25 ms·

As someone who has wanted to desperately build on "goldilocks" land for a long time, the thing that has held me up is not zoning but the uniform building code.

As someone who has wanted to desperately build on "goldilocks" land for a long time, the thing that has held me up is not zoning but the uniform building code. I simply only have enough money to build a shack. There are plenty of these out in the West, but at some point someone said "nah fuck them kids" and decided great-grandaddies shack is fine for somebodies grandkid to live in but if I build new property of literally the same thing I've committed a cardinal sin of safety. This means even though a shack would still be cheap to build, their supply is artificially limited (indeed irreplaceable) to the point a shack is practically as expensive to buy "used" as a fully up to code newer construction. And thus again I am cast aside, doomed to rent some overbuilt up-to-code construction.

giantg2 4y ago
There's the option of a tiny home on wheels. Most states have low sqft requirements for permanent structures, like 650 sqft. If you do the work yourself using professionally created plans, it's possible to do it cheaply and in stages. Once the shell of the house is complete, finishing the inside can be done cheaply by buying discount materials whenever they are available. This is stuff like returned paint and carpet or vinyl remnants (perfect for a small house with small rooms). You can even make a list and ask the local Lowes manager to give you a call if stuff is available. Then there's stuff like Craigslist for free or cheap sinks, counters, furniture, etc. The biggest issue/cost isn't the actual building codes, as those are easy to meet in most places. It's the sanitation requirements. Those old shacks were allowed to have outhouses, or at least septic systems that would no longer pass. Septic systems are a pain to put in and are quite expensive.
- notch656a 4y ago
  It's a good point. The other idea I had was creating multiple <200 sq ft structures, so that none of them met the minimum area required for a permit and then using an outdoor hallway to join them.

giantg2 4y ago

There's the option of a tiny home on wheels. Most states have low sqft requirements for permanent structures, like 650 sqft. If you do the work yourself using professionally created plans, it's possible to do it cheaply and in stages. Once the shell of the house is complete, finishing the inside can be done cheaply by buying discount materials whenever they are available. This is stuff like returned paint and carpet or vinyl remnants (perfect for a small house with small rooms). You can even make a list and ask the local Lowes manager to give you a call if stuff is available. Then there's stuff like Craigslist for free or cheap sinks, counters, furniture, etc. The biggest issue/cost isn't the actual building codes, as those are easy to meet in most places. It's the sanitation requirements. Those old shacks were allowed to have outhouses, or at least septic systems that would no longer pass. Septic systems are a pain to put in and are quite expensive.

notch656a 4y ago
It's a good point. The other idea I had was creating multiple <200 sq ft structures, so that none of them met the minimum area required for a permit and then using an outdoor hallway to join them.