How big is two acres?

Started by eric2802000, November 11, 2007, 09:13:37 PM

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eric2802000

I was wondering how big two acres is. I want to buy some land to build a cabin but I only have about $8000 or so, and still have enough to build it. Is 2 acres enough to be secluded?

glenn kangiser

#1
43560 sq. ft/acre

...but, I view it for simplicity as 150 feet x300 feet -- round numbers, so 2 acres could be  appx 150' x 600' or 300' x 300'

Secluded maybe with enough trees or landscaping but at the minimum it is a nice amount of room.  It will seem like much more in hilly or mountainy country.  Flat and treeless could be a bit close.

Welcome to the forum. :)
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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Homegrown Tomatoes

It probably depends on how it is laid out and where it is...is it on a busy paved road?  Is it in a community of houses with small acreages?  Two acres on a dirt road between large parcels of farm land would feel pretty secluded, and depending what part of the country you're in, you could do a lot with two acres toward growing/raising your own food.  If it is in a neighborhood of custom-built homes on two acre plots, it might not feel all that secluded.  We have a friend who has a home on 2 acres in a neighborhood of custom-built houses, and she is limited as to what kind of house, what kind of fence, and she has to park in her garage (no cars sitting in the driveway) etc.  To me, a lot would also depend on what I could do with the land... if I could build as I please and put in fences, have chickens, etc.
What part of the country are you in?

eric2802000

#3
i live in Chicago, but I am thinking about getting something in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Post and pier foundation. Just a small cabin to get away from things for a while. Id like to have a nice sized garden. But I dont know about chickens! haha

glenn kangiser

We have some members from up there.  Nice area - but maybe cold winters.
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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Daddymem

 Be aware of builders acres = 40,000 sf.  The land on our blog is only 25,000 sf to give you an idea.
Où sont passées toutes nos nuits de rêve?
Aide-moi à les retrouver.
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MountainDon

QuoteIs 2 acres enough to be secluded?
All of the above, or DEPENDS. Does secluded mean you can't see a neighbor if there's one there? Or is keeping the neighbors at a long arms distance good enough? Do like we did; a web search for agents and property in the area we liked, and some personal visits.

approx 295 x 295 = 2 acres if you prefer to think squares
Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.

glenn kangiser

Dang Don - I'll have to take 2 paces backward off my 300x300. :-/

Keep in mind that 20 acres or 40 acres as we have or even larger,  could still be within eye site of neighbors, depending on circumstances, buildable locations, etc.
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

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MountainDon

#8
QuoteDang Don - I'll have to take 2 paces backward off my 300x300. :-/
To be a tad more precise:
295.16097302997224  x  295.16097302997224   ::)

For those without a square root calculator of their own...
http://www.math.com/students/calculators/source/square-root.htm
...and for those who are real DIY'ers...
http://www.homeschoolmath.net/teaching/square-root-algorithm.php
Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.


Redoverfarm

Roughly about the size of two football fields more or less.  Just be careful if you are regulated by septic tanks and field regulations. Here anything under two acres requires an alternative field site of 100 X 100' in case the original would fail. Doesn't sound like much but if you have land that is not that level and the regulations on the grade 25% or less would come into play with having the alternative site or even primary site(2 ac +) on it could hurt you.

John_C

#10
If you have noisy neighbors on the edge of your 2 acres it will seem very small.  If, on the other hand, it's all grass that needs to be mowed every week or so it will seem much larger.

:) It depends :)

glenn kangiser

May make sense to think about well location and alternative leach field locations up front.  Usually 100 feet min. well to leach field or 150 feet to a drilled cesspool (usually around 30' deep and would not be allowed in high groundwater areas).
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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Homegrown Tomatoes

Well, since you all seem to be worried about septic tank requirements and such, if it is only seasonal, just use a composting toilet and forget all that junk.  By the way, Eric, welcome to the forums.  You're near our neck of the woods as we're just a bit north of you, at least for the time being.  Being as you're in the Chicago area, probably anything in the UP is going to feel relatively secluded... how much does land run per acre up there?  Make sure you're not getting ripped off on land prices because it sounds like a good deal compared to the Chicago area... shop around a bit.  It's outrageous where we are, and worse as you get closer to Chicago.  

I got to look at two different properties a week or so ago, and both of them were about 50 acres... from the first one, I could just see the roof of the nearest neighbor's house way off in the distance on the other side of a little swell.  The second property, though the front of the property was a long and very narrow 10 acres, I couldn't see any neighbors because of the woods.  Near the rear of the second property I could just make out a horse barn on the other side of the fence through the trees and across a field.  My dad lives on 5 acres and 4 of his neighbors are within a stone's throw because the houses are all situated on a bend in the road with the properties stretching out long and narrow behind the homes... I guess he's so popular that he has to shut and lock the gate when he comes in from work to keep everyone from just dropping by and hanging out.  He says he can't ever get any work done if he leaves it unlocked because all four of them will "drop by cuz they seen he wuz home".  

As to having a big garden, we lived on three city lots in Oklahoma and grew everything we ate except milk and bread.  A lot of it depends on location, again.  That far north, you'll have a short growing season, so it takes more land to be as productive, but there are a lot of ways to compensate.  Best of luck!

tanya

Land is measured by latitude and longitude too so 295 feet of arieal space is different than 295 foot of steep hillside.  
Peresrverance, persistance and passion, keys to the good life.


williet

Soooo.....which would be more to mow?

A two acre hill or a two acre gully? ;)

glenn kangiser

#15
That's all I have - hills and gullies - fortunately without irrigation grass won't grow in the summer here.

Weed eat "defensible space" at the start of fire season is it.  I do it with my Bobcat where possible -- make fire trails.

If you have flat land, then 2 acres of hilly = 20 acres of flat I think is the proper formula. :-/ --that's if you have to mow it ;D
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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FrankInWI

we all have our preferences.  I love country and I love our acre.  Oh yeh, a little more would be nice, but I have much forest and agriculture around me and I live on a little used road, so the atmosphere is good.  I have neighbors, but they are cool...being there for the same reason we want to.
The guy near by who we rented the contstruction lift from has 40 acres, and he's talking about down-sizing.  "Too much work involved" he said.  I don't understand that, but that's his changing perspective as he goes into his 60s (with some health impairment).
I set up the house so that I see nothing out our front view but the wooded lot, about 250 '.  I moved the driveway way to the back of the lot, so I wouldn't have long driveway to look at or maintain (i.e. Wisconsin snow).  
I got a buddy living near the city who bought 34 acres, some unbuildable, just so he could put in a long winding drive, and build his house way out of view.  PRivacy is important to him, really important.  I never had that need, but either way is ok.
god helps those who help them selves

StinkerBell

What helps me is I visualize a football field. That is about an acre.

SansPlans

I have 1 acre, and it is plenty private for me.  I left the trees and brush intact on the property line when I did my fence, and it is broken up into several openings which adds interest.

However my neighbors some who have mobile homes have no trees or bush, just flat land.  They are kind of exposed which would drive me nuts.

It all depends on the layout of the property and what greenery is in place.

What is a "builder acre"?

ScottA

We have 1 1/2 acre lot 150'x450' all woods. Seems plenty big enough to me. Take away the trees and it would feel alot smaller I'd say.

Scott


MountainDon

#20
QuoteWhat is a "builder acre"?
Similar in concept to a "face cord" of firewood. A way they shortchange you.

Builders acre: a nice round number; 40000 sq ft,  3560 sq ft short of the legal definition of an acre.

Face cord: a stack 8 ft long x 4 ft high x something less than 4 feet deep. Could be as small as a single row of 12 inch logs.
Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.

glenn kangiser

Hmmm -- so that's the deal -- that's almost as bad as 1.75 quarts of Ice Cream --many times sold as 1/2 gallon and it makes me madder than the builder acre because I deal with it every week. >:(
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.

MountainDon

Quote...almost as bad as 1.75 quarts of Ice Cream --many times sold as 1/2 gallon...
Think of it as a big quart Glenn. It'll be easier on your heart and BP.  ;)
Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.

glenn kangiser

#23
1 and 3/4 bowls full.  I don't think so, Don. :o ;D
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

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Redoverfarm

Glenn I thought you would be used to it by now ever since they changed the demensions of lumber.  Now when was that  50's or 60's.