Update: on the SHTF for us

Kenneth,
I take it from your last post that there are building codes/ restrictions where you are? As far as I know, I could move into my chicken coop if I chose. As for plumbing, you could use a composting toilet, homemade if necessary and you could just set up a water catchment system if needbe for something immediate. What about letting the mobile go, sad I know, but would relieve so much stress for you. Then you could look around for a used travel trailer to live in for awhile. That would provide you a place to stay right away and you could probably pick one up for almost nothing if you find someone who has one that's just in the way at their place. Some are free or almost if you have a way to haul it off their land. Just thinking....

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"Perhaps I'll have them string a clothesline from the hearse I am in, with my underwear waving in the breeze, as we drive to the cemetary. People worry about the dumbest things!"
by Wendy

This may have been posted already and I missed it, but I wonder about the viability of using an old travel trailer to live in while you are building out the shed? Seems to me that while the shed has potential as living quarters, it is going to take some work and given your physical limitations and your wife working now, I wonder just how much time/energy you would have to put towards this? Particularly if it needed to be done in a rush situation. Seems like you are out of time, and anything that can buy some breathing room might be worth looking at.

I know that travel trailers are small and cramped (I lived in one for two years once), and that sometimes they too need some work. However, an old but complete trailer would at least have some of the infrastructure already there -toilet, wash basins, beds, stove, furnace, fridge etc. Sounds like you have power/water/sewer on site so you could hook the water and power to the trailer, dump the holding tanks right down your septic inlet when they are full, and/or dump the gray water holding tank out onto the property somewhere.

I also recognize that transporting an rv can be problematic if you don't have a truck, but often times you can hire someone with a pickup to make a short haul on something like this for little money.

You have been researching and using a variety of resources to help you so far, don't forget that with your wife's new work comes new social contacts within that group that may be helpful to your situation. Networking (something as simple as striking up a conversation during lunchtime) can lead to more potential resources and such. For example, there may be somebody there that would be willing to pull a trailer to your lot, or there maybe somebody there that wants to unload an old rv and would be willing to take monthly payments etc.

My point being that you need to leverage as many potential allies as you can in this journey.

Wayne

I want to tell you a little history about my husband and I. We have been in your place. Back in 1978 we had been living in a ONE room house that my husband and his dad built on the back corner of his property. He decided to sell his house and land so gave us 2000. for the one room. We took the 2000. Found one acre and paid down on it. We then put a tent up in the yard of some friend's place. (Keep in mind our daughter was 6 years old.) We stayed there through the summer while my husband looked for work, I worked part time, through a temporary agency. My husband finely found work out of town. We moved our tent to a lake close to where he worked, and stayed until he got a first paycheck. Then we rented a mobile home. Then a year later he lost that job. We couldn't find work there so decided to move to the one acre we bought. Moved our tent out there, no water, no elect, no sewer, didn't even have a driveway. We had to use the neighbor's drive. I found a job at a convience store. They would give me left over hot links, and bar-b-que sandwiches. We would haul water from the store in 5 gal. jugs and used the coleman stove and coleman lanterns. Just as it was getting cooler weather, a friend let us have a popup camper. It leaked terrible, the canvas was rotted. We covered it with a tarp, and made it through winter. That next spring we had saved enough to buy a school bus that had no motor in it. A friend pulled it out for us. We spent a couple weeks taking out the seats and turning it into a place to live. Man we thought we were in heaven. We lived in that old bus for 2 years, until we could get a used 12X56 two bedroom trailer. We gave 2000 for it, cost us 150 to get it moved. During the time we lived in the bus we used a cistern and had the water hauled out to us. We used a sawdust tolit and a wash tub for a bath. Doing that made me realize a person can get by with very little. If I had, had a cottage like you are talking about I would have thought I was rich.

You could empty out that cottage and stay in it while you are fixing it up. I know about your disability. My husband and I are both disabled. You just have to decide if this is going to get you down or not. I know you have a daughter, so did we. We couldn't even get foodstamps at the time, because I was making 2.50 an hour.

The stuff that you have in there, evidently you don't need because you said you have been using it for a catch all. You said you had a metal trailer, then if you really need some of the stuff go through it and sort out what is worth keeping and put it in the metal trailer and through out the rest. I would give them back the mobile home that has become nothing but a headache and start over. It can be done. I bet your daughter can help do a lot of stuff.

Thanks Ruby -- I've been reading this thread for months and at last there is a poster that thinks like I do.

Hugs
marlene

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It is the one with persistence and determination that brings great ideas into being.

I don't know exactly where you are located but if you are on your own land, what would stop you from "camping" for a while. Get a porti-poti from Wal Mart less than 100 dollars. They are a chemicle tolit and can be dumpen into your sewer line. As far as a kitchen, use a couple plastic wash basins and empty down sewer, or use as watering plants. Use a 2 burner hot plate. You have lots of posibilities with that building.

The one my husband and his father built that we lived in a couple years was only 24'X24'. Uninsulated, and instead of windows it came up 4' from the floor with plywood. Then the next 2' was screen, then plywood to the roof. Through the summer months we only had the screen. My husband had marked the 2' of plywood that was suppose to go over the screen then in winter it was screwed back on. For the roof, instead of shingles or ten, we used clear stuff like goes on the roof of a green house. That way in the winter, we would get sunlite through the roof and it helped heat the house.

People can do a lot if they just set their mind to it. Some time it takes losing everything to set things in motion.

But if there are building codes and restrictions where they are, how can they live in the shed structure without making the improvements?

Jesus Christ people, this man needs help. I've been there. I know how he feels.

Kenneth, post your mailing address on this site. I don't have much myself but I'll send a twenty toward the payments if you will post your address.

OK people. Lets jump in and give him a hand. It could be you on this limb before long.

__________________
If some one has done something before,
You can also do it, if you find out how they did it

We have power tools, ancestors didn't

keep kicking the ball
it won't stop rolling

Dennis

It is. You can match my twenty.

__________________
If some one has done something before,
You can also do it, if you find out how they did it

We have power tools, ancestors didn't

keep kicking the ball
it won't stop rolling

Dennis

I am trying to help, by giving him some back ground on my self. I have been in worse shape finacially than he is in. Something I didn't say in my other post. My husband got so bad in 1999 he could no longer work. I was working and lifted a very heavy mattress. Messed up my back, continued work untill 2001 when I had to have back surgery. We were in a very bad place financilly. We lost our mobile home. They repoed it. Just so happened we had kept our old trailer. A 1956 Spartan, 8'X45. That is what we are living in. Just saying sometime there comes a time when you have to have a CAN DO attitude instead of CAN'T DO.

If you will go back and read the very long thread awhile back, people have sent him money. But that is a short time fix. And as far as building codes, they can be gotten around. If you don't believe it do a search for Sancraft. He lives in the country, and if he don't advertize he is living in the building he can CAMP on his own land.

Of course if he goes to the court house, they are going to tell him he cannot live there.

I assume the Kenneth is in Cleveland County. Here is what they are looking for in a habitable structure. I think you might have to do some upgrades, but this is only if someone turns you in. The worst part is they might get social services involved since you have a child under 18. Something to think about.

http://www.co.cleveland.nc.us/public...20petition.htm

Here are the restrictions on what is considered a dwelling. In short, you must be connected to water, to must be connected to hot water, must be wired, must have at least 2 outlets per room, must have heat, minimum square footage, etc.

See Chapter 3.5 Article III

http://www.municode.com/Resources/ga...d=12207&sid=33

Check out Farmmaid's post about her mobile she is giving away!

MaryNY

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"...creating & living an independent, self-reliant, building constructing, garden-/animal-raising, food-preserving, ecologically sound, solar/off-the-grid, self-made, individualistic lifestyle..."

I know it may sound cold hearted and cruel, but if you want to get out of this mess, and still receive some public assistance, the best thing you can do is to get a separation. The "public assistance" agencies open the floodgates when the father isn't around. I know some "separated couples" , separated at least as far as the agencies are concerned, so that they can get the medical bills taken care of. Do they have section 7 housing in the area, or vouchers for private dwellings. I know a lady in town that rents out her old home, and folks are always asking will she take sec.7 money...

At least you have the land and small building to fall back on. It's a shame you put the 25K into something you didn't own... If I had 25k, I could've fixed up a small mansion.... of course, me saying this isn't helping you any.

If it's a lost cause, get all your stuff out, and move into the cabin. As far as codes, don't ask, don't tell. A wood heater, a camp stove, and a "honeybucket" toilet don't cost much... I certainly wouldn't put another cent into the home that the banks' probably going to repossess...

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Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Seneca
Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival. W. Edwards Deming

Was this question ever answered?

No it was not answered. I had wondered also about that.

Please check out my post here.

http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=140492

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Iraq casualties
3,410 American deaths to date in Iraq
25,345 Americans wounded in action to date (your guess how many have died since and been uncounted)
$424,000,000,000 to date

Ruby Sancraft is not a he she is a she.

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marching to the beat of a different drummer

Ken, could the electric, sewer and water lines of the mobile be run to the cabin?

Im wondering of all the money sent by HT members too.

And is there a risk of Child Protective Services getting involved, if they DO move into a structure that is considered uninhabitable?

__________________
Recognize the beauty in things, in creation, even when thats difficult to do.
Be loving, show compassion. Create while we're here.
Enjoy this life, be in this life but not be of it.

If you don't believe it do a search for Sancraft. He lives in the country, and if he don't advertize he is living in the building he can CAMP on his own land.

Of course if he goes to the court house, they are going to tell him he cannot live there.[/QUOTE]

Sorry I didn't make it clear, it should have read, He (Kenneth) lives in the country. I know Sancraft is a woman and a very strong woman with a CAN DO attitude.