County Helped Me Find Solutions

[FrankInWI]

Ok, I think I got this figured out.  The teen sons and I need a upgrade from ratty pop up camper on our country escape, and we don't have time or money to build my retirement home yet (the 1 ½ from John).  
I was thinking of cheating and building about a ~250 sq ft unit and calling it a "cabana" and living in it while having the pop up close by too.  I DID think of building it to code to later attach to the actual home I will build in another 2 – 3 years.  But....sleeping would be "living" in it, using it as a dwelling.  It'd be illegal and a problem.  
Now that I have a little more cash to work with I'm found a better alternative!  Talked to my Planning Development Department in my County for a long time on the phone. They often have bad news for what I want to do, they also sometimes have helpful ideas.  

They have a classification of a building I could build called a "cabin" .  Must be > 480 sq ft, but less than 960 (at which time it is "dwelling" size).  I can't have plumbing in it, but I could have electric.  HE suggested the cabin and HE suggested building it to dwelling code and incorporating it into the house later!
Human waste a puzzle too and he helped me to my best solution there.  I can't put privy atop a septic if I built that (because privy can't have plumbing).  I still want to check with the plumber that something can't be worked out.  
I can have incinerating or composting toilet though (commercial made).  The solution seems to build my own holding tank privy though.  Large holding take, build it to their code and have it pumped out as needed.  I can't see $1,000 hi tech toilets to use only for the next 2 years before I retire and finally build the home there.

Comments welcome, I learn by asking and listening.   ....and many of you people are outstanding advisors.  Thanks always......

[jraabe]

How very reasonable!

Always good to hear of help from the inspector side.

Yes, build it to residential standards. You don't have to insulate or drywall the walls. Keep the electric simple and accessible as codes change there ALLOT.

[fishing_guy]

Our up-north property suffers from much the same problem.  What to do first?  A full scale septic system almost always calls for a mound system in that area.  Quite expensive.  Especially for a vacation type home.  Our options are a $50 outhouse permit (would work for the short term, but the missus wouldn't want it to become a long term solution), or a holding tank.  The cost of a mound system will pay for a lot of pumping.  So after this next summer when my 2 daughters get married, our first step will be to put in a septic holding tank.  

Glad you found some help.  Much more that I expect these days from the local officials.

[FrankInWI]

up date:

yeh the county guy was nice and helpful and led me to modify my thinking to construct a "hunting and fishing shelter"..... problem is the building inspector with the township warned me if I do that he'd have to treat it as a dwelling anyway and it's have to be loaded up with inspected nicities just like a full fledged dwelling.  It's not so great when the county and township argue and the owner is in the middle.  

Building inspector said call it a "storage" on the county's Land Use Plan and then I can do what I want with it after he leaves the final inspection (yah..as long as a neighbor doesn't complain!)  

damn, too man people in our business.

[MountainDon]

...damn, too man people in our business.

You hit that right on the nail head, Frank!    

I feel I'm part of a conspiracy here. I have one neighbor within a 1/4 mile one way and another a little less in the other. I know nether of them have permits for anything they've built or are building. I'm feeling comfortable about my own plans.  

[FrankInWI]

Now I see how people become cynical.  I don't trust the plumber I had pull the permit on the septic in 2003.  He jacked up the price on doing it now by $1,200.  Then he told me lies to get me to rush into doing it now vs. waiting till after the building is in.  
Found super replacement guy known to family.  Price is $1,600 less and I trust him.  County thought second guy could do the job on the existing permit...my permit ($400 worth).
NO says the state.....not anymore.  We changed that rule.  It has to be re-designed and submitted by the new plumber! DAMN!  More fees..more $$....more time....more nervous waiting for oks.