Where would you start looking for off grid property?

[Fred]

I fear that it will take much much more to survive and make it to Zion
than the things we think we need to get ready and take with us !

The backbone surely must be on true principles, but Lehi took provisions w/ him. Hagoth built a ship to find new lands. No place is safe if we are not willing to care for those in need.

Zion is supposed to be 1500 miles square. That extends to where I live. So I am already there.

[Reluctant Watchman]

I fear that it will take much much more to survive and make it to Zion
than the things we think we need to get ready and take with us !

The backbone surely must be on true principles, but Lehi took provisions w/ him. Hagoth built a ship to find new lands. No place is safe if we are not willing to care for those in need.

Zion is supposed to be 1500 miles square. That extends to where I live. So I am already there.

Lucky!!

[Fred]

Most of the Rocky Mountains are within the 1400 square mile (cubed actually) area if Zion which reaches east to AOA.

Revelation 21:16 16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

A perfect cube 12,000 furlongs (about 1,380 miles) [2,220 km]), surrounded by a wall 144 cubits, or 210 feet [64 m], in height. It would cover a large territory of land and reach into outer space.

[Reluctant Watchman]

If you had to build your own home from natural, sustainable materials, what method would you use? Climate does require certain decisions to be made, but there are many options out there:

• Compressed earth block
• Rammed earth
• Cob/adobe
• Log
• Strawbale
• Palette/cob
• Geodesic

A little more inspiration:

[Atrasado]

If you really want off grid in the Continental United States nothing beats,

1. The Jarbridge area of Nevada/southern and eastern part of Owyhee County in Idaho
2. Northwest of the Great Salt Lake in Utah
3. The upper northwest corner of Colorado.

Of course, there is a reason why these places don't have many people living in them. They are hard to get to and nothing is out there.

My guess is that if you had an off-grid/off-road place in the Jarbridge River/Bruneau River/Owyhee River area and you didn't have a radio, had enough supplies, and didn't leave WWIII could happen and you wouldn't know it. Also, you would probably not see another living soul besides your family while you're there.

[Silver Pie]

If you had to build your own home from natural, sustainable materials, what method would you use? Climate does require certain decisions to be made, but there are many options out there:

• Compressed earth block
• Rammed earth
• Cob/adobe
• Log
• Strawbale
• Palette/cob
• Geodesic

I would like to try a little of several. One of my dreams was to have some property (and someone who knows how to build these things helping me) and try out little buildings from
Rammed earth
Cob
Strawbale
Underground
Partially inside of a hill
and maybe a few other kinds.

Then see how they hold up and what I think of them, then perhaps make a larger house of the one I like best.


Though, in my wildest fantasies

Spoiler

I live in a moderate climate with a big forest that has a few caves and pools, and go live there like I was Tarzan's sister. It would be nice to have a male friend with his own dwelling living the same way.

Of course, that would take some time getting used to. Right now, I'm too dependent on technology like washing machines, refrigerators, heaters, and such.

[tmac]

Good thoughts. And if time and mortality were no object, would be a great plan. At this stage of the game though, I’m running out of time. As the saying goes: So soon old, but so late smart. So I have no choice but to rely on others’ experiences and wisdom.

[mudflap]

whatever you do, do it debt free at this point.

5 acres, fully paid for, is leagues ahead of 100 acres and a monthly payment.

[harakim]

We just landed a 100+ acre lot in SW MO.

Has everything you listed except for the price. (Ours was more because it has some buildings on it.)

Keep looking and don’t get discouraged. We were on the edge of giving up but the Lord told us he had a property prepared, and he delivered!

Very Exciting!

[harakim]

I've been pondering this idea for the last few months. Where would you begin in your search for off-grid property? You don't need to cite a specific property, but general areas of the US would be helpful. Also open to ideas outside the US.

I think these would be my basic requirements:

• 50-100 acres min (less than $100-150k for the land, I know this is a bit of a pipe dream, but I've seen a few properties around)

• Water access, preferably flowing water like a stream

• Reasonable growing season

• Wooded land for fuel

• Some pasture land for grazing

• At least 1 hour or so from any sizable city, e.g. w/ a Walmart

It sounds like you've heard the call. A lot of us learned things the hard way and the easy way. There is probably not enough time left for a lot of learning the hard way, so I'll just put in a few points.

First, you have to be open to change. If you have never lived off the land, you will not be able to evaluate if a property will meet your needs. You're going to be wrong no matter what, UNLESS you get help from other people and/or the Spirit. The Spirit speaks to your intuition so you don't have to figure it out or read a book, you just know the answer. Just relax. Don't make fear-based decisions. Accept that you likely will do something dumb and that it will be okay. But at this point, I would not delay unless you think you're making a fear-based decision. Trust your intuition.

You can do with a lot less than you think. It doesn't mean you have to get less, but I think you'd be happier if you didn't spend quite as much money.

You do not need 50 acres unless you live in a place with no trees or water. A family can easily live off 10 acres and probably off of 5 acres in the Eastern part of the country.
Running water is very desirable, but out east, you can get a well drilled and put in a pump and solar for less than $5000, almost guaranteed.
Most of the United States has a reasonable growing season, as it happens.
Woods are important. That's a good call, and not just for fuel either.
If you're in a reasonable climate, any land can be pasture land in about 5 years with no planting and less if you do seed. In a lot of places, it will happen the very next year.
Wal-Marts are everywhere. You will have a very hard time finding decent land far from a Wal-Mart and you actually don't want that. You will need to go to the hardware store when working on projects because you forgot something, especially if you don't have internet to look it up. I would say you want to avoid cities with roughly 50000 people or 100000 in the statistical area. And I lived 11 minutes from a Wal-Mart but no one would ever come near my house after crap when down except the neighbors and their family. I used to live 30-40 minutes from a Wal-Mart but I would have been DELUGED by refugees in a bad situation. Distance is not the only factor. If you live off I-70 in nowhere, Colorado you will probably get way more post apocalyptic visitors than someone down an obscure dirt road on the outskirts of Kansas City.


One of the most important things, that you didn't mention, was looking for land with NO RESTRICTIONS. No CCRs, HOAs, covenants or building code. That is going to save you a lot of money and is going to feel like a security blanket. Now, most places have building codes if you get on-grid electricity. On-grid electricity is pretty much only useful because it implies internet. You can power a solar freezer with solar. Fred can probably help you in that regard, but he will still be against lithium I imagine. Lithium batteries are so cheap now... Anyway, I'll spare you that, but you do not need the grid unless you have an oxygen machine or something. Fred and I both agree on that, even with very different perspectives. No restrictions is the most important thing I look for in a property.

mudflap is right. At this stage of the game, five acres paid off is better than 100 acres with a mortgage. I would add that five acres with some building and spending money is better than 30 acres paid off and no money.

EDIT: Also, if you think you need 50-100 acres for "privacy", I'd like to give another perspective. If you are planning to move to a place where you don't trust your neighbors, then you shouldn't move there. And if you have such a large property, it will be a lot less likely you'll run into your neighbors or get to know them.

[Reluctant Watchman]

I've been pondering this idea for the last few months. Where would you begin in your search for off-grid property? You don't need to cite a specific property, but general areas of the US would be helpful. Also open to ideas outside the US.

I think these would be my basic requirements:

• 50-100 acres min (less than $100-150k for the land, I know this is a bit of a pipe dream, but I've seen a few properties around)

• Water access, preferably flowing water like a stream

• Reasonable growing season

• Wooded land for fuel

• Some pasture land for grazing

• At least 1 hour or so from any sizable city, e.g. w/ a Walmart

It sounds like you've heard the call. A lot of us learned things the hard way and the easy way. There is probably not enough time left for a lot of learning the hard way, so I'll just put in a few points.

First, you have to be open to change. If you have never lived off the land, you will not be able to evaluate if a property will meet your needs. You're going to be wrong no matter what, UNLESS you get help from other people and/or the Spirit. The Spirit speaks to your intuition so you don't have to figure it out or read a book, you just know the answer. Just relax. Don't make fear-based decisions. Accept that you likely will do something dumb and that it will be okay. But at this point, I would not delay unless you think you're making a fear-based decision. Trust your intuition.

You can do with a lot less than you think. It doesn't mean you have to get less, but I think you'd be happier if you didn't spend quite as much money.

You do not need 50 acres unless you live in a place with no trees or water. A family can easily live off 10 acres and probably off of 5 acres in the Eastern part of the country.
Running water is very desirable, but out east, you can get a well drilled and put in a pump and solar for less than $5000, almost guaranteed.
Most of the United States has a reasonable growing season, as it happens.
Woods are important. That's a good call, and not just for fuel either.
If you're in a reasonable climate, any land can be pasture land in about 5 years with no planting and less if you do seed. In a lot of places, it will happen the very next year.
Wal-Marts are everywhere. You will have a very hard time finding decent land far from a Wal-Mart and you actually don't want that. You will need to go to the hardware store when working on projects because you forgot something, especially if you don't have internet to look it up. I would say you want to avoid cities with roughly 50000 people or 100000 in the statistical area. And I lived 11 minutes from a Wal-Mart but no one would ever come near my house after crap when down except the neighbors and their family. I used to live 30-40 minutes from a Wal-Mart but I would have been DELUGED by refugees in a bad situation. Distance is not the only factor. If you live off I-70 in nowhere, Colorado you will probably get way more post apocalyptic visitors than someone down an obscure dirt road on the outskirts of Kansas City.


One of the most important things, that you didn't mention, was looking for land with NO RESTRICTIONS. No CCRs, HOAs, covenants or building code. That is going to save you a lot of money and is going to feel like a security blanket. Now, most places have building codes if you get on-grid electricity. On-grid electricity is pretty much only useful because it implies internet. You can power a solar freezer with solar. Fred can probably help you in that regard, but he will still be against lithium I imagine. Lithium batteries are so cheap now... Anyway, I'll spare you that, but you do not need the grid unless you have an oxygen machine or something. Fred and I both agree on that, even with very different perspectives. No restrictions is the most important thing I look for in a property.

mudflap is right. At this stage of the game, five acres paid off is better than 100 acres with a mortgage. I would add that five acres with some building and spending money is better than 30 acres paid off and no money.

EDIT: Also, if you think you need 50-100 acres for "privacy", I'd like to give another perspective. If you are planning to move to a place where you don't trust your neighbors, then you shouldn't move there. And if you have such a large property, it will be a lot less likely you'll run into your neighbors or get to know them.

Thanks for sharing. And I agree w/ the notion of being open to change. Everything is gonna change regardless of whether we like it or not. And I think that’s one of the biggest challenges here is getting your brain to be ok with that and to do it voluntarily rather than being forced to. Giving up creature comforts is hard, giving up Babylon is hard. It’s like a drug addict trying to be sober.

The type of lifestyle we are looking for is intentionally simple. Like less than what most people think. Very basic. A simple, yet hard life, will detour many from ever wanting to give you a second thought.

As far as acreage, we could do w/ 5-10, but are looking for enough land to build a community if needed. In my personal circle we know several families that desire to flee Babylon. We are debt-free w/ a small financial reserve. By selling our property and “downgrading” (really upgrading) by building our own home allows for more $$ for land. Hopefully the more remote we are, the cheaper the land will be. But so far in our searching, it’s pretty expensive for land w/ water.

Thanks for the note on restrictions. I had a friend recently say that when he asked his realtor about building codes and restrictions they just kind of scrunched their face and said, “What?” That’s the place where we want to be.

As far as power, we’ll do solar, but plan on having secondaries methods for everything. Anything for survival will be energy independent. Recent solar projects I’ve worked on have taught me that without a doubt they can and will fail. And they can be one of the more expensive things to add. Internet shouldn’t be a problem with things like Starlink satellite internet.

Ideally we’d find a piece of land with pasture, wooded, water, and up against National wilderness land. We can always dream.

[simpleton]

Imo. Don't build out of rammed earth, very labor and equipment intensive. Already built one. Never do it again. Adobe works, and as you can build them on site, that makes it nice, is somewhat labor intensive but nothing compared to rammed earth. I thought of straw bales but could not find any within reasonable distance. But you would want oats, barley or wheat straw and nice n tight 3 wire/string bales. The insulation factor would be excellent. Just run some rebar through them and anchor them together and to the foundation. I would just do the exterior walls only. Frame the interior. Supposedly they last 100 plus years or more.
In México it's Adobe or concrete. Wood framing is non existent. But if you go with Adobe, go thick exterior... some in Tucson go double exterior walls, I saw one house where they did double exterior walls @24" each with a like 3 or 4" air space in between. So that would be around 52" of wall plus stucco. But that is how they made Catholic church's in Mexico in hundreds of varios pueblos to protect themselves from the Indians. The four small towns in our area each have their own old catholic church with walls around 6ft thick. Built in the sixteen hundreds, still in use. Two and three story high.

You could also lay up rock if it's in the area....
But really nothing beats wood framing for speed and convince, but not long lasting.

[Reluctant Watchman]

Imo. Don't build out of rammed earth, very labor and equipment intensive. Already built one. Never do it again. Adobe works, and as you can build them on site, that makes it nice, is somewhat labor intensive but nothing compared to rammed earth. I thought of straw bales but could not find any within reasonable distance. But you would want oats, barley or wheat straw and nice n tight 3 wire/string bales. The insulation factor would be excellent. Just run some rebar through them and anchor them together and to the foundation. I would just do the exterior walls only. Frame the interior. Supposedly they last 100 plus years or more.
In México it's Adobe or concrete. Wood framing is non existent. But if you go with Adobe, go thick exterior... some in Tucson go double exterior walls, I saw one house where they did double exterior walls @24" each with a like 3 or 4" air space in between. So that would be around 52" of wall plus stucco. But that is how they made Catholic church's in Mexico in hundreds of varios pueblos to protect themselves from the Indians. The four small towns in our area each have their own old catholic church with walls around 6ft thick. Built in the sixteen hundreds, still in use. Two and three story high.

You could also lay up rock if it's in the area....
But really nothing beats wood framing for speed and convince, but not long lasting.

I’m curious, why do you say rammed earth is equipment intensive. From what I’ve seen, you fill bags w/ soil and tamp them down. Barbwire goes in between the rows and then cob fills the gaps and a slip/lime coating waterproofs the outside.

It does seem time intensive, but not any more so than doing compressed earth blocks.

Which, btw, is the idea I’m liking most. A none-electric hand press costs about $1500.

[simpleton]

Imo. Don't build out of rammed earth, very labor and equipment intensive. Already built one. Never do it again. Adobe works, and as you can build them on site, that makes it nice, is somewhat labor intensive but nothing compared to rammed earth. I thought of straw bales but could not find any within reasonable distance. But you would want oats, barley or wheat straw and nice n tight 3 wire/string bales. The insulation factor would be excellent. Just run some rebar through them and anchor them together and to the foundation. I would just do the exterior walls only. Frame the interior. Supposedly they last 100 plus years or more.
In México it's Adobe or concrete. Wood framing is non existent. But if you go with Adobe, go thick exterior... some in Tucson go double exterior walls, I saw one house where they did double exterior walls @24" each with a like 3 or 4" air space in between. So that would be around 52" of wall plus stucco. But that is how they made Catholic church's in Mexico in hundreds of varios pueblos to protect themselves from the Indians. The four small towns in our area each have their own old catholic church with walls around 6ft thick. Built in the sixteen hundreds, still in use. Two and three story high.

You could also lay up rock if it's in the area....
But really nothing beats wood framing for speed and convince, but not long lasting.

I’m curious, why do you say rammed earth is equipment intensive. From what I’ve seen, you fill bags w/ soil and tamp them down. Barbwire goes in between the rows and then cob fills the gaps and a slip/lime coating waterproofs the outside.

It does seem time intensive, but not any more so than doing compressed earth blocks.

Which, btw, is the idea I’m liking most. A none-electric hand press costs about $1500.

Rammed and Cobb I consider to be two different things...at least the way we did it... Cobb is like hand mixed and by hand pattycake installed.
On the rammed earth, We built heavy duty forms, bought a 200 cfm compressor and air pounder, mixed the proper dirt mix with heavy equipment, pounded the hell out of it. Adobe is labor intensive also. But seemed to be easier as you do not have to have forms for the walls. Although you do need small forms to build the adobe's themselves.
But I've never heard of "filling bags" with dirt.
Build those walls thick, the thicker the better, if you do go with rammed earth or Cobb or Adobe. Makes for much better insulation. Plus in a hot climate, the heat transfer through the walls is much slower, the thicker the walls, to the point of not transferring through if thick enough.
Although ambient temperature is ambient throughout without "artificial" heat/cooling, unless you have a basement.

[mudflap]

I know I'm a nut about log homes, but if you buy land in an area without a lot of trees, then it's probably not a good idea to import and build with them if you're looking at survivability - hard to find "replacement parts" if you ever need any.

and probably anything you build by hand is going to be labor intensive, so pick your poison.

As we say in the LHBA world:

cheap, fast or good, but you can only pick two

It's a universal law:

[Reluctant Watchman]

Imo. Don't build out of rammed earth, very labor and equipment intensive. Already built one. Never do it again. Adobe works, and as you can build them on site, that makes it nice, is somewhat labor intensive but nothing compared to rammed earth. I thought of straw bales but could not find any within reasonable distance. But you would want oats, barley or wheat straw and nice n tight 3 wire/string bales. The insulation factor would be excellent. Just run some rebar through them and anchor them together and to the foundation. I would just do the exterior walls only. Frame the interior. Supposedly they last 100 plus years or more.
In México it's Adobe or concrete. Wood framing is non existent. But if you go with Adobe, go thick exterior... some in Tucson go double exterior walls, I saw one house where they did double exterior walls @24" each with a like 3 or 4" air space in between. So that would be around 52" of wall plus stucco. But that is how they made Catholic church's in Mexico in hundreds of varios pueblos to protect themselves from the Indians. The four small towns in our area each have their own old catholic church with walls around 6ft thick. Built in the sixteen hundreds, still in use. Two and three story high.

You could also lay up rock if it's in the area....
But really nothing beats wood framing for speed and convince, but not long lasting.

I’m curious, why do you say rammed earth is equipment intensive. From what I’ve seen, you fill bags w/ soil and tamp them down. Barbwire goes in between the rows and then cob fills the gaps and a slip/lime coating waterproofs the outside.

It does seem time intensive, but not any more so than doing compressed earth blocks.

Which, btw, is the idea I’m liking most. A none-electric hand press costs about $1500.

Rammed and Cobb I consider to be two different things...at least the way we did it... Cobb is like hand mixed and by hand pattycake installed.
On the rammed earth, We built heavy duty forms, bought a 200 cfm compressor and air pounder, mixed the proper dirt mix with heavy equipment, pounded the hell out of it. Adobe is labor intensive also. But seemed to be easier as you do not have to have forms for the walls. Although you do need small forms to build the adobe's themselves.
But I've never heard of "filling bags" with dirt.
Build those walls thick, the thicker the better, if you do go with rammed earth or Cobb or Adobe. Makes for much better insulation. Plus in a hot climate, the heat transfer through the walls is much slower, the thicker the walls, to the point of not transferring through if thick enough.
Although ambient temperature is ambient throughout without "artificial" heat/cooling, unless you have a basement.

I’m familiar with the traditional rammed-earth method w/ forms, and yes, that can be labor and equipment intensive.

I did watch a video from a guy where he build a little form and then slowed worked about his structure and them moved it up layer by layers.

You don’t have to watch the whole video, but this shows the rammed earth bag method. In learning more about this, this method seems to be used way more than frames nowadays. You can also build round or square structures:

[Reluctant Watchman]

Here’s a link to a compressed earth block machine I’m interested in:
https://www.giantlinblockmachine.com/JD ... -36-1.html

Or here: http://www.adobemachine.com/

Here’s a video to a similar contraption. You can use a sand/clay mixture only, but that will require some type of cob or slip on the outside. If you use sand/clay/cement then you are essentially creating a brick that doesn’t need the outer weatherproof coating:

[simpleton]

Here’s a link to a compressed earth block machine I’m interested in:
https://www.giantlinblockmachine.com/JD ... -36-1.html

Or here: http://www.adobemachine.com/

Here’s a video to a similar contraption. You can use a sand/clay mixture only, but that will require some type of cob or slip on the outside. If you use sand/clay/cement then you are essentially creating a brick that doesn’t need the outer weatherproof coating:

When shtf, that works, in the meantime utilize what is available for much faster and quicker production.
Nothing is wrong with quicker production of bricks, automated even.
The above video is simply another method of building rammed earth adobe's. But, with a portable gas or electric mixer and some wood or steel forms, you can build them much faster and much easier. And the kids can all help.

[Reluctant Watchman]

Here’s a link to a compressed earth block machine I’m interested in:
https://www.giantlinblockmachine.com/JD ... -36-1.html

Or here: http://www.adobemachine.com/

Here’s a video to a similar contraption. You can use a sand/clay mixture only, but that will require some type of cob or slip on the outside. If you use sand/clay/cement then you are essentially creating a brick that doesn’t need the outer weatherproof coating:

When shtf, that works, in the meantime utilize what is available for much faster and quicker production.
Nothing is wrong with quicker production of bricks, automated even.
The above video is simply another method of building rammed earth adobe's. But, with a portable gas or electric mixer and some wood or steel forms, you can build them much faster and much easier. And the kids can all help.

My intentions are quite simple. I want a simple living structure that is made of basic materials AND that people will not covet. If I wanted to, I could just buy an off grid property w/ an existing structure. That’s what I’m trying to avoid.

[simpleton]

Here’s a link to a compressed earth block machine I’m interested in:
https://www.giantlinblockmachine.com/JD ... -36-1.html

Or here: http://www.adobemachine.com/

Here’s a video to a similar contraption. You can use a sand/clay mixture only, but that will require some type of cob or slip on the outside. If you use sand/clay/cement then you are essentially creating a brick that doesn’t need the outer weatherproof coating:

When shtf, that works, in the meantime utilize what is available for much faster and quicker production.
Nothing is wrong with quicker production of bricks, automated even.
The above video is simply another method of building rammed earth adobe's. But, with a portable gas or electric mixer and some wood or steel forms, you can build them much faster and much easier. And the kids can all help.

My intentions are quite simple. I want a simple living structure that is made of basic materials AND that people will not covet. If I wanted to, I could just buy an off grid property w/ an existing structure. That’s what I’m trying to avoid.

You cannot control whether people covet or not. But those sand bag structures look like much Ado, for very tiny spaces.
Although, I don't think that God much cares about the size of a home if His Spirit abides. But I would say build whatever is comfortable. The most basic material I would say is dirt. And even an Adobe shack would be enviable by a homeless person.
But don't go and get all fanatical and build a slum house. Lol.
Just build neat and clean and practical.

[Cruiserdude]

Here’s a link to a compressed earth block machine I’m interested in:
https://www.giantlinblockmachine.com/JD ... -36-1.html

Or here: http://www.adobemachine.com/

Here’s a video to a similar contraption. You can use a sand/clay mixture only, but that will require some type of cob or slip on the outside. If you use sand/clay/cement then you are essentially creating a brick that doesn’t need the outer weatherproof coating:

When shtf, that works, in the meantime utilize what is available for much faster and quicker production.
Nothing is wrong with quicker production of bricks, automated even.
The above video is simply another method of building rammed earth adobe's. But, with a portable gas or electric mixer and some wood or steel forms, you can build them much faster and much easier. And the kids can all help.

My intentions are quite simple. I want a simple living structure that is made of basic materials AND that people will not covet. If I wanted to, I could just buy an off grid property w/ an existing structure. That’s what I’m trying to avoid.

You cannot control whether people covet or not. But those sand bag structures look like much Ado, for very tiny spaces.
Although, I don't think that God much cares about the size of a home if His Spirit abides. But I would say build whatever is comfortable. The most basic material I would say is dirt. And even an Adobe shack would be enviable by a homeless person.
But don't go and get all fanatical and build a slum house. Lol.
Just build neat and clean and practical.

You have obvious experience in this. Do you have a blog or write up or journal or something like that of what you've tried and learned and the results? You could prolly help a few folks save some time from errors and do-overs with your experience/experiences.

[simpleton]

When shtf, that works, in the meantime utilize what is available for much faster and quicker production.
Nothing is wrong with quicker production of bricks, automated even.
The above video is simply another method of building rammed earth adobe's. But, with a portable gas or electric mixer and some wood or steel forms, you can build them much faster and much easier. And the kids can all help.

My intentions are quite simple. I want a simple living structure that is made of basic materials AND that people will not covet. If I wanted to, I could just buy an off grid property w/ an existing structure. That’s what I’m trying to avoid.

You cannot control whether people covet or not. But those sand bag structures look like much Ado, for very tiny spaces.
Although, I don't think that God much cares about the size of a home if His Spirit abides. But I would say build whatever is comfortable. The most basic material I would say is dirt. And even an Adobe shack would be enviable by a homeless person.
But don't go and get all fanatical and build a slum house. Lol.
Just build neat and clean and practical.

You have obvious experience in this. Do you have a blog or write up or journal or something like that of what you've tried and learned and the results? You could prolly help a few folks save some time from errors and do-overs with your experience/experiences.

No blog, no write up, no journal. Just lived it.
But, if I was to go to some new remote place and look to build a place to live. Be practible with what is available in that area... log cabins are ok where there are enough trees. Adobe or the like is good and they have been around for thousands of years. Not the greatest in a heavy quake, but then what is. If we are not right with God then no matter what we build is not "safe" from the elements.
Nothing really beats the speed and ease and practicality of wood framing, but, it definitely is not as long lasting, especially if termites are around.
Rock, stone, dirt, been around for eternity.
And those sand/dirt bags, how long are they going to hold up?
I am partial to Adobe as that is what my exterior walls are made out of... 12" thick plus stucco on both sides so about 15" thick.... inside 2x4 wood framing.... my wife added river rock the the outside embedded or rather stuck on with cement about 2/5 up the walls.
If I was to build again I would do the same with the exterior wall except even thicker... like say 24", I like those thick exterior walls. Or even thicker, 30" ?
Go at least 10' cielings also, makes a big difference. Or even higher.
Do the roof out of what is the most conveniently available, wood, steel, tin, etc.
Don't stress about building a house, just make whatever you build, a home , a home where love and friendship doth abide.

[Cruiserdude]

My intentions are quite simple. I want a simple living structure that is made of basic materials AND that people will not covet. If I wanted to, I could just buy an off grid property w/ an existing structure. That’s what I’m trying to avoid.

You cannot control whether people covet or not. But those sand bag structures look like much Ado, for very tiny spaces.
Although, I don't think that God much cares about the size of a home if His Spirit abides. But I would say build whatever is comfortable. The most basic material I would say is dirt. And even an Adobe shack would be enviable by a homeless person.
But don't go and get all fanatical and build a slum house. Lol.
Just build neat and clean and practical.

You have obvious experience in this. Do you have a blog or write up or journal or something like that of what you've tried and learned and the results? You could prolly help a few folks save some time from errors and do-overs with your experience/experiences.

No blog, no write up, no journal. Just lived it.
But, if I was to go to some new remote place and look to build a place to live. Be practible with what is available in that area... log cabins are ok where there are enough trees. Adobe or the like is good and they have been around for thousands of years. Not the greatest in a heavy quake, but then what is. If we are not right with God then no matter what we build is not "safe" from the elements.
Nothing really beats the speed and ease and practicality of wood framing, but, it definitely is not as long lasting, especially if termites are around.
Rock, stone, dirt, been around for eternity.
And those sand/dirt bags, how long are they going to hold up?
I am partial to Adobe as that is what my exterior walls are made out of... 12" thick plus stucco on both sides so about 15" thick.... inside 2x4 wood framing.... my wife added river rock the the outside embedded or rather stuck on with cement about 2/5 up the walls.
If I was to build again I would do the same with the exterior wall except even thicker... like say 24", I like those thick exterior walls. Or even thicker, 30" ?
Go at least 10' cielings also, makes a big difference. Or even higher.
Do the roof out of what is the most conveniently available, wood, steel, tin, etc.
Don't stress about building a house, just make whatever you build, a home , a home where love and friendship doth abide.

All valuable insights. I want to learn it from someone who's been there(not someone who's 'researched' it) so this stuff is invaluable to someone like me. I've wasted enough time trying to 'wing it' or just figure it out as I go. There's true wisdom in 'being one'.
If possible, I'd much rather learn from someone else's experience/experiences.... So thanks, hermano.

[simpleton]

You cannot control whether people covet or not. But those sand bag structures look like much Ado, for very tiny spaces.
Although, I don't think that God much cares about the size of a home if His Spirit abides. But I would say build whatever is comfortable. The most basic material I would say is dirt. And even an Adobe shack would be enviable by a homeless person.
But don't go and get all fanatical and build a slum house. Lol.
Just build neat and clean and practical.

You have obvious experience in this. Do you have a blog or write up or journal or something like that of what you've tried and learned and the results? You could prolly help a few folks save some time from errors and do-overs with your experience/experiences.

No blog, no write up, no journal. Just lived it.
But, if I was to go to some new remote place and look to build a place to live. Be practible with what is available in that area... log cabins are ok where there are enough trees. Adobe or the like is good and they have been around for thousands of years. Not the greatest in a heavy quake, but then what is. If we are not right with God then no matter what we build is not "safe" from the elements.
Nothing really beats the speed and ease and practicality of wood framing, but, it definitely is not as long lasting, especially if termites are around.
Rock, stone, dirt, been around for eternity.
And those sand/dirt bags, how long are they going to hold up?
I am partial to Adobe as that is what my exterior walls are made out of... 12" thick plus stucco on both sides so about 15" thick.... inside 2x4 wood framing.... my wife added river rock the the outside embedded or rather stuck on with cement about 2/5 up the walls.
If I was to build again I would do the same with the exterior wall except even thicker... like say 24", I like those thick exterior walls. Or even thicker, 30" ?
Go at least 10' cielings also, makes a big difference. Or even higher.
Do the roof out of what is the most conveniently available, wood, steel, tin, etc.
Don't stress about building a house, just make whatever you build, a home , a home where love and friendship doth abide.

All valuable insights. I want to learn it from someone who's been there(not someone who's 'researched' it) so this stuff is invaluable to someone like me. I've wasted enough time trying to 'wing it' or just figure it out as I go. There's true wisdom in 'being one'.
If possible, I'd much rather learn from someone else's experience/experiences.... So thanks, hermano.

A cave works also, if you have/own a location. But then probably most do not want to live in a cave. The good book says the time is coming when we will hide out like bats in a cave.
But again, I must emphasize, if we are not right with our Maker, all the prepping and hideouts in the world or wherever in the world will do us no good at all. Look at Masada for example. Perfect hideout, had water, but there was just a little problem. They killed their King, so God sent the Romans after them, took em a few months (8 or 9 I think) but they finally got to them and, well wait, they actually commited suicide at the last minute, but not before they started eating each other. So it is of the utmost importance to not reject our King.

[Cruiserdude]

You have obvious experience in this. Do you have a blog or write up or journal or something like that of what you've tried and learned and the results? You could prolly help a few folks save some time from errors and do-overs with your experience/experiences.

No blog, no write up, no journal. Just lived it.
But, if I was to go to some new remote place and look to build a place to live. Be practible with what is available in that area... log cabins are ok where there are enough trees. Adobe or the like is good and they have been around for thousands of years. Not the greatest in a heavy quake, but then what is. If we are not right with God then no matter what we build is not "safe" from the elements.
Nothing really beats the speed and ease and practicality of wood framing, but, it definitely is not as long lasting, especially if termites are around.
Rock, stone, dirt, been around for eternity.
And those sand/dirt bags, how long are they going to hold up?
I am partial to Adobe as that is what my exterior walls are made out of... 12" thick plus stucco on both sides so about 15" thick.... inside 2x4 wood framing.... my wife added river rock the the outside embedded or rather stuck on with cement about 2/5 up the walls.
If I was to build again I would do the same with the exterior wall except even thicker... like say 24", I like those thick exterior walls. Or even thicker, 30" ?
Go at least 10' cielings also, makes a big difference. Or even higher.
Do the roof out of what is the most conveniently available, wood, steel, tin, etc.
Don't stress about building a house, just make whatever you build, a home , a home where love and friendship doth abide.

All valuable insights. I want to learn it from someone who's been there(not someone who's 'researched' it) so this stuff is invaluable to someone like me. I've wasted enough time trying to 'wing it' or just figure it out as I go. There's true wisdom in 'being one'.
If possible, I'd much rather learn from someone else's experience/experiences.... So thanks, hermano.

A cave works also, if you have/own a location. But then probably most do not want to live in a cave. The good book says the time is coming when we will hide out like bats in a cave.
But again, I must emphasize, if we are not right with our Maker, all the prepping and hideouts in the world or wherever in the world will do us no good at all. Look at Masada for example. Perfect hideout, had water, but there was just a little problem. They killed their King, so God sent the Romans after them, took em a few months (8 or 9 I think) but they finally got to them and, well wait, they actually commited suicide at the last minute, but not before they started eating each other. So it is of the utmost importance to not reject our King.

That's definitely the most important part of all this, I couldn't agree more