Future Home Ideas

[ATCclears]

I keep an electronic note of future home ideas. There are snippets from articles, websites, and even perhaps comments from Northwest Firearms.

I know everyone has different ideals and considerations. I will post everything here (in a quick series of postings), and welcome ideation from others.



To start, something I once read online somewhere...

My kids may see it - they are who I prep for. When I retire, I will move off this mountain and move further out away from the metro area to the coastal range where there is more rainfall and few people. I will buy a property with southern exposure (I am currently on the north side of this mountain) and more gently sloping land which can be farmed. I will put in a small orchard of fruit trees, a greenhouse, and solar panels. The goal is to be self-sufficient with regards to water and energy, and to produce at least some of the food we consume.

Read More

 

[ATCclears]

Location
* Away from metro area
* Not close to military targets.
* Good for traveling
* Accessibility of goods and services. Depending on your and your family's needs, you'll need to consider the distance and time it would take for you to get to the nearest town for supplies and hard-to-find service – for anything from automotive repair to computer parts. Probably a few non-negotiables for many folks are a hospital, trauma center, fire station or any kind of emergency response. That would be very important if you or a family member have a medical condition that could need urgent care. For healthcare, probably 60 minutes maximum from a city of 250K+ people. Assume commute time could double based on weather or road conditions (thx to @Camelfilter for this important consideration).
* Not too close to freeways or major roads.
* Distance to an airport with a reasonable runway of say 3000' - 5000'?
* Ideally has only one major access road and is not visible from the main road or highway.
* Ability to access in Winter, or other seasons with expected or extreme weather activity?
* Not too remote and has some neighbors.
* Soil condition. Is the soil arable? Too rocky? Too sandy? Clay-like? Suitable for the type of crops you want to grow? Contaminated with chemicals from fertilizers used by previous owners? These factors, along with soil acidity and pH, would determine the level of success and challenges you'll have in growing your food. I would recommend getting a soil test done, and doing so on the specific areas you're planning a garden.
* Safety from hazards — natural and man-made. You may wish to steer clear of wildfire risks, known earthquake faults, nuclear plants, tornado belts, flood plains, drought-prone areas, and low-lying coastal villages (at risk of hurricanes and tsunamis).
* Like-minded neighbors. Whether they be somewhat similar to you in the area of self-sufficiency, farming practices, political views or faith, living next to people who share the same values will make life a lot easier for you. Neighbors can be an important asset and even a resource when living off the grid. They can come to your aid in an emergency, they can share valuable knowledge and skills in all things faming, they can lend tools and equipment you don't yet have; and they can provide good-old company when things get lonely.
* Zoning. No or minimal Zoning regulations may result in "surprises" with neighbors (e.g. junkyard or business).
* 5 Common (wrong) assumptions about living in the country 5 Common (wrong) assumptions about living in the country – The Modern Survivalist
* Living in the country increases your chances of survival.
* Food distribution is more fragile in the city than in the country
* There's less drugs
* Its more "green", better for the environment.
* Cities are full of welfare type people.



Liquefaction in Washington State
Geologic Hazard Maps | WA - DNR

* High-risk areas per this 2019 map?
* Anacortes (Northern tip)
* Burlington and areas North, Southwest, and West
* Enumclaw
* Renton and 167 corridor
* UDistrict shopping center

 

[ATCclears]

Property layout and exposure
* Mostly Southern exposure to maximize sunlight.
* East-West valleys are generally better than North-South valleys since they get more light.
* Gently-sloping land which can be farmed.
* Considerations for solar panels
* Trees for firewood.
* Is the house defensible? Is there a high-ground vantage point?
* Let the Sunshine In!
* No house should be designed without serious consideration of passive solar design principles. The most basic principle of energy efficient design is to use the sun wisely. In climates where home heating is a primary concern, maximize your site's southern exposure to take advantage of passive solar gain. With today's high performance glass, south facing windows provide a net heat gain vs. lose through the glass area. If you are building in a more temperate climate you should take into account the heating effects of the sun on west facing rooms.
* Not only will well-placed windows reduce your heating bills (by as much as 50%), but they will provide the benefit of making your home bright and welcoming. Add the practical consideration of not having to rely on artificial lighting during any daylight hours—and the subsequent reduction in energy costs.
* The power of solar gain can be maximized with heat-absorbing masonry (fireplaces or tile floors) in rooms with southerly exposures. Southerly exposures can be shaded from summer sun with floor or roof overhangs, exterior pergolas planted with greenery, or with well-planned landscaping.
* Design to Take Advantage of Your Setting and Local Environment. In northerly and temperate climates a simple rule of thumb is to orient your primary living spaces to the south. Devote the northern portion of the design to bathrooms, closets, garages, laundry, mud rooms and entries, to provide buffers against heat loss and northerly winds. A closet on the north wall can provide a two foot thick blanket of insulation. Important living spaces will be enhanced by southern sun and its potential for heat gain. Few sites and house plans can adhere to these principles 100% of the time, but partial benefits are measurable and worthwhile.
* Take Advantage of Topography and Vegetation
* The temperature of the earth at three feet below grade is roughly 55 degrees year round. That fact provides ample reason to build some of the living space in your home into south-facing slopes. The south side will enjoy the gain from the sun, and the north side will be "exposed" to a moderate temperature year round, the end result being reduce heating and cooling bills. If your site slopes, you should consider this design possibility.
* Even in situations where it is impractical or undesirable to berm the foundation to the north, the use of landscaping berms and retaining walls can be an important element in deflecting northeast winds during winter.
* Landscape vegitation can be a critical energy design element. Trees to the north side (particularly evergreens) will deflect winter winds (and drifting snow!). Trees to the south of the house- especially deciduous trees- will shade your south-facing glass in summer, but let the warming winter sun in.
* Topographic Clues:
* The terrain of the site is a powerful determinant of the house design. The slope of a building site is often steeper than it looks. Take a tape measure and measure out 24 feet in length and with the help of a level determine how much the elevation changes over that distance. This will help you understand if your site will accommodate a house with a main level entry and a full walkout basement, for example, or if the site is so steep that special consideration such as a "bridge" or special fill might be required to access the front door. Sites slope from side to side as well as from front to rear. Imagine where you want to place your house and study the site to begin to determine the best way to marry the house to the site. Will the house "dip down" to meet the land in some places? Where will the land "rise up" to meet the house? A good design is sculpted to the natural terrain of the site, not the other way around, and understanding how to accomplish this is an important design element.
* In addition to the slope of the land, an in-depth walk will give you other clues. The existence of ledge may help determine where your house can be easily located without the cost of extensive blasting. Look for large outcroppings of rock; areas where the vegetation is interrupted, or shallow rooted scrub pines that often grow in ledged areas. Is the soil moist clay, which might hint at special drainage needs; what might the terrain be telling you about access to your garage; if certain rooms require direct access to the outside, where might they be located in the house and on the site? Beware of low or wet areas that could result in drainage problems.
* The terrain of your site will provide a wealth of information about how your house should be designed to fit naturally on that site. Good siting not only looks great, it costs much less to accomplish when the amount of earth moving has been reduced!
* Vegetation Clues:
* Obviously the preservation of mature trees should be a key element in any house design; so their location will tell you a great deal about your house location on the site.
* Somewhat related to the sun's path is the natural vegetation on the site. For example, major trees can provide welcome shade from the sun in the summer or buffer from prevailing wind in the winter. Deciduous trees (those that lose their leaves) are ideal to shade the south side from sun when in full leaf during the summer and let the sun in during the winter. Coniferous trees (those that have needles and do not loose their leaves) are ideal to provide shade through the year and to deflect prevailing winter winds. A good house design will not only avoid the removal of important trees of any kind, it will also respect the function of trees in creating your home's microclimate. The location of trees relative to your house and their role in energy efficiency and sun control is the subject of entire textbooks and should be understood before you begin the design process. These factors are important to both the overall design of the house as well as the arrangement of spaces within the house.
* Vegetation can also tell you a great deal about other aspects of your site. For example, the presence of ferns or certain marsh grasses, will likely indicate a wetland area which is probably restricted from building but which also might be damp during certain times of the year, even if the area looks dry now.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Too complicated. Put it all on red, man.

 

[ATCclears]

Property layout and exposure (continued)
* Solar Orientation:
* One of the most important design elements in every house is the path of the sun. The sun will brighten the southern exposure of your house, and as the sun makes its arc from southeast to southwest, it will illuminate different elevations and rooms of the house. Take some time to understand the sun's path with respect to your site and your intended house location. What rooms want early morning sun; midday sun; or late afternoon sun? Which rooms require no direct sunlight? The answers to these questions are not the same for everyone, and you need to think about them with respect to your own lifestyle. Some of us like bedrooms that are sunny in the morning; others of us prefer dark bedrooms to promote sleeping later. Many of us prefer brightly lit morning kitchens but a media room needs no natural light. The sun and its relationship to your house -and the specific living spaces therein- has a great deal to do with your personal lifestyle.
* Other Natural Restrictions that Affect Location:
* As we discussed in the last issue, the location of wetlands may also affect the potential location of your house. Being familiar with restrictions placed on the house location by setback requirements (front and rear), proximity to wetlands or coastal flood plains, or other local restrictions on site location are important for you to understand, as they may affect your house location, layout, or size.
* Natural Clues that Affect Shape and Volume:
* Why do classic Prairie Style houses have low roof pitches and sweeping overhangs? To reflect the flat and sweeping terrain of the prairie. Every house's shape should draw cues from the terrain of the site or the region. Many houses that look particularly at home on their sites are designed with shapes, massing, or variation in the roof form that somehow relate to their surroundings.
* Take a good look at your site and ask yourself, what is the terrain of the area actually telling me about my house? When you walk the site with an expert, he or she will be picking up cues from the topography that will affect the house design, its exterior finish materials and color as much as regional design preferences do.
* Access Road
* Who is responsible for maintaining the road?
* What ongoing maintenance is anticipated for the road?
* What is the risk of the road being damaged due to an earthquake, flooding, or wind storm (downed trees)?
* How quickly might the road be repaired if there is a large event in the area? Will the road be a lower priority if it provides access for just you or minimal people?
* Utility and Service Clues:
* Just as natural features of your site affect your house placement and design, so do the connections to civilization. Your site will need to be serviced by electric power. It may be served by a municipal sewer system or septic system. It may draw water from your community's water supply or from a private well. All of these utility related considerations may affect the position of your house on its site. It is important that you gather up all of this information and obtain copies of any perc test or septic engineering that has been done and locate the path or location of all utilities on your site plan prior to thinking about siting your house.
* Once you locate your well and the large area reserved for your septic system, you need to start thinking about how they relate to your house. Many people, for example, use the septic field area as the rear yard of the house since it needs to remain clear and is a natural location for a lawn. Others, because of topography or location of good percable soil, need to place the septic field in front of the house and consider the relative location of driveway, parking, and garage.
* Septic Elevation:
* Placing your septic system at a higher elevation than your basement will require added costs and reliability issues associated with pumps. Strive for a gravity-only system (no pump).

 

[ATCclears]

House Fire-safety Features
* Concrete and Steel walls. An example is a high performance stucco as an extra barrier around the walls and, wherever possible, replace wood with nonflammable materials such as fibrous cement board instead of wood for the eaves.
* Roof with fire-retardant materials. One example is thickened roof sheeting is covered by a fire-rated underlayment, which doesn't allow burning embers to penetrate. That is then covered by two-piece clay tile that has concrete in-between, which helps secure the tiles from high winds and helps further prevent burning embers from entering.
* Rooftop ember guards or other protection over rooftop openings to resist blowing embers - one of the biggest threats to structures in a wildfire
* Heat-resistant windows
* Tanks holding water
* Pumps powered by a solar, battery and liquid-gas power system so they, like other devices, would continue running when the rest of the power goes out
* Long hose(s)
* No vegetation within 5 feet of a home and 50 feet to 100 feet of so-called "defensible" space around it

 

[ATCclears]

House Floor Plan
* My priorities
* Aging in-place considerations
* One floor
* Wide enough halls and doors for access
* Zero-threshold shower
* Safety bars in bathroom
* Curio House by Haeccity Studio Architecture
* Plenty of natural light
* Oriented South
* High ceilings
* Open space
* Consider your family size. An important thing to consider when choosing your a plan is your family size. If your family is growing, be sure to include enough floor space to accommodate future family members. A den or office with an attached bath can be converted into a bedroom later.
* Working from home. If you often work from home, or may in the future, remember to include space for a home office in your new layout. The location of this room should be away from busy rooms where there might be a lot of activity such as the family room or kitchen.
* Entertaining. Do you love to entertain? If so, a kitchen/great room combination can allow space to comfortably accommodate a large group. If you don't entertain much, a more intimate space might be right for you.
* Open space or privacy. If you'd like having the family together in one room consider a floor plan with a great-room concept. If you cherish privacy more, a smaller family room but separate media/game room, and formal den/office may provide more solitude when you need it.
* Another thing to consider is the location of the master bedroom and how it relates to the kids rooms. Children's rooms might be best close when they're young and further away when older. An important consideration to make early on.
* The size of your lot. The size and shape of your lot has a big influence on your home's design. If you have a large lot, a sprawling single floor might work well, but if you want a large house on a small lot then you'll need multiple floors. Be sure to pay attention to any zoning restrictions or CC&R's that may effect the size and height of home you can build.
* Appropriate slope on roof of house and any outbuildings. Think about rain, snow, or worse heavy wet snow.
* No gutters higher than 10'? Easier maintenance.
* The architect Christopher Alexander on how to design a room that people love:
* "Light on two sides of every room. When they have a choice, people will always gravitate to those rooms which have light on two sides, and leave the rooms which are lit only from one side unused and empty.
* This pattern, perhaps more than any other single pattern, determines the success or failure of a room. The arrangement of daylight in a room, and the presence of windows on two sides, is fundamental. If you build a room with light on one side only, you can be almost certain that you are wasting your money. People will stay out of that room if they can possibly avoid it...
* The importance of this pattern lies partly in the social atmosphere it creates in the room. Rooms lit on two sides, with natural light, create less glare around people and objects; this lets us see things more intricately; and most important, it allows us to read in detail the minute expressions that flash across people's faces, the motion of their hands ... and thereby understand, more clearly, the meaning they are after. The light on two sides allows people to understand each other."
* Source: A Pattern Language

 

[ATCclears]

Power
* Already onsite? Costs can be over $10K per quarter mile to run in power.
* Is the power underground so there are no visible power lines to your house?
* Considerations for solar panels

 

[ATCclears]

Water
* Annual rainfall?
* Stream or creek? Runs year round? What is upstream that might contaminate the water?
* If well water, want at least 10 gallons per minute (GPM). You can get by with 2-3 GPM but you should have a healthy cushion. Check the local well logs. One property could have 40 GPM and the adjacent property has nothing or very low GPM.
* Irrigation. Gravity flow is better than pressurized flow.
* Check the water quality, and how land is — and was — used in the surrounding area, not just yours. Is or was there a commercial orchard in the distance? A mining operation? A feedlot? A factory? You don't want any of their wastes or chemical run-off in your groundwater. Find out about water rights, too. Some states don't even allow residents to collect rainwater right from their own roof gutters.

 

[ATCclears]

Communications
* Unless you're ready to totally unplug and live without phone or Internet connection, check the availability of telecom services. Check cell phone signals in different areas of the property. Not only would you want to remain connected to loved ones and the rest of the world, you might also consider working online by selling goods and services. Find out if there's more than one service provider, so there's an alternative if you're not happy with one.
* Already onsite? Costs to bring in?
* Is the phone line buried in the power trench?

 

[ATCclears]

Food
* Garden
* Greenhouse
* Cellar
* Small orchard of fruit trees

 

[ATCclears]

Article I kept (sorry, don't have the link).


Five Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Built My House
The home-building process takes longer and costs more than you may think

Starting. Takes. Forever.
Waiting to break ground was the most frustrating part. It involved three major hurdles: Getting the floor plans approved by the development's architectural-review committee, which meets monthly. Getting the final contract from the builder. Getting a construction loan from the bank.

"We want clients to know there will be a lot of emotional ups and downs. It's not a controlled environment—there's weather, there's subcontractors."
—Beth Larchar, vice president of development, Obodo Builders

I won't bore you with the twists and turns, but all the paperwork pushed our start date back six months. We had already sold our old house in New York, and our new house in South Carolina wasn't nearly finished. As a result, we rented a house near the construction site and put our furniture and other belongings in storage. In all, that set us back about $20,000. If I had known it would take so long, we probably would have listed the house later than we did. On the flip side, moving early meant we could visit the construction site every day and be part of the process.

Lots of expenses aren't included in the price of the house.
We paid $20,000 for the land, not including property taxes and property-owners association fees. Before construction could begin there were some preliminary steps required by the POA, the builder and the county where we reside. We spent $1,400 for a required topographical map and tree inventory; $630 to outline the home's footprint with stakes and tape; $800 for the architectural review; $3,000 to the development's road-maintenance fund for wear and tear; $150 for a septic-system permit, and $450 to drill test holes for the septic system. These expenses couldn't be included in the loan—because we didn't have a loan yet. And the money was due before our New York house sold, so our financial adviser suggested selling some of our holdings to cover the upfront expenses.

You don't know what you need until you need it.
After moving into our rental house, we suffered a series of power outages in December, when low temperatures were in the 20s. The blackouts didn't happen often, but they were frequent enough for us to want a backup generator in our remote location. That set us back another $15,000.

There are sneaky ways to save money.
Buying remnants of granite and quartz for the countertops instead of full slabs of stone saved us several hundred dollars. We paid only $100 for a floor-model sink that had been discontinued. We also asked the appliance store manager for a discount on a kitchen-laundry package. And finally, we planted much of the landscaping ourselves, with savings estimated at $5,000.

"In the beginning, clients don't want to divulge budget numbers because they don't know yet if they can trust you. It goes so much faster when you talk about the nickels and dimes up front."
—David Cooper, managing director, Connecticut Valley Homes, East Lyme

There are more cost-effective ways to design a house.
I wish we had asked more questions about cost-savings upfront instead of just pursuing our dream design. It cost almost $64,000 to clear and level a sloped lot, install a septic system and dig the foundation and basement. Another $30,000 went toward the concrete foundation and walls. The metal roof cost about $35,000. I should have asked: How much can we save if we choose a floor plan with a smaller footprint, but the same square footage? The cost of site prep, cement and roofing would have been far less. How much less, we'll never know.

The same is true for the materials. Instead of stonework, should we have gone with stucco? Instead of a long, curved driveway leading to the garage, would the topography have allowed for a shorter driveway?
In the end, we spent about $100,000 more than we had wanted, but the proceeds from the sale of our house in New York covered most of the cost of our new home in South Carolina. And while I consider this my "forever home," I ask myself, "Would I ever want to go through new-home construction again?"

 

[Siglvr]

One solution is to buy a vacation home where you want, except, it has some kind of recreational opportunities you already love to do (walking on the beach, fishing etc). You be able to plant fruit trees etc in your spare time. Make sure you are able to walk there (even if it takes multiple days) in the event of an EMP.

 

[The Heretic]

I keep an electronic note of future home ideas. There are snippets from articles, websites, and even perhaps comments from Northwest Firearms.

I know everyone has different ideals and considerations. I will post everything here (in a quick series of postings), and welcome ideation from others.



To start, something I once read online somewhere...

My kids may see it - they are who I prep for. When I retire, I will move off this mountain and move further out away from the metro area to the coastal range where there is more rainfall and few people. I will buy a property with southern exposure (I am currently on the north side of this mountain) and more gently sloping land which can be farmed. I will put in a small orchard of fruit trees, a greenhouse, and solar panels. The goal is to be self-sufficient with regards to water and energy, and to produce at least some of the food we consume.

That was me. I recognize my words and plans.

Not sure if I can do it now with my job disappearing on me. We'll see. I had planned on working one more year, then selling and buying the land, getting a small mortgage on it, then retiring. Now - not sure anyone will underwrite a mortgage to someone on a fixed income, even if it is just maybe $100K to build a shop with living quarters. I don't want to touch my IRA/401K because those are for my daughter.

I will just have to see what happens.

Right now, playing it by ear, cleaning up and improving, making the property look good to get the best price, waiting out the current situation to see what happens with the employment and real estate market. Then maybe sell next year or 2022? Who knows?

 

[The Heretic]

"Probably a few non-negotiables for many folks are a hospital, trauma center, fire station or any kind of emergency response. That would be very important if you or a family member have a medical condition that could need urgent care. For healthcare, probably 60 minutes maximum from a city of 250K+ people."

The city I am thinking of moving nearish has a population of ~37K, but also has a good hospital and medical center sufficient for the needs of my family at this time. An air ambulance from there to Portland would be maybe 15 minutes (?), ground would take about an hour. The city I live nearish has about the same size population, and a hospital too.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Geothermal

 

[Diamondback]

Article I kept (sorry, don't have the link).


Five Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Built My House
The home-building process takes longer and costs more than you may think

This look like it? (paywall)

Five Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Built My House

The home-building process takes longer and costs more than you may think.

www.wsj.com

 

[MannyGlocks]

Overthinking...

 

[The Heretic]

Geothermal

Yes - geothermal heat pump and solar, with radiant floor heating.

Backup with a woodstove and wood furnace or solar heat - the latter for hot water.

Also photovoltaic.

The idea being able to go off-grid if necessary. Always good to have grid power in the PNW, but if SHTF, the grid might go away for months to years, especially if you are rural.

 

[The Heretic]

One solution is to buy a vacation home where you want, except, it has some kind of recreational opportunities you already love to do (walking on the beach, fishing etc). You be able to plant fruit trees etc in your spare time. Make sure you are able to walk there (even if it takes multiple days) in the event of an EMP.

Or earthquake. Earthquake seems more likely to me and is actually worse in that no matter what is still running (like my diesel truck), you probably will have to walk at some point as the roads simply won't be passable due to bridges/etc. falling down and many roads themselves broken up. Of course, it depends on where you are and the roads/etc.

EMP I could deal with, earthquake would be harder.