellar and if I was super lucky, would have a spring and build a spring house around it. An outhouse is good enough for me. I don’t like composting toilets in the house. I’d rather have a honey bucket inside for cold weather and still go outside for the smellies.

[Maranatha]

If I were to start from scratch, I would be building with a keen eye to sustainability and energy efficiency. I would build an earthbag home, with a cellar underneath or half sunk into the ground.

Earthbag homes are impervious to fire, termites, and gunfire. They are very resistant to weather and disasters, especially earthquakes.

Incredibly easy to heat and stays cool in the summer. Combined with a rocket mass heater, you can heat in the winter somewhere around ⅛ of the firewood you would need in a regular framed home.

• This reply was modified 1 month, 2 weeks ago by  Maranatha.

[Magnoliahomestead]

Currently living in a house built in 1795 in East Tennessee. Built be a Methodist preacher who settled 1600 acres. Unfortunately, it is down to sitting on 1.1 acres. He built this house using materials from his land. First stick built house in the area. Made 6” walls so didn’t need insulation. Hoping to add solar electric and hot water.

[BiggKidd]

Nice!

[cloudy]

I owned a 4000 sq foot gallery. I know exactly what you mean. I didn’t loose it I just closed it. That was a bad year for almost everyone. I really love the ranch style, but limited to that style. For me, I’d have a good sized kitchen living area where friends and family can visit, but most importantly it has to have a studio. I’m an artist and I work lots of mediums. a basement would be great pray least a root cellar.

[BakerHillFarm]

That is quite the turn of events. I hope you will get to build the way you desire.

For me, I like where we are but my husband would love to be in the mountains. I do wish we had a creek coming through our property though! That would be ideal. Solar panels and all that are great, that’s on the dream list- but a creek! A creek that is running downstream through my property would be awesome. Maybe one day! 😉