My plan after retirement in 2 years, unless everything keeps falling apart and inflation screws that up. I plan to do extended stays up there of months at a time, both summer and winter. By that time it should be livable. Its actually better now than some of the places we lived as a kid. My sister and I were just joking about that. At least has heat and electricity, couple times as a kid we didn't have that.
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The cabin remodel
- Thread starter m1west
- Start date
The wife thinks we could move there and live. I know the truth is that we could live there and survive. The business will die without me driving it. I don't think my son has the spunk and spurs to keep it going. So it will shut down. Some parts may go tocustomer one of which is in Springfield MO, near Hippie Ridge.
I would love to live off grid. I don't believe most people, including my wife, understand what that actually will be like.
No internet
Running water if you run, don't walk, to the well or creek
Laundry isn't a pod tossed in a machine and push a button
Cooking requires more that defrosting meat and starting the stove.
Dishes have to be washed BY HAND!
Leisure time is virtually nonexistent. If you have too much of it, you don't exist for long.
The garden produces food if you work at it, and learn how to can it.
The daily routine is the same struggle every day.
The necessities of life, TP, bacon, scotch become very dear.
It never goes away until you die.
Yes living off grid, without running water, electricity or internet would be tough.
I have all those things at the cabin, winter would still be tough.
I don't plan on living there. where I live is great 9 months of the year with 3 months of f*&^king hot. we are in the last few days of that here now. I have confidence my son will be able to run the business, he knows all the customers, some on a personal level and they like him.
My plan is to live here in Valley Springs and do extended stays on the mountain. I would like it done to where its just the fun place to go, but in reality is I will likely finish the inside over the next year or so is realistic.
Then move outside and who knows what I will think of, right now outside includes adding natural stone to the exterior thats laying everywhere up there and an outside kitchen with a big wood burning stone oven to do big pieces of meat on holidays, like a small pig or a whole rack of prime rib.
I have all those things at the cabin, winter would still be tough.
I don't plan on living there. where I live is great 9 months of the year with 3 months of f*&^king hot. we are in the last few days of that here now. I have confidence my son will be able to run the business, he knows all the customers, some on a personal level and they like him.
My plan is to live here in Valley Springs and do extended stays on the mountain. I would like it done to where its just the fun place to go, but in reality is I will likely finish the inside over the next year or so is realistic.
Then move outside and who knows what I will think of, right now outside includes adding natural stone to the exterior thats laying everywhere up there and an outside kitchen with a big wood burning stone oven to do big pieces of meat on holidays, like a small pig or a whole rack of prime rib.
When we built out in the country we built a combination of our dream home & our cabin in the woods.
Now it is too big, with too many windows and too inefficient. I keep looking at solar and wind power but my state is smart enough to not offer me "tax incentives" (paid for by my neighbors) to install that stuff so it is not actually economically feasible to put a solar roof on my home. And the lovely Mrs_Bob likes when I have the swimming pool set to 90 (F) degrees. So we are not really the most efficient home in the area!!!
This year I put new heat reflecting solar film on the windows, that helped a lot. I turned the pool heater down, and now turn it up the day before I expect she will jump in. But we are a long way away from living "off grid" given the size and lifestyle we lead. I'd love to be more independent.
Two water systems, two septic systems, 2 generators (1 full home NG system + 1 emergency gasoline), but a long way away from cabin living.
Now it is too big, with too many windows and too inefficient. I keep looking at solar and wind power but my state is smart enough to not offer me "tax incentives" (paid for by my neighbors) to install that stuff so it is not actually economically feasible to put a solar roof on my home. And the lovely Mrs_Bob likes when I have the swimming pool set to 90 (F) degrees. So we are not really the most efficient home in the area!!!
This year I put new heat reflecting solar film on the windows, that helped a lot. I turned the pool heater down, and now turn it up the day before I expect she will jump in. But we are a long way away from living "off grid" given the size and lifestyle we lead. I'd love to be more independent.
Two water systems, two septic systems, 2 generators (1 full home NG system + 1 emergency gasoline), but a long way away from cabin living.
Loading up for a week long construction period at Hippie Ridge.
My gravel guy has let me down so I will be hauling and unloading 3 pickup loads of 1" minus base rock.
The prefab cabin shell arrives this Thursday.
Cathy and I cleared and fixed the incoming road. 3/4 of a mile we blazed thru the woods during the last year.
The house comes Thursday AM. I told the guy, "Bring chainsaws and loppers for the county gravel road coming in."
Once set, I plan to hook up temporary power with some Romex off the meter pole.
I have 60 "H" blocks and some lumber in the way. Like 20 or so 16' treated 6x6's. and 4x4's. I should move them and dig a trench to put that Romex in pipe so the cows don't disturb it. I could then use that wire to pull the big wire for main power this winter.
I will be off the internet until this coming Sunday night.
My gravel guy has let me down so I will be hauling and unloading 3 pickup loads of 1" minus base rock.
The prefab cabin shell arrives this Thursday.
Cathy and I cleared and fixed the incoming road. 3/4 of a mile we blazed thru the woods during the last year.
The house comes Thursday AM. I told the guy, "Bring chainsaws and loppers for the county gravel road coming in."
Once set, I plan to hook up temporary power with some Romex off the meter pole.
I have 60 "H" blocks and some lumber in the way. Like 20 or so 16' treated 6x6's. and 4x4's. I should move them and dig a trench to put that Romex in pipe so the cows don't disturb it. I could then use that wire to pull the big wire for main power this winter.
I will be off the internet until this coming Sunday night.
take pictures
chowderman
Well-known member
a local farm stand with an adjoining 'dip' got . . . 60-80 tons? / mega heap . . .of crushed stone dumped there....
I'll be curious to see what the plans are.
Ii have moved crusted stone - shovels and garden tractor cart.... not gonna' ever do that again.
I'll be curious to see what the plans are.
Ii have moved crusted stone - shovels and garden tractor cart.... not gonna' ever do that again.
I did. I'll post on Monday.
Got the site ready by Thursday AM. Ranthe incoming route and measured to be sure the unit would fit.
Still the Delivery guys managed to ruin the front half or the roofing against a tree trunk.
Unit is OK but the sheet meatal roof needs to be replaced. And one corner needs some carpentry work.
They settled the house on the gravel pad, and we bumped it a bit back and forth. Level as lake water. No leveling wedges required. Just as I planned.
I wired it with a 20 amp quad box for starters.
Set more 1' minus gravel around the base to secure it.
Ordered 24 ton of ballast rock for the front porch retaining wall work. I'll be setting 120 "H" block retaining wall bricks and back filling with ballast rock.
Then spent two days clearing weeds and junk, burning more of the termite infested lumber, and spraying the long driveway for weeds and grass.
Sounds like a weekend success. Its always nice to get something big done, I never made it to the work cabin yet, first the dog got the shits, then it started raining here. Not going to get much done outside in the rain. The weather cooled a lot here and no rain forecasted, so the trip is planned for later this week.
Gary O'
Well-known member
I coulda written this
Few actually live off grid in a mountain cabin
Not very many of those that do, stay for long
Leisure time is dear
The rest of it becomes redundant after the first couple years
The roof is almost done, water and wind tight. Worse project up there hands down was the roof. I went there Wednesday and it rained so didn't get much done, Thursday I got out there at daylight. There were 36- 15-1/2" z channels that had to be installed on the peak to get above the standing rib, for the ridge cap to snap onto. I was fresh and could sit on the ridge for most of that, but it was still difficult. Next it was time for the ridge cap. The roof is 10 on 12 pitch for the snow, with the new roof its super slippery to where you have to get a run at it on the low roof and the success rate of getting to the top is 50/50 at best. When I got up there I couldn't sit on the ridge anymore due to bending the z channels, so the only way not to slide down is to push your feet out sideways into the ribs with enough force to hold you then work with one hand. There is not a lot of clearance between the inside crimp on the ridge cap and the z channel so snapping them on was no fun at all. The z channels took around 2 hours, the ridge cap took more than 4 hours because of fatigue and many tries. When I got the ridge cap all done I sat down in the cabin for 30 minutes and it was difficult to get back up. The next morning every muscle in my body was hurting from doing isometrics trying not to slide, and I have been working out regular at home. I sealed the lower roof seam with buttle tape just because there are high winds up there when raining and wanted to eliminate any chance of leaking. The upper roof leads over the low roof more than 6" and sealing it was over kill, but whatever, its done. Also I started hemming the roof around the plywood underlayment, I started with the corners because the outside of the corners were not screwed down. I will do that when the z channels are installed for the flashing, that won't happen until I stone the exterior. Its done enough to where its not going to come loose or leak anywhere. When I walked in the cabin when I got there it had been raining off and on for weeks. The first thing I noticed was how dry it felt in there. In the past when it rained a lot it always felt damp and cold. I guess it was worth all the trouble, just didn't fell like it when I was doing it. All the hard structural jobs are done now, its time to move to the finish work. Im really happy with the solar also. Turn the hot water tank on at around 9am, water hot at noon then shut it off, stays hot until the next day. During the day you could run everything un effecting the battery charge. At night, I used the microwave a couple times, pressure pump when flushing the toilet or using the sink, LED lights, computer etc. Go to sleep around 9pm. Next morning use the coffee maker , pressure pump and microwave before daylight. Full charge is 30.1 volts, in the morning it is still around 23 volts, it goes low voltage and cuts off at 19 volts. When I add a washer/ dryer and refrigerator I will also add another battery pack. All the big stuff like hot water tank and refridgrerator will be on timers. I think the inverters parasitic drain is using as much battery as the appliances at night. I could shut the inverter off but then I couldn't flush the toilet or make coffee in the morning without going to the container and turning it back on.Im wondering if I can set up a remote to turn it on and off from the cabin. If you practice what your mom told you and turn the lights off and don't waist energy its acceptable. The only time I felt short of electricity up there was during the fires last year, solar doesn't work through smoke very well at all. While I was there I disconnected the spring line from the water tank and drained the water from everything in the cabin. Im not sure if I will get back up there before the freeze. Over and out.
Gary O'
Well-known member
Yeah, I gave my shop roof a 12/12 pitch
Snow load
and
Easy cuts
Heh, metal is extremely slippery
I used an extension ladder on the scaffold to lay on
Wife took a pic when I was laying the felt;
Stretching out with my arm, and my leg the other way for balance, to sink a screw just outa reach, so I didn't have to move that ladder again
Yeah, sore
Its a lot of fun. Just glad I didn't have to do anything on the back side, the panels are around 14' then around 13' onto rocks, because the cabin sits on a slope the rock foundation is bout 5' then 8 ' wall
My son and I are headed to the work cabin tomorrow returning Sunday. Plan is to haul off the old roofing materials and some other clean up. Also want to start the D7 Cat put it on some wood so its not in the dirt for the winter and tarp the Pony motor, especially the Magneto. Then do some shooting and hiking. The kid found his cabin site up there when we did the roof, now he wants to lay it out where he wants it with stakes. Next year he wants to start on it. Weather forecast says it could snow there next week. Pictures and report on my return.
Cabin with temporary deck set
Looking good its only work and $$$
Eventually, that deck set will be on the back of the cabin. Two loads of ballast rock will expand the base in front of the cabin and a larger 12X 50 foot deck will be in the front built on top of an "H" block retaining wall.
The house faces west and there is a great view down the valley.
All that said, this weekend is about wall insulation and framing in for two door sets. Pre-hung double slab glass doors I bought years ago. One goes where the current front door is, and the other is exactly on the opposite east facing wall.
The house faces west and there is a great view down the valley.
All that said, this weekend is about wall insulation and framing in for two door sets. Pre-hung double slab glass doors I bought years ago. One goes where the current front door is, and the other is exactly on the opposite east facing wall.
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So, went to the work cabin with my son , with the objective of getting rid of the old roofing materials from the re roof. Friday made a dump run up there and on the way back stopped for lunch. The kid ordered steak tacos and I had a bacon cheeseburger and fries, kid ate 3 of his six tacos and took the rest to go. Got back to the cabin and hiked all over looking for water above the home site the kid chose. We found a couple good prospects for a spring and he can explore them later. Next morning I woke up at my usual 4:30. I used my phone for light, I didn't want to turn the main light on as the kid ws still sleeping, or so I thought. Made coffee and was sitting in a chair by Mr Buddy the heater. Thats when I heard the slight moaning of the kid. Seems he ate the rest of his tacos around 9pm before he went down and around midnight he woke up in severe stomach pain. He never got off the mattress all day except to hurl a couple times, by bedtime he was fine again. I strapped the trailer down with the materials to recycle, 90% of the old corrugated roofing is aluminum and likely got a few hundred pounds to take in. Also covered the pony motor on the cat with a tarp. Drained all the water out of the cabin and shut everything down. We got back yesterday around 3 pm. This morning I went to town and accelerated hard in a high gear, they engine reved a little higher then pulled back, I tested it a couple more times, my friggin clutch is going out. Called clutch pro and the want $2200.00 to put a clutch in a Nissan 2x4. Called the auto parts $360.00 for the clutch, pressure plate, throwout and alignment tool as a kit. Guess what I will be doing for a couple days. Forecast says 100% chance of rain/snow Tuesday,Saturday, Sunday and next Wednesday up there. The other thing I encountered was when I drove up the off grid part of the road there were 5 trees blown down across the road on the way up and my cabin neighbor was just there last week. I didn't bring my chainsaw and thought I was screwed. I tried to move them by hand anyway and found they were so dried out it felt like balsa wood or styrofoam. 10" diameter 8' long was maybe 20#. I think over the winter a lot of those dead trees are going to come down. Going to be a cleanup nightmare next year and a big fire hazard until its done.
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Whilst I did get the insulation up on the walls, the door frame-out failed.
1) Crumpy changed the plan to just one of the door sets
2) With the Dodge broke down in St Louis, I couldn't bring the doors down.
1) Crumpy changed the plan to just one of the door sets
2) With the Dodge broke down in St Louis, I couldn't bring the doors down.
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My god man, that looks sooooooooooo desolate
Yes there is 5 miles of that when you leave the pavement. That area got sterilized in the fire, it burned in weird patterns like fingers, leaving other areas completely untouched.
Well its been since last October the last trip to the work cabin, my son and I are going to make the trip Thursday and come back Sunday.
Going to do some shooting, I want to start the D7 so it doesn't sit for a year without running, Starting the pony motor will be a joy I'm sure. Son wants to stake his building site, hook up the spring pipe. Also taking the weed eater, some wierd plant grew last year 6' high and dried out in the late summer making a fire hazard. Also taking the chain saw, when I went in October I didn't take it and as it goes there was a widow maker fallen tree caught in another on the driveway rout. All of the hard projects are done there now and its time to do the finish work. I have a little plywood and insulation to finish on one wall and want to add couple more wall outlets before I call it good. It will be in the high 70's up there and I'm looking forward to that. Full report on my return.
Going to do some shooting, I want to start the D7 so it doesn't sit for a year without running, Starting the pony motor will be a joy I'm sure. Son wants to stake his building site, hook up the spring pipe. Also taking the weed eater, some wierd plant grew last year 6' high and dried out in the late summer making a fire hazard. Also taking the chain saw, when I went in October I didn't take it and as it goes there was a widow maker fallen tree caught in another on the driveway rout. All of the hard projects are done there now and its time to do the finish work. I have a little plywood and insulation to finish on one wall and want to add couple more wall outlets before I call it good. It will be in the high 70's up there and I'm looking forward to that. Full report on my return.
So we got there Thursday around 11 am and stopped for lunch. Friday morning I wanted to start the D7 so we drained the old gas from the pony motor gas tank and refilled with Fresh and I added some Seafoam to it. It hasn't run since May 2022 when it was taken up there and set through a long snowy winter. Turned the fuel on and primed the carburetor. Amazingly it took right off with only a few pulls on the crank. The Main Diesel engine also fired right up, I let it run for a while and pushed over a few small trees, then parked it on them to keep the tracks from sinking in the dirt like it did last year. Next year I will change the fluids and do a valve adjustment and put it to work. Also did weed eating as these weird plants started growing after the fire and get 6 feet high then die and turn brown. Then had to change a couple shark bites on my plumbing where the line pushed out over the winter due to water not completely draining ( I need to address that ) as well as another toilet tank broke. I flushed the toilet last fall after I turned the water off and it still broke with only a few inches of water left in the bottom. This year I will either suck it all out with a wet vac or add some RV antifreeze. The cabin had no leaks or other issues, I hadn't been there for nearly a year. There were no bugs or spider webs either so the new roof is really doing a good job. My son had picked out his cabin site last year so he laid out where its going to go, pounded stakes in the corners and painted them red. That will be another job for the D7 cutting the road in. Started cutting dead trees around the cabin. This morning before heading home I made a materials list to get for the next trip. Next trip I have a little wiring to do adding a plug or 2 for outside and a switch so I can have an outside flood light. After that its walls and flooring, that shouldn't take very long. I took some video of the Bulldozer running and working but made them to long and couldn't send them to the computer. I would like to make a couple more trips before the snow flies sometime in November.
Sounds like quite the adventure. Gotta love sharkbite fittings for quick plumbing fixes. That d7 will sure be handy for you.