DK Firearms

Can you live in a "pole barn"?

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  • baboon

    TGT Addict
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    May 6, 2008
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    Out here by the lake!
    What about electric and water?
    Very old friend of mine after getting screwed in a divorce built himself a a one room cabin in the woods. It had a 2 door out house for when guest stayed. No electric running into it. Coleman lanterns for lights, really old wood cook stove that provided heat as well as cooking.

    He built it near a spring for water. Had a water tank up on a tower that he pumped his water into for gravity fed running water. He also had a propane tank that ran his refrigerator & hot water heater.

    There were partition walls to separate his bedroom and bathroom from the rest of it.

    I hunted in tent camps in Africa that were some what similar. No propane but rather a water boiler for hot water showers, a flush toilet. It was on a slab. Big RSA surplus tent & rain fly. The bathroom walls were eucalyptus saplings with the rain fly extending overhead. Nice breeze in the morning cunning thru the bathroom. All kinds of critter would be peeping in on you when you shit
     

    skfullgun

    Dances With Snakes
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    7   0   0
    Oct 14, 2017
    5,430
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    In the woods...
    Very old friend of mine after getting screwed in a divorce built himself a a one room cabin in the woods. It had a 2 door out house for when guest stayed. No electric running into it. Coleman lanterns for lights, really old wood cook stove that provided heat as well as cooking.

    He built it near a spring for water. Had a water tank up on a tower that he pumped his water into for gravity fed running water. He also had a propane tank that ran his refrigerator & hot water heater.

    There were partition walls to separate his bedroom and bathroom from the rest of it.

    I hunted in tent camps in Africa that were some what similar. No propane but rather a water boiler for hot water showers, a flush toilet. It was on a slab. Big RSA surplus tent & rain fly. The bathroom walls were eucalyptus saplings with the rain fly extending overhead. Nice breeze in the morning cunning thru the bathroom. All kinds of critter would be peeping in on you when you shit
    Something like that was my dream - once upon a time. Now I want my air to be "conditioned" and that means electric!
     

    Higgins909

    Active Member
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    Apr 7, 2016
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    Pflugerville
    I am actually a contractor in the greater Austin area. My buddy in jarrell actually just did 1 as a house. It’s nicer than most homes and was much more affordable. If you have any questions regarding who did the shell or how we finished it out feel free to pm me.

    It is definitely cheaper to shop your own materials and pay just labor. For example to frame the entire inside was roughly $8,800 labor plus materials. He had a connection on metal framing and picked it up himself so he saved a lot.

    Also we did stained concrete and that’s was way cheaper than buying materials and paying labor to install it. Definitely helps to know people for sure.
    I'm just pondering ideas... If the market wasn't like it is right now, I would probably be living in Jarrell in my own house. Everything smaller then what I'm talking about here. The big question is can I get something like this done for less then a new house in Jarrell for $300k? Right now a $300k house anywhere is out of my price range, on a solo income. Was hoping this idea could be way cheaper and or build it out over time but be able to live solo. Looking at the land listings a little closer I'm not so sure... Silly neighborhood names and HOA and such.
     

    easy rider

    Summer Slacker
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    Jun 10, 2015
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    Odessa, Tx
    Much of the TV viewing I do is people making homes out of just about anything. It's a great way to get ideas. Depending on how much room you may need, you might look into a tiny house. Some go fairly cheap and are quite nice.
     

    Tblack89

    Active Member
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    12   0   0
    Apr 3, 2022
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    Hutto tx
    I'm just pondering ideas... If the market wasn't like it is right now, I would probably be living in Jarrell in my own house. Everything smaller then what I'm talking about here. The big question is can I get something like this done for less then a new house in Jarrell for $300k? Right now a $300k house anywhere is out of my price range, on a solo income. Was hoping this idea could be way cheaper and or build it out over time but be able to live solo. Looking at the land listings a little closer I'm not so sure... Silly neighborhood names and HOA and such.
    Factor in water well, septic, electrical and land. You can definitely get it done under $300k, would take a lot of leg work on your behalf as far as pricing out materials and such. Pretty much any contractor will mark everything up so the more you can do yourself the better off you’ll be.

    Definitely doable on that budget if your willing to put in the work. Give me rough dimensions of what you have in mind and I can give you a realistic number of what you will be looking at cost wise.

    To be extremely clear I stay booked approximately 9 months out so this isn’t me trying to sell a job because I’m way to busy. However I don’t mind giving you a idea of what to expect around this area so you know and don’t get overcharged.
     

    skfullgun

    Dances With Snakes
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    7   0   0
    Oct 14, 2017
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    In the woods...
    Here is an example of what u could do.

    I spend most of my indoor time in what I call, The Cabana. When I bought the place, it was a 175 ft stand-alone, screened in structure that housed an old hot tub. It was a raised foundation built on post with 2' walls on bottom & screen all the way around. It had a screen door, and a nice metal roof. I spent about 15K adding lots of insulation, hardy plank exterior, a tile floor, additional electric, and Luann plywood interior walls. I added an 8x15 ft porch on front. I've got about a 6,500 BTU in the wall. Added six windows and a metal, half-view door.

    Even at today's prices, I think you could build this structure for $45,000. It does NOT have plumbing, but it's only 40 ft from the main house.

    All that to say, I could live in it if it was only half again in size (250 sq ft), with a bathroom and kitchenette. Given that footprint, it would basically be an efficiency with the closed-in bathroom and all the other area would be open. Essentially the size of a very small apartment in Manhattan, or, a mother-in-law's house! And it would be on land you own, and be a solid structure.

    All you really need is a place to sit, watch tv, cook a meal, go to the bathroom, and sleep!
     

    Axxe55

    Retiretgtshit stirrer
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    0   0   0
    Dec 15, 2019
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    Lost in East Texas Elhart Texas
    I'm just pondering ideas... If the market wasn't like it is right now, I would probably be living in Jarrell in my own house. Everything smaller then what I'm talking about here. The big question is can I get something like this done for less then a new house in Jarrell for $300k? Right now a $300k house anywhere is out of my price range, on a solo income. Was hoping this idea could be way cheaper and or build it out over time but be able to live solo. Looking at the land listings a little closer I'm not so sure... Silly neighborhood names and HOA and such.
    Stay away from HOA's. they can restrict what and how you build even if they are outside the city limits, plus they charge you for that privilege of telling you what you can and can't do on your own property.

    Get the foundation and metal structure built and some inside framing done, along with electrical, water and sewer, and lots of the other work can be done as money and time allow.
     

    skfullgun

    Dances With Snakes
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    Oct 14, 2017
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    In the woods...
    Stay away from HOA's. they can restrict what and how you build even if they are outside the city limits, plus they charge you for that privilege of telling you what you can and can't do on your own property.

    Get the foundation and metal structure built and some inside framing done, along with electrical, water and sewer, and lots of the other work can be done as money and time allow.
    Many folks live in a travel trailer while constructing a more permanent dwelling.
    Build a pole barn that you can park an RV under one side, then build out the other. Sell the RV and live in the finished "half" while building out the other half, or use it for a carport/patio area. It's doable.
     

    Axxe55

    Retiretgtshit stirrer
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    Dec 15, 2019
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    Lost in East Texas Elhart Texas
    Many folks live in a travel trailer while constructing a more permanent dwelling.
    Built a pole barn that you can park an RV under one side, then build out the other. Sell the RV and live in the finished "half" while building out the other half, or use it for a carport/patio area. It's doable.
    Another option for a pole barn or metal structure.

    Excellent suggestion!
     

    leVieux

    TSRA/NRA Life Member
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    Many folks live in a travel trailer while constructing a more permanent dwelling.
    Build a pole barn that you can park an RV under one side, then build out the other. Sell the RV and live in the finished "half" while building out the other half, or use it for a carport/patio area. It's doable.


    No argument here, but expect surprises on the costs of what it takes to turn it into a livable home.
     

    msharley

    TGT Addict
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    Feb 28, 2021
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    Central Pennsylvania
    Many folks live in a travel trailer while constructing a more permanent dwelling.
    Build a pole barn that you can park an RV under one side, then build out the other. Sell the RV and live in the finished "half" while building out the other half, or use it for a carport/patio area. It's doable.

    Another option for a pole barn or metal structure.

    Excellent suggestion!
    See Post #4
     

    Mike_from_Texas

    Well-Known
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    3   0   0
    Feb 10, 2010
    1,468
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    North Texas
    If you own property that has no deed restrictions and covenants saying you can’t then you can build and live in a barndominium. Don’t assume just because you are outside the city that there aren’t restrictions.

    Also unless you have the cash to do it yourself, bank financing can still be a challenge at some banks.


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