Starting building plans for house on BOL

[apssbc]

Hello all after the crazy events of last week I can finally post this. As a few people may know from previous posts on this site and another my grandparents have a bol free for my use. To preface the story, I helped my grandma and grandpa bury their dog. She had a known heart condition that couldnt be fixed, so we were expecting this. I went up to the bol to help them bury the dog. I was informed by them that anytime I wanted I could build a house on the property. This got me very excited and got the wheels turning. The fiancee and I have had plans for this for a while and were given the official go ahead. We wont be building untill she is done with school and gets a job up there as a physical therapist. Luckily job opportunities are abound, and as long as nothing major happens should still be in a year and a half when shes done. I can do much of the work myself as my father and I are jacks of all trades and have built and finished many houses. Ive worked cement, electrical, roofing, rough construction. Ive done almost every project you can imagine.

The property is 80 acres mostly wooded with three large ponds. We have electricity, two wells and 2 hand pump wells. There is a large hill we have on the west side, a major ditch on the east side, un-improved road on the south, and a few large homes on another 80 acres on the north. The area is a few miles from a small town. The ground is mostly gravel and sand, some areas are a peat bog, and the rest is wooded with good soil. There are many deer, small game, and ponds are stocked. Agricultural land is limited on the property but there are thousands of ag land around us. Right now we have 3 mobile homes set up as cabins for my grandparents, my dad, and my uncle.

I am hoping for a 3 bedroom house, with large pole barn. A full basement with a room blocked out which I will finish for shelter and storage. I would like solar and electrical for power as backup to grid power. Also I want it super insulated, with lpg and a wood stove for backup, and a open floor plan. Also I would like brick outside and a metal roof. Would also like to have a nice porch to enjoy the nature. Ive done lots of research but am still unsure on many things.

These are my basic ideas. Now for my questions:
How can I design the house for natural cooling?
What type of lighting?
What type of fridge?
12v or 120?
Fue and LPG Storage?

I know these are just a few questions on this. I have plenty more I cant think of right now. Please let me know some things I missed. We are excited to look forward and start planning this to make it easier when the time comes. We have alot to look forward to and are excited for input and ideas.

[bacpacker]

That sounds like a sweet place. Family around, can't beat that.

One thing I will mention up front. You mentioned an open floor plan. The wife and I wanted that exact thing when we built and since it's just the two of us we thought why not. Well our house is a two story on a basement, but only 1400sq ft. Our upstairs is the master bedroom and bath and is open down into the living room below. when we have company or one of us wants to go to bed early or sleep in it is tough because of the noise. I would suggest locating the master B&B off to a remote location and fully insulate that area to deaden the sound. Other than that, an open floor plan is great our LR/Kitchen is all one big open area. I also would not build any house without the basement. Storage and security during bad weather is fantastic.

Plan in as much storage as possible, both in the basement and upstairs. For cooling, situate your windows on multiple levels, that will let cool air come in the lower level and warm air out thru the top. Keep as much shade ( or plant) on the south and west sides of the house. Use a light colored roof material (we used a gray colored metal roof when we had to repair the hail damage last year and have seen a nice savings in power cost this year over years past). Insulate as heavy as you can afford. We built ours using 2x6 framing, instead of 2x4 for the extra fill.

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

I think it's great that you're finally getting started with your project. I'm canceling a Ham radio festival right now and weather permitting I'm going to go fire up that dam bull dozer and start knock down some trees and making things happen out there I have to clear an area for our house as well. We still haven't figured out which one but we do know that there is so many "energy efficient" methods that can be incorporated into the building process of your home. I could send you some links if you'd like. But the little women and my mind is boggled on just which one. We are initially going to go solar and then once I get all the hydro stations up and running I'm going to store the solar equip.

Do you have any flowing water or just the wells and ponds?
Are the ponds spring fed and raised, or man made?
You could do radiant heat in the flooring using passive solar.
There is an endless list of the things you can do.

Be safe.............the night is your friend

[eagle326]

I think it's great that you're finally getting started with your project. I'm canceling a Ham radio festival right now and weather permitting I'm going to go fire up that dam bull dozer and start knock down some trees and making things happen out there I have to clear an area for our house as well. We still haven't figured out which one but we do know that there is so many "energy efficient" methods that can be incorporated into the building process of your home. I could send you some links if you'd like. But the little women and my mind is boggled on just which one. We are initially going to go solar and then once I get all the hydro stations up and running I'm going to store the solar equip.

Do you have any flowing water or just the wells and ponds?
Are the ponds spring fed and raised, or man made?
You could do radiant heat in the flooring using passive solar.
There is an endless list of the things you can do.

Be safe.............the night is your friend


Brownwater be careful how you take down the trees with that Dozer. You don't want a dead limb ( widow maker ) to come down on you. Had 2 buddies in the Army who were hit with glancing blows on the head ; neck ; back area.
Also be sure not to get the blade above the roots when pushing over as it can get under your blade and put you in a bad position.
If there's a way to cut them down to stumps then take out would be safer.

Be safe out there BRR

[mitunnelrat]

Aaron,

My "Back to Basics" book has a section on heating and cooling. I'll get it to you.

[apssbc]

Excellent BWRR I would love the links. The planning stages are fun we can try and work the kinks out before hand. there is no running water. The ponds were man made but one is spring fed which is a plus.

Mtr we need to get together I would like to look over that book. Also I need to copy that cd I have you with all that info.

[Echo2]

Figure in installing REAL shutters....maybe even metal....lockable from inside.

3M film over all windows.

Anchor exterior door jambs into footers and roof members....extra strength hinges and dead bolts.

Even if you don't hook it up now.....wire for CCTV and lights at all corners of house.

If in budget....metal roof with ridge cap sprinklers.

Brick....or real masonry of some form.

Front door...back door....side door....and side door. Be able to exit from any side of the dwelling.

Build in a safe room/vault.....steel door and jamb....dead bolt from inside.

wood cook stove for heat in den/living room.....add water heater.

Keep shrubs away from exterior walls by 25 ft at minimum.....trim trees from "house fall zone".

have the guys doing your grader work to level off a large spot for garden....if you can afford it.......get them to move topsoil from house location to this ares.

Plan for exterior fuel storage area....if you are going to have masons around......a small block or brick....open faced area you can build a metal vented door later.

A patio off the kitchen area...with a kneewall around it......to be used as a exterior kitchen in the event.

When pouring footersplan on footers for elevated rainwater collection barrel framework....or have it feed interior...and feed toliets.

Over size your septic tank by 300%.....do not have gray water discharge enter septic. Have exterior septic sludge line for pumping.

Have hot water and stove run off propane....as large of tank as you can talk them into.....minimum of 500gal....1k is better.

As large of kitchen sink as you can stand....with commercial fixtures....(easier to clean small game) or in laundry room.

Either put one in or put in a box for a generator transfer switch.....plan the house for zones that you can completely cut off when not in use.

Hard wire for alarms....even if you don't instal yet.

A bit weird.....long view peepholes at the corners...they look like a marble stuck to the corner of a house....very wide angle.

Black out curtains.

I'm sure there is more.

[ak474u]

There are lots of simple things that don't cost much, frank Lloyd wright built homes with long eaves to provide shade on the windows and walls during the heat of the day, that's easy. Radiant barrier house wrap, foam, etc etc etc. remember, the more efficient the homes systems and insulation, the fewer solar panels. There is a new windmill that has a zero friction generator out now, it is built by Westinghouse, but i cant find it online my old boss sells and installs them, and it generates at almost any speed (think bicycle wheel with magnets on it surrounded by a magnetic shroud) if you have wind all the time, it would be pretty cool. Solar hot water is nice, but you have a little less summer than we do in Dallas. Lol. Also, since you have much cooler spring weather than we do, the old fashioned whole-house fans are coming back into style, but the new ones are smaller, more efficient, and don't leave a hole in the ceiling for your AC to escape thru.

[msomnipotent]

You probably already know this, but it is important to make sure that the safe room door swings open into the safe room, and not out. We had plans drawn for a house, and the builder had the safe room doors swing out. I had to point it out to him. What happens if debris from a tornado is blocking the door? I got blocked in just today because the UPS man put my order of Bega cheese and Yoders bacon right up against my front door and I couldn't get the front door open without breaking the door or popping the hinges. I had to go out through the garage. And metal roofs are the best (IMO), but they are as loud as heck during a rain storm or hail. Our daughter was terrified when we were stuck in a storm in a rental house with a metal roof. I'm sure people would just get used to it, but maybe look into more insulation there? You also have to think about air quality. The better the insulation, the better you are protected from the outside, the worse the indoor air quality is. Especially if everything is new. I couldn't believe how my house smelled after new carpeting. And I have learned from experience that if you position your house so that it blocks sunlight to keep your house cool, your plants die. I had over 60 thriving plants in one sunny house (hot as hell in the summer) and all but 3 died after moving here. It is cooler in the summer but looks dismal and dark. It can really be depressing, and I'm not exaggerating. I love me some wrap around porches with long overhangs. My dream house would have them. But there would be no natural light on the first floor. Finally, how important is an open floor plan? I get that people love open floor plans and they are great for resale value, but for a BOL, I would think you would do better with pocket doors for each room. I love me some pocket doors as much as I love me some wrap around porches. You could divide rooms into bedrooms if needed, or triage, or even man cave/lady cave rooms. I fail to see why pocket doors fell out of fashion.

Don't get me wrong, I love your plans and I'm not trying to rain on your parade. It really sounds awesome. I'm just trying to give some thoughts. Good luck to you and the fiancee. And I am very sorry to hear about your grandparents' dog. I still miss my dog tremendously, even though we learned that she had a condition. Even though you know it is coming, you don't know it is coming right then.

[Echo2]

Good....lockable gates.....with barricades to prevent "drive around".....

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5025/5579380365_8ece7824fc_z.jpg

Plain....simple....to the point....literary...:)

[apssbc]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I will be writing them down and creating a want/need type list, or a list of specs.

Did you make the tire spike system?

[Echo2]

Yes....for road restriction around BOL.

[apssbc]

Excellent I have done some reading in army manuals and have seen some pretty awesome ideas for mobility restriction around the bol. I will have to look them up and post them.

[Twitchy]

Consider a safe room in the house as well... Not really sure on a way to do it though...

[realist]

I am currently planing on starting my cabin this month. This weekend one of the guys that I hunt with showed me some metalized insulation that is real thin. It has an R-15 value and is designed to be a house wrap and vapor barrier. It is thin and I plan on using it on my cabin. Take a look I hope it helps.

http://www.insulation4less.com/Insulation4lessProduct-1-Prodex-Total-48-Inch.aspx

[Sniper-T]

Good....lockable gates.....with barricades to prevent "drive around".....

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5025/5579380365_8ece7824fc_z.jpg

Plain....simple....to the point....literary...:)

I like these... a LOT!!!

Now I need to start collecting old pcs of chain. Gotta love a string of Caltrops!

a 50' length would be formidable launched from a trebuchet as well
or 10 - 5' lengths...

[Echo2]

hypothetically......If you needed to stop some one.....don't anchor it.......a logging chain wrapped around axles and drive shafts would be interesting.

[4suchatimeasthis]

When my husband and I were buying flooring from a local materials place, we saw a display for "Old Kentucky Logs", it was the first time I had ever heard of the idea, and it was fairly new then. Basically, a guy took apart an old cabin and made forms for the logs, exactly as they were, and started this company that makes CEMENT Log Cabins! The cost is about the same as a brick home. When my husband (Fire fighter) saw how well it was rated for fires, etc, he was sold. Whenever we finally get around to building (its in the 10 yr plan, not anytime soon), this is what we want! Even up close, up until you actually touch the "log", you would think its actual wood! I was extremely impressed!

http://www.oldkentuckylogs.com/aboutus.php

[ladyhk13]

I wish I could talk my dh into a straw bale house but he won't go for it. I love them.

[Echo2]

When we were kids.....we built a hay bail house complete with roof.

We camped in it a few times in the winter.....it was the warmest little shelter ever.

4 bails high...5 with the roof...and bail beds for 3 kids.

Only down side is fire was 50+ feet from shelter.....for safety reasons.

Been years since I thought of that.....:)

[Sniper-T]

... http://www.oldkentuckylogs.com/aboutus.php

I got some pricing on these... $6.50/sf or $52.00 for an 8 foot board.

def not cheap.

and shipping would be on top of that

:eek:

[ak474u]

I am currently planing on starting my cabin this month. This weekend one of the guys that I hunt with showed me some metalized insulation that is real thin. It has an R-15 value and is designed to be a house wrap and vapor barrier. It is thin and I plan on using it on my cabin. Take a look I hope it helps.

http://www.insulation4less.com/Insulation4lessProduct-1-Prodex-Total-48-Inch.aspx


That stuff looks interesting, however, if you just want to do a wrap, you may want to look up sigma technologies out of AZ, radiant barrier in contact with insulation has some issues with transmission of heat. I do radiant barrier for a living, and I get to pull out insulation covered with foil every week because it is transmitting heat, and retaining lots of moisture. As a house wrap, it would probably be ok, DON'T install the product you linked to in an attic! Radiant barrier in an attic is great IF, it is rafter based. I have a hard time with laminated/insulated radiant barrier products that purport to work, only because the guy who invented radiant barrier also invented the thermos, which uses an air space to insulate against transmission of heat or cold, we use the same principle in the installation of our products.

[ladyhk13]

Consider a safe room in the house as well... Not really sure on a way to do it though...

There are a lot of sites out there on ideas.

Here's some ideas. http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/2010/03/25/a-different-way-to-build-a-house-43-adding-secret-passages-and-hidden-rooms-to-a-house/

[Echo2]

I have helped construct 2 safe/panic rooms. It really depends on budget....but you don't have to have a huge budget to make it work....just some ingenuity.

[ladyhk13]

I would love to have one in the house we will be building but I am having a hard enough time finding a floor plan I like, is big enough (but keeps the footprint small enough that it won't kill us in footers), has 2 stories, south facing, has downstairs master, upstairs other bedrooms, open concept, really large rooms, ya know...I don't ask for much!

[Echo2]

You can turn a regular room into a safe room....it's not that it's impenetrable...it's just very difficult....it's not a vault.

[apssbc]

Thanks everyone. I know it's been a long time since I replied. Haven't been on here too much.

Great suggestions from all. I like the look of the cement cabin look, however it may be pretty darn expensive. Maintenance is probably non existent in the long run.

A safe room is a definite need. Something I am thinking about seriously as how to do it.

We were up today and picked a spot out so were pretty excited.

[ladyhk13]

When we were kids.....we built a hay bail house complete with roof.

We camped in it a few times in the winter.....it was the warmest little shelter ever.

4 bails high...5 with the roof...and bail beds for 3 kids.

Only down side is fire was 50+ feet from shelter.....for safety reasons.

Been years since I thought of that.....:)

They are awesome, have super great unsulation, are pretty much insect proof, rot proof (if put in a concrete slab and not touching the ground), make wonderful HUGE window sills that you can put plants in or for CATS to sun themselves, have a very long burn rating so it is really good on insurance (ever try to burn a bale of straw?). The only thing is they aren't bullet proof. But I really love them and they last forever. But I think we are going to end up with metal or ICF (or combination of both).

[Sniper-T]

^
It's strange that you mention CATS, burning and bullets all together like that. That's the same way I think!

[ladyhk13]

Of course you would! But at lease it's not Burning Cats!!!

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

Geez, do you guys have to bring the cats over here? Go back to the camp!

Now, isn't it great being able picking out "your own" little place to build a house on "your very own" property? The safe room I guess would depend on the layout of your house. Would you even want an escape route out of your safe room? A back door so to speak? The old secret tunnel out to the wood shed? Does your property support a basement? Those kinds of things. Me? I guess If I had the equipment and materials I would go nuts! Just some random thoughts, "arcing and sparking" so to speak.


Be safe.............the night is your friend.

[Domeguy]

I don't know if you have looked yet, but have you considered a geodesic dome. My wife and I built a 50 foot dome with a 26 dome which would the garage, but I use it for storage and my workshop. I know you are wanting an open floor plan, you can't do any better. Since the dome shell is a self supporting structure, you can put any walls anywhere. As for super insulated, again, you can't do much better Than a dome. A dome company in MN makes their dome with 2 x 6 w/ plywood supports that makes an 11 inch insulated dome shell.
If you interested , pm me and I will send you my email so you can get more info.

[Sniper-T]

^
aha... and the nickname 'Dome guy' suddenly makes sense!

[Stormfeather]

For hidden/panic rooms, these guys have some great ideas. . .

http://hiddenpassageway.com/gallery/

[apssbc]

Thanks everyone, sorry I havent been around much to answer. Dome guy I havent checked them out yet, but I will look into it...expect me buggin you for some info ;). Thanks stormfeather for the info.

As for some updates we are still looking into plans to build up there. However things may be changing here and I may be stumbling into a very nice house in the country on a small lot with a barn. So the plans for the BOl are changing a little. We are looking at possibly building a large pole barn, with a loft. This will be built so the loft will be a large bunk house, with full amenities. The barn will replace the semi trailers we have now. It will act as a fix for a few problems we have up there.

[Domeguy]

[QUOTE=apssbc;55881]Thanks everyone, sorry I havent been around much to answer. Dome guy I havent checked them out yet, but I will look into it...expect me buggin you for some info ;). Thanks stormfeather for the info.

I am at your service sir, day or night. I believe it's Oregon Domes that makes the super wall insulation package.