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Discussion starter · #981 ·
FYI - LostCaper - the assessor could care less about the septic and well in terms of assessment. They only came when I built something requiring a permit (they scope out the building permit records to do visits). My assessed value only changed significantly when I started to build the bunker. My land incrementally rose in assessed value throughout the years, but was at about the rate of inflation.
Having a good septic system and virtually unlimited clean water is a nice thing to have, I think...:)
Well, the septic system had to be done or no house permit. They could care less if I had potable water, which I find odd...
I get if you want to live on the down-low, but if I am putting all this work and money into my homestead, I want to see value should I sell one day. And in my hood, I should (easily and then some). I won't go so far as to say this is the Hamptons, but we do seem be trending up, as it were. So far, property taxes are minimal here...no services.
 
FYI - LostCaper - the assessor could care less about the septic and well in terms of assessment. They only came when I built something requiring a permit (they scope out the building permit records to do visits). My assessed value only changed significantly when I started to build the bunker. My land incrementally rose in assessed value throughout the years, but was at about the rate of inflation.
Having a good septic system and virtually unlimited clean water is a nice thing to have, I think...:)
Well, the septic system had to be done or no house permit. They could care less if I had potable water, which I find odd...
I get if you want to live on the down-low, but if I am putting all this work and money into my homestead, I want to see value should I sell one day. And in my hood, I should (easily and then some). I won't go so far as to say this is the Hamptons, but we do seem be trending up, as it were. So far, property taxes are minimal here...no services.
Maybe the taxes would remain fairly decent but in my area I am very skeptical because others who have improved and did great things with their water front property their taxes tripled. If I decide to put something substantial on the property then I will definitely bite the bullet but that is not in the foreseeable future. I'm getting old so the foreseeable future has an expiry date. lol.
 
Man I read through you escapades with obtaining water and sewer. Having such a system would be nice but I am not sure if I want the trouble. For one the initial cost but worse than that, the more I do to the property the more my land taxes go up. It's criminal what they charge for land taxes for beach front. If I build a hole it will be to bury the tax man. jk. ≈ I was looking at turning it into a legit farm because taxes will be reduced but there are lots of catches like when you go to sell they tax the hell out of you and if I want to hand it over to my children they tax the hell out of you. Corruption at it's best.

Having said that a small cabin with a wood stove to boil up map syrup. It would need a good vent with a fan ran by a solar panel which would also provide lights. I have a backhoe and there is a soft area which I suspect a couple of crocks in the ground would produce water. Think I will go with a compost toilet. I will heat my water with the wood stove. In short I think I will stay of guid.
My drone was giving me the gears about it being too cold...no way it was 15F (lower limit of operation). So, I charged the battery, and in doing so, it heated up, to get a quick flight in. I wanted to capture the snow still hung up in trees...later in day, wind and higher temps pretty much washed the trees of snow.

View attachment 58906
Sweet picture. Man I have to get a drone. Such nice unique shot can be taken.
 
Discussion starter · #984 ·
Construction bit is on hold because I don't feel like doing anything (winter), and of course, money is always an issue. I am cozy, so there is no rush.
As with any house, I was worried about whether I had sealed it well for winter, as mice around here, are opportunists, especially when it gets cold. So, I set some traps inside, just to be sure...months go by, no mice, no nothing. Since the peanut butter bait had probably gone off, I throw the traps outside. Got 5 mice in one night! Hmmm. Surprised, as I have no wood piles or anything near house that would entice them. Well, the Ravens were happy. Too happy I think...they are stalking me now in the morning. As in, they are walking up to my french doors at first light and spy on me.

I do wish my lawn tractor was 4wd, given I can have issues driving up driveway in summer (loose gravel = spin out). So, I got these suckers for drive wheels. Really impressed with traction now!
Tire Automotive tire Wheel Vehicle Auto part

Since it was a nice day (fall windstorms over), I hooked up my lawn sweeper and motored around picking up twigs and whatnot.
Vehicle Mower Lawn mower Walk-behind mower Lawn

Not a very robust piece of equipment, but it works...beats hand raking a couple of acres. With new wheels on lawn tractor, can even clean up driveway.
As I noted in previous posts, I've been hitting a nearby hill almost everyday. I really like this pic...lots of color.

Highland Loch Wilderness Lake Reservoir
 
Discussion starter · #987 ·
I'm going to have to get me a lawn sweeper. That would be much better than raking leaves and twigs off my drive!
It is a bit finicky on driveways. The height has to be set right or your picking up gravel...and driveway has to be pretty smooth. It seems to be good on lawns, even my moss, rubble lawn. If I ever get my driveway concreted, I bet it would be good on that. Normally, I haul out the stihl hand blower and walk down drive, but sitting on a tractor is more civilized...lol. Ironic, but I've never used sweeper for leaves, as I don't have many deciduous trees on property. Would like to change that one day (not too many, just a few for color/texture and some fruit trees).
 
Discussion starter · #988 ·
Sort of getting out of my winter slumber. Thought we were going to have an early spring, then a month of cool and snowy weather arrived. Usually, I only have to plow my driveway once a winter...this winter, 4 or 5 times. Upside is, that cooler weather (that which gets just below freezing) means sun, which just makes things brighter.

Got some true 10"x10" posts for bedroom deck. Sliced and diced them, routered, sanded and stained them. Felt good to be back at it. I'll have to do another coat, at least, of Sikkens teak stain to match carport posts. It also why they are beefy. Spec-wise, 6"x6" would have been plenty for deck, but I like posts that look like they will support absolutely anything...lol

Wood Lumber Table Furniture Hardwood


Their eventual landing zone.
Soil Tree Foundation Gas Plant


Property House Building Tree Home
 
Discussion starter · #990 · (Edited)
Were you working on the inside over winter?
Not really...just mickey mouse stuff. I virtually came to a full stop when I moved in.
Hopefully, I'll get cracking soon. I need that 'final' (piece of paper that gets the local gov out of my hair). Fairly common to have folks in perennial build stage around here (like a decade or so). Supposedly, it keeps property taxes down if you don't have a final. Local gov doesn't like that, so they instituted new rules on how many times you can renew your permit (every 2yrs). Worse, if you renew too many times, they will want your build to conform to current code. And we just adopted the 2018 building code, which just makes a build more expensive. Eventually, we will have to build passive houses (2030).

Reminded me, I need to get the engineer to draw up the altered plans...talk about tardy...lol. I've been asking him to do it for 2 years now. Even the building inspector is exasperated. Things just move slowly around here. Starting to get worried he'll 'pass on'....lol
 
Not really...just mickey mouse stuff. I virtually came to a full stop when I moved in.
Hopefully, I'll get cracking soon. I need that 'final' (piece of paper that gets the local gov out of my hair). Fairly common to have folks in perennial build stage around here (like a decade or so). Supposedly, it keeps property taxes down if you don't have a final. Local gov doesn't like that, so they instituted new rules on how many times you can renew your permit (every 2yrs). Worse, if you renew too many times, they will want your build to conform to current code. And we just adopted the 2018 building code, which just makes a build more expensive. Eventually, we will have to build passive houses (2030).

Reminded me, I need to get the engineer to draw up the altered plans...talk about tardy...lol. I've been asking him to do it for 2 years now. Even the building inspector is exasperated. Things just move slowly around here. Starting to get worried he'll 'pass on'....lol
I appreciate more and more that I live in a county with no building inspectors and no code enforcement. I also appreciate that all my neighbors are building nice places and following codes so we don't have junk 1/4 mile away. If however, we had purchased a fixer-upper in a town just 20 minutes away, we would have to get a certificate of occupancy before the city would turn on the water and the electric utility turn on power.
 
I appreciate more and more that I live in a county with no building inspectors and no code enforcement. I also appreciate that all my neighbors are building nice places and following codes so we don't have junk 1/4 mile away. If however, we had purchased a fixer-upper in a town just 20 minutes away, we would have to get a certificate of occupancy before the city would turn on the water and the electric utility turn on power.
Sure they are, sure they are. :D
 
Discussion starter · #993 ·
I appreciate more and more that I live in a county with no building inspectors and no code enforcement. I also appreciate that all my neighbors are building nice places and following codes so we don't have junk 1/4 mile away. If however, we had purchased a fixer-upper in a town just 20 minutes away, we would have to get a certificate of occupancy before the city would turn on the water and the electric utility turn on power.
The last bit about city being in charge of water and power is foreign here...Power utility does their own thing (they don't bow down to anyone), and while the water is controlled by city, never heard of them not allowing anybody to have water, whether they have CoO or not. Would be a safety issue, not allowing a house to have water. I know contractors are not happy without power. Means running a genny all day.

Got the posts mounted, with a little help from Bobby.

Tree House Forest Landscape Plant


Be nice to have a deck, and be done with some of the scaffolding.
 
Discussion starter · #996 ·
Got the beam and joists up...have to decide how much cantilever I want (4:1 is considered 'safe'), snap a chalk-line, then lop of ends.

Property House Home Cottage Building

BTW - this is way overkill. True 10"x10" posts dwarf beam (4 ply - 2x12) and joists (2x10). Only 8' span.
 
Discussion starter · #998 ·
Plugging away...in slow motion because I can.

One of the issues with decks is the ledger connection. Seems, over the years, decks have collapsed because the ledger (board flat up against house) detached. Building inspectors look to see they are well attached. I not only nut and bolt the ledger on rim joist of house, I use these tie downs, which attach to house joists. No way deck can 'fall off'. Odd thing, they were hard to source up here...

Wood Wood stain Hardwood Plywood

Property House Building Home Cottage

I am almost done laying decking...then I'll trim edges with saw...makes for a straighter line. I'm waiting on 'T' brackets (being made by a local welder). I'm thinking I'll stop here, and tackle more important items, like the roof. If I start on railing, it might be a bear to put on siding with railing in the way.
 
Discussion starter · #999 ·
Got the posts installed and hardware stuff done...lots of fun hanging off a ladder augering holes for bolts. Clear sailing from here, as far as the deck goes. Building Inspector put a bug in my ear about having SS wire railing (seems our code now allows it). From memory, I recall it being expensive, but as I think about the cost and fuss to install glass, wire might not be so bad. Pickets are out of the question...obstruct view too much.

House Roof Building Cottage Tree
 
Got the posts installed and hardware stuff done...lots of fun hanging off a ladder augering holes for bolts. Clear sailing from here, as far as the deck goes. Building Inspector put a bug in my ear about having SS wire railing (seems our code now allows it). From memory, I recall it being expensive, but as I think about the cost and fuss to install glass, wire might not be so bad. Pickets are out of the question...obstruct view too much.

View attachment 76272
I vote for the stainless wire. We have a friend that replaced the pickets in their deck railing with stainless wire. It is nearly invisible and makes the deck feel more a part of the outdoors. We really like it and have decided that is what we will do with our deck. I'd be willing to bet that with the size of your posts and the hardware you used to fasten them you won't need a top rail for strength and stability. Combine that with stainless wire and you will have a great view!

He bought 3/16" stainless wire rope in 100' rolls on MSC's website. I think he said it was a little over a dollar a foot, and he has over 1000 feet of it in his deck. So yeah, it is pricey, but he figures that he'll never have to replace it, unlike the pickets in his rail that were shrinking away from the nails and getting loose.

I saw another deck where they used woven wire fencing, and yet another where they used cattle panels. Don't know if you inspector would like that though. Cattle panels wouldn't be bad looking, don't know if I'd care for the woven wire.

Glass would be a really expensive, although beautiful, option. It would have to be 8mm or 10mm thick glass, tempered, with beveled and polished edges. I used to work in the glass manufacturing and fabricating industry, and I'm here to tell you, that type of glass is very pricey! Most fabrication shops only deal with installers and contractors and don't sell to the general public.
 
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