What Short-And-Long-Term Housing Would You Use In My Case?

Discussion in 'Designing, building, making and powering your life' started by RusticBohemian, Aug 20, 2011.

  1. RusticBohemian

    RusticBohemian Junior Member

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    I'm considering purchasing 5 acres outside of Naples Florida to develop as a food forest.

    That area falls just within classification of tropical, and is of the wet and dry variety.

    My funds will just barely cover the land purchase, and so I won't have a lot of money to throw at housing on site right away - probably no more than 3-7k. None the less, I want to live there.

    I'm looking at different options, but I don't want to have a huge morgage, so I'm not going the traditional route.

    I wondering what you'd suggest for housing on the short and long-term scale.

    Here are the factors:


    1. I'm not interested in living out of a run-of-the-mill tent for several years, but would consider something like a yurt if a good argument was made for one. I don't mind being hot or a bit chilly on occasion, but I don't want to be suffering.
    2. Must be able to handle high rainfall and not leak or flood out. I'll have some electronics inside that I won't want destroyed. If it can collect rainwater, all the better.
    3. Must not be destroyed by termites
    4. I must be able to bring in power and an internet connection to house
    5. I must have the ability to take showers/go to the bathroom.
    6. The house must be fairly secure/not easily broken into.
    7. Aside from some very basic knowledge of bamboo building (I once helped a permie built a bamboo camping hut years back), I have little in the way of building skills or knowledge, and no friends in the area to bring in to help, so doing something super awesome on my own is unlikely unless it's pretty simple.
    8. Initially I'll be living alone, but I eventually plan to have a partner living with me (after a few years, perhaps).
    9. Must be able to handle the temperature/percipitation changes of the region:

    The average low in Jan is 54 F (12.2 C). The average high for August is 91 F (32.8 C)



    What do you guys think/suggest for short and long-term solutions for the site and my needs?

    Thanks!
     
  2. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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  3. gardenlen

    gardenlen Group for banned users

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    g'day rustic,

    check out what we designed and built comes in at about 1/2 teh cost of modern mcmansions, needs only one light globe to illuminate it, can be built to your storm requirements, and unless you build at teh bottom of a swamp it should never flood, those risks come inherant with some land, buyer beware.

    https://www.lensgarden.com.au/eco'_home_essay.htm

    len
     
  4. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

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    Location:
    inland Otago, NZ
    Climate:
    Inland maritime/hot/dry/frosty
    I'd look at getting a motorhome or already converted skoolie. You will then have something that is you can shift into pretty much straight away that is waterproof, and has cooking, bathroom and electric facilities. You can make use of passive solar (heat and light) that you can't with a yurt (and it can be shifted at different times of the year). Easy to lock up. Downsides are: small living space, but with your warm/temperate climate you could set it up for indoor/outdoor living with an outside kitchen in a lean to or awning. Buses/motorhomes tend to get condensation issues which may be a problem in your climate at times but can be managed by how you live (adequate ventilation, not using gas heating etc).

    The container is a good idea too. You can pay someone to put in some second hand windows and doors, a floor and lining. You would have to sort out the kitchen and power too, so I'm not sure if this would be cheaper than a motorhome/skoolie or not.
     
  5. permasculptor

    permasculptor Junior Member

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    What materials do you have on site ? rock,clay, timber??? are you fit and strong enough to undertake major work?Are there any outstanding features to the land or surrounding area that may influence you eg caves, rivers, quarrys ,forrests etc?
    I would start with a shipping container or two in an L shape .they would allways be usefull as emergency shelter/storage.
     
  6. Pakanohida

    Pakanohida Junior Member

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    Long term, something on piers, or something that can float if and when it needs to.

    Short term, a yurt is too expensive, its more of a long term solution. They start around $10k, and don't get me wrong they are awesome, but starting a farm can take a lot of money. Believe me, I am finding out the hard way! :D

    There are a lot of mobile homes free in the NW, you might be able to find something on Craigslist, or some other local source. Make a cob pizza oven, and / or a solar oven, and you won't have to worry about fuel bills for food. Good luck.
     
  7. RusticBohemian

    RusticBohemian Junior Member

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    Very few trees, but plenty of shrubs/undergrowth. No rock. The soil is basically sandy with little clay content. I'm fit.

    The land is flat, with no caves, rivers, streams.

     
  8. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

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    Location:
    inland Otago, NZ
    Climate:
    Inland maritime/hot/dry/frosty
    And your thoughts on the other suggestions? It would help to know if we're anywhere near helpful.
     
  9. RusticBohemian

    RusticBohemian Junior Member

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    - Shipping Container - 30k seems a bit much for a shipping container, but the idea is an interesting one. I wonder if they would get super heated in the Florida sun. They'd need some sort of ventilation, too.

    - Yurts- If I was going to spend 30k, I'd go with this, It think. Esthetically appealing, can collect rain water, track record in the tropics. This may make a nice long-term housing solution for the site.

    -Camper/RV - This seems like a good idea, because it includes the bathroom, kitchen, and living space, plus, even if it was a bit cramped, it's comfortable enough so that you can live outdoors most of the year in Florida. Also, I could probably keep property taxes lower with a camper, and I might be able to get one for under 5k. This will probably be my short term strategy.

    Can you move a big camper with just a car, or do you require a truck?
     
  10. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

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    Location:
    inland Otago, NZ
    Climate:
    Inland maritime/hot/dry/frosty
    Do you mean a caravan or fifth wheeler? Depends on the size and the engine size of the towing vehicle. I was meaning a motorhome or skoolie that doesn't need a separate vehicle to tow it.

    You can fit out your own container. If you get an insulated one then and use passive cooling design then it won't overheat. I don't know how much used containers are in the US but I would guess less than $2,000 for a 20 footer.
     
  11. RusticBohemian

    RusticBohemian Junior Member

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    -Motorhome - I'll have to investigate the different types a bit. I'm not really up on my RV speak.

    - What kind of passive cooling could you get into such a container, other than arranging it under a tree and such?
     
  12. Pakanohida

    Pakanohida Junior Member

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    No thoughts on a house that can float if need be.. I am sure you will eventually have local flooding being in a hurricane zone.
     
  13. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

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    Location:
    inland Otago, NZ
    Climate:
    Inland maritime/hot/dry/frosty
    Passive cooling: all sorts of things (but bear in mind I live in a temperate climate so you will need to adjust these things to your climate). Put a porch on your south and west side, removable if you need to, to reduce summer sun into your windows. If you put a roof on for collecting water you could easily extend that into a porch.

    Plant strategically to create a green zone around your house. Use fast growing plants initially that will provide shade and leaf mass. A green zone that isn't big enough to shade the top of the container will still create cooling and make it more pleasant to live in.

    Put in passive vent pipes that are dug into the ground (air cools as it passes through them and then into the container. You need an outlet too. There's been some past threads on this, and there's quite a bit on the internet. Google passive cooling and look for the low tech stuff not the high tech. Both Holmgren and the Lawtons have done work on this. Such techniques get used in the middle east. You will need to adapt them to your climate.

    What's your highest usual summer temperature? What is your experience of permaculture? I think you need to learn some practical skills. Do you feel like you are a hands on type? Or will you need to get people into help with that? (both the house and the land).
     
  14. RusticBohemian

    RusticBohemian Junior Member

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    I've got plenty of gardening experience, a bit less with fruit trees, and I've done several stints on permie/organic farms. I also have a PDC. I'm not worried about the growing, but the construction, which I have little experience in.
     
  15. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

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    Location:
    inland Otago, NZ
    Climate:
    Inland maritime/hot/dry/frosty
    That's good about the PDC. You can apply Pc design to housing. Much of the same principles apply esp around observation.

    Will you be learning construction/handyman skills or paying people?
     
  16. RusticBohemian

    RusticBohemian Junior Member

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    I imagine I'll end up paying for it unless a very synchronistic person appears to teach me to do it.
     
  17. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    G'day RusticBohemian

    Welcome to the PRI Forum

    Simple. Find someone/s with 'plenty of construction experience', and exchange labour (and/or intellect).

    Likely places to start looking:

    Florida Barter

    WWOOF (Florida)

    Cheerio, Markos
     
  18. TheDirtSurgeon

    TheDirtSurgeon Junior Member

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    I've known a number of acquaintances get their hands on camper trailers for $500-1500.
     
  19. Terra

    Terra Moderator

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    Some of the older motorhomes built on buses with petrol motors would be suitable they have little value unless you change the motor but they only have to go well enough to get on site or even get it towed if motor is dead .
     
  20. sun burn

    sun burn Junior Member

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    If there is no water on the property, i wouldn't buy it. Does it have a bore? Or do you have access to town water?

    If its tropical, i wouldn't build a dwelling that is too enclosed unless you want to put air conditioning in - which i'm assuming you don't. But if you are going to build something that is going to be quite enclosed, start planting big shady trees around it, ones that don't drop branches or easily get uprooted in a storm and make sure you don't over water it so that its roots go down deep.

    I really have trouble of the idea of yurts in a tropical environment. Look at tropical house styles rather than cold climate house styles. Tropical house styles have lots of airflow. YOu can still build it so that it can be closed up but have a lot of wide open spaces without walls. Louvres are a good option.

    I live in the tropics and have the same sort of situation as you. However, i am intending ot build in my forest which may prove problematic. For that reason, i am also intending to build maybe several small buildings so that if one is destroyed in a storm, the others may survive.

    For now though, i've got a small caravan which someone has just given to me. I'm locating it under some trees at hte edge of my forest - once i can get some fill to build a pad for it to rest on above the swampy water level which happens in the wet seasons. Then i am planning an outdoor kitchen island. I would not want to use my caravan kitchen. Much too stuffy and hot and smelly and dirty.

    My outdoor island is going to be a pad of crusher dust with brick border holding it all in. I'm putting sand on top and will probably plant some unproblmatic palm trees around to provide shade. It doesn't have to be a kitchen in teh long term so i won't be building it as a room i think. I will have some sort of barbecue type cooking setup and just a stovey thing i can cover and other furniture that can survive the conditions. This area is also a bog in the wet season. I haven't quite figured out the roofing situation but it dones't matter too much as i can use another kitchen if the weather is so terrible. When i finally get around to building a permanent kitchen in the forest, I can remoeve most of the kitchen stuff and just have this area as an outdoor dining or sitting area - you know sand and palm trees and sunshine. The sun is perhaps the biggest problem with this area/idea but at least for night time and mornings it will be fine. Its gets morning shade and in the evenings, there is the moon instead. I can't wait to start on this project but i have to wait for some other factors to come together first.
    If i can't get any fill for free, i'll have to buy it in. I don't mind buying crusher dust, I think. I guess it depends how many truckloads i need. But i've been dreaming about having a space with a sandy floor for quite a while now and now i've got my excuse. :D
     

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