Things are finally coming together!!

Tmama · #1 08/15/14, 08:14 AM

My fiance, two children and I have been looking for a property for over 2 years and finally, 2 months ago, we found one! Unfortunately there were several problems along the way.....but.....WE FINALLY GOT IT!! We closed a few days ago and we are going up this weekend to clean. Then we move in (hopefully) next weekend.

It'll be about an hour commute for each of us, which was a tough decision but we didn't want to pass up this house!! It is 4.2 acres (with lots of trees, a pond and a large road easement, so only about 1.5 acres "usable"). We wanted more acres but there was a pretty big disconnect between what we wanted and what we could actually afford. We decided to go on the smaller end and I have been inspired by many people who make homesteading work on very small plots of land.

The house has 3 fully finished bedrooms and one partially finished bedroom (needs carpet). It's a rambler with an unfinished basement. 1.5 baths, huge dining room, smallish kitchen, new windows. The roof is in rough shape so we will likely be replacing that in the spring.

The house runs off propane for heat, which will be new for us. Well, the whole house thing will be new too! Our girls, 3 and 7 are over the moon excited!! We already have a list of projects we want to do but it will take quite some time before we can do any of those, we just want to get in it and get settled.

Wish me luck!! If you have any new homeowner advice or anything, I'll take it =)

rambotex · #2 08/15/14, 08:27 AM

Congratulations

am1too · #3 08/15/14, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tmama

My fiance, two children and I have been looking for a property for over 2 years and finally, 2 months ago, we found one! Unfortunately there were several problems along the way.....but.....WE FINALLY GOT IT!! We closed a few days ago and we are going up this weekend to clean. Then we move in (hopefully) next weekend.

It'll be about an hour commute for each of us, which was a tough decision but we didn't want to pass up this house!! It is 4.2 acres (with lots of trees, a pond and a large road easement, so only about 1.5 acres "usable"). We wanted more acres but there was a pretty big disconnect between what we wanted and what we could actually afford. We decided to go on the smaller end and I have been inspired by many people who make homesteading work on very small plots of land.

The house has 3 fully finished bedrooms and one partially finished bedroom (needs carpet). It's a rambler with an unfinished basement. 1.5 baths, huge dining room, smallish kitchen, new windows. The roof is in rough shape so we will likely be replacing that in the spring.

The house runs off propane for heat, which will be new for us. Well, the whole house thing will be new too! Our girls, 3 and 7 are over the moon excited!! We already have a list of projects we want to do but it will take quite some time before we can do any of those, we just want to get in it and get settled.

Wish me luck!! If you have any new homeowner advice or anything, I'll take it =)

I'd rip out all the carpet and put in tile of some sort for health reasons. Fleas don't live in tile for instance.

And congrats.

Surge223 · #4 08/15/14, 09:50 AM

Get the propane tank filled now while prices are low.

Tmama · #5 08/15/14, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by am1too

I'd rip out all the carpet and put in tile of some sort for health reasons. Fleas don't live in tile for instance.

And congrats.

Thanks! The only place that has carpet is the stairs and we plan to tear that up, it is really nasty!! Otherwise the rest of the upstairs is hard wood and the downstairs is cement.

Tmama · #6 08/15/14, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Surge223

Get the propane tank filled now while prices are low.

Just found out yesterday that we get a first fill discount so our first fill will be 1.59/gal and then the pre buy rate is 1.84/gal

kilgrosh · #7 08/15/14, 10:02 AM

Don't do too much all at once. Take a few months to learn your house. I recently moved into my house in April and I wanted to change the faux marble laminate counter tops right away. My wife said wait until June when she would be working full time. Now I've learned to live with the countertops and put the money into other more pressing projects.

Also, since you mentioned the roof needs to be replaced, get a quote now. Roofers get real busy in the spring because of all the winter storm damage. Secondly, keep enough money in reserve to pay for the roof if in case you have a leak this winter and need it replaced sooner.

emdeengee · #8 08/15/14, 11:27 AM

An hour commute for each of you? Does this mean you travel separately or together? Full time employment for each of you?

I wish you every happiness and success in your venture. My only comment is that we commuted 90 minutes a day (45 minutes in and 45 minutes out) for 10 years in all weather -separately at first but after 8 years a job change allowed us to commute together - and for what all this cost us in gas and insurance and wear and tear we could have bought a much bigger and better property (equally private) within 15 minutes of the city. We did not do the long term math. And the cost in wasted time was enormous and prevented us from getting all that we wanted done which led to real frustrations.

Nimrod · #9 08/15/14, 11:50 AM

Congratulations on getting your own place.

One of the first things you should do is get ready for the evil nasty winter that is coming. Now is the time.

Are there places on the roof that ice dams may form? Put up heater cables now, it's too late when the ice dam is there.

Cover the windows, inside and/or out, with the plastic, heat shrink, film. Leave a couple that you can open for ventilation. Especially do the ones on the north side.

Are there any pipes or drains that will freeze. Now is the time to put heat tape and insulation on them.

Seal any air leaks with caulk and weather stripping. You can check for leaks on a windy day by holding a lit cigarette near the windows and doors. The draft will move the smoke. Spiders build their webs where there is air movement so check there too.

Figure out what to do if the power goes out. The electrical service out in the country is not as dependable as in the Twin Cities. How will you get water? You might want to store water or get a generator to run the well pump. Learn how to drain any pipes that might freeze during a power outage so they don't burst.

Put in a wood burning stove and lay in a supply of wood. Most propane heat needs electricity to work. You need at least one heat source that doesn't need electricity. The price and availability of propane varies so don't depend on it 100%. I have a local logger that sells me cords of wood in 8 foot logs. Then I have to cut and split the wood.

Get a frost plug heater installed in each car. This is the only way to ensure they will start when it's really cold unless you have a heated garage.

Tune up the snowblower.

Cover the septic tank with 8 inches or more of hay so it doesn't freeze. Build an outhouse so you have a plan B if the tank does freeze.

You will get a great sense of satisfaction out of beating Old Man Winter at his own game.

idigbeets · #10 08/15/14, 12:21 PM

Septic tanks freeze? Mine is below ground never had an issue... must get a lot colder in MN than PA !!

Tmama · #11 08/15/14, 03:27 PM

Initially it will be just under an hour drive for me and separately an hour for him (one way). We plan to get vehicles with better gas millage and I'm looking for a job closer to the new house. He works 5 days a week, I work 4.

How do I know where I've dams may form or pipes that might freeze? I think there is a wood stove but its not hooked up. I want to get that going soon but might not happen this winter.

We do plan to store water. We have a lot of wants that will have to wait just for money reasons.

Nancy · #12 08/15/14, 03:39 PM

And we will need pictures

michael ark · #13 08/15/14, 06:02 PM

Get all the stuff to upkeep your chimney.It will pay for it's self quick. Label the breakers right off . You can use a radio to make it easy.Replace both your washer hoses with stainless steel. Clean the fridge coil will save you $.Run a shop vac up the dryer vent before you hook up yours.Get a survey so you know what exactly is yours .Set up a BAR BQ area and enjoy your new house .

Silvercreek Farmer · #14 08/15/14, 07:24 PM

Congratulations! Exciting times! Get some mice traps/poison! Don't let them get a head start! No livestock or planting trees this fall, just get settled in and enjoy the experience. The work will come! If there are deer, it would probably be worth putting one or two in the freezer. Start talking to neighbors and figuring out who has what, sure is nice to get hay, feed, nursery stock local when the time comes. Get that stove online! You probably have some dead down wood on the property that is burn able this winter. Get it cut and under cover ASAP. Don't waste money on a cheap chainsaw, get a German made Stihl, Swedish Husqvarna, or Jonsered. Preferably whatever the local dealer/repair shop carries. For that acreage, a good garden tractor will do just fine. Come back for advice when you are ready to move ahead!

Nimrod · #15 08/16/14, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tmama

Initially it will be just under an hour drive for me and separately an hour for him (one way). We plan to get vehicles with better gas millage and I'm looking for a job closer to the new house. He works 5 days a week, I work 4.

How do I know where I've dams may form or pipes that might freeze? I think there is a wood stove but its not hooked up. I want to get that going soon but might not happen this winter.

We do plan to store water. We have a lot of wants that will have to wait just for money reasons.

If the attic is poorly insulated or vented or there are places where warm air from the living spaces gets into the attic then the attic will be warmer than the outside air. When the outside air is just below freezing, the snow on the roof will melt from the heat in the attic. The water will run down the roof until it gets on the overhang. The roof is below freezing at the overhang because it is hanging out there in air that is below freezing. The water will freeze on the overhang. More melt water comes down the roof and freezes and you get a build up of ice on the overhang. When it gets high enough, it traps water behind it. The trapped water is on the warmer part of the roof so it doesn't freeze. Eventually it will work it's way under the shingles and leak into the house.

If you have the warm attic and large overhangs you are a candidate for ice dams. If you run a heater cable up and down the overhang it will melt channels under the ice dam for the trapped water to drain off.

If you don't put up the heater cables and you get ice dams you can still fix the problem. Fill a nylon stocking with sidewalk ice melt salt. Go up on your ladder and lay it over the ice dam, perpendicular to the edge of the roof. It will melt down through the ice dam and provide a channel for the trapped water to run off. You will probably have to repeat this through the winter. This is way easier on your roof than trying to chop the ice dam off and a lot cheaper than hiring someone to steam the ice dam off.

If a pipe is run through an outside wall it probably will freeze. Ditto pipes in unheated spaces like crawl spaces.

I would make getting the wood stove working a very high priority. The house will fall below freezing within hours of the electricity going out if you don't have a source of heat independent of the electricity.

Idigbeets,
I like beets too but you better have someplace to put the result of processing them through the human body. The ground here can freeze 5 feet deep in a very cold winter. Some septic tanks will freeze. If you put down a layer of hay over the septic tank and extend it 8 feet further beyond the tank, it will keep the ground from freezing more than a few feet deep, especially if it gets a good deep cover of snow. This results in happy campers.

light rain · #16 08/16/14, 12:29 PM

Do you rent or own your propane tank? It makes a difference on whom you can buy LP. Last year after really high LP prices we got on a budget plan. That locked in the price at a maximum of under $2.00 a gallon. Did that after advice from HT people.

Also, I second the advice of getting a wood stove in place. Electricity can and does go out at -25 below. All it takes is a drunk driver or a oak branch with oak wilt. You need to find out what specifications your insurer requires for having a woodstove in you home. We have a beautiful antique woodstove in our pole that we can't use because it is not UL approved.

Start making a mental note of the scenery on your way to work or shopping and where you might walk to in the event of running off the road in bad weather or car problems. (Things look different in a blizzard) Always keep a cell phone on you and check ahead of necessity where your cell phones have coverage. And always keep warm weather clothes and carbs in your car in case you get stranded. I love living in the country and I hope you'all will too.

Even if you don't hunt, get your hunter's orange for everyone for walking during hunting season. If you want to save $'s St. Vinys and other 2nd hand stores has it economical for first come first serve...

dolfan · #17 08/17/14, 08:18 PM

If you have not moved in yet may want to get those bug foggers. Wished we did that had stink bugs and lady bugs bad

Tricky Grama · #18 08/18/14, 07:51 AM

Congrats!

Tmama · #19 08/18/14, 06:13 PM

Thanks everyone! I don't think the wood stove will happen before this winter but maybe next year.

I appreciate all the advice!

MOSSYNUT · #20 08/18/14, 07:06 PM

Congratulations on your new house.