Need advice on building a small home

[StuckInNature]

.ilyt

[MountainDon]

  StuckInNature

If you gotta be stuck someplace, that's a great place. 

Do you have hills?

I ask that because for my personal sanity I need to have daylight and lots of it inside. If there's a slope you can go partial underground and have a window wall. If no slope... well I wouldn't like it. But that's my opinion.

How about partially in the ground? Deep enough to lower the silhouette but leaving room for some windows in the low walls. Dirt banked up on some sides. Sod roof just like the pioneers.

With a "pit" like that what about drainage, like when it rains. I've never thought much about it, but we do have advocates/followers of underground building here. I'm certain they and others will pop in and give their thoughts.

Have a good one!

[Redoverfarm]

Theres pro & cons of each type of cabin.  You just have to weigh them in for what will suit your needs.  Either way you need to ask yourself what are you going to use it for and will it be solely for you or others too.  Either way I would draw up a set of plans to utilize the small space as efficent as possible.  Sometimes you can easily add these into the planning stage.  Personally the size you have indicated is not much room for a single story(underground) but would be fine above ground with a small loft.  It is alot cheeper to build up than out. One roof covers all.  Once you get the general idea of what you want that will normally dictate the size.  If not a couple feet one way or the other will probably not break the bank.

I like Don's suggestion of a berm cabin. You could even make it 1-1/2 story for extra room.

[glenn kangiser]

Are there exemptions for any sizes of buildings there? 

Many places 120 sq feet or less are exempt... and you need to be away from standing water for the underground cabin to work so the 75 feet should not be a problem if you can continue up hill.  A bermed underground structure is also possible if there are water issues where the structure is covered but above ground.

If you have to get permits, the underground structure will likely not be cost effective, but if not, Mike Oehler's $50 and Up Underground House will give you design specs.

If that is not practical, John's Little House Plans will have you covered.  The above ground will be much less work.

Welcome to the forum.

[ScottA]

Hi there and welcome to the forum. I agree with your opinions on land use but strongly urge you to find out what the laws are in your area. Try asking around without telling anyone what your plans might be. If you are in a planning area you should think long and hard before you just do whatever you want. You might get away with it you might have to tear it down and pay a fine. There's always the option of putting it on wheels(and blocks) if all else fails. I'd go with above ground if it was me. That land looks kinda wet. Put shutters on the place so you can lock it up tight when you're gone and post your boundry. 10x12 is gonna be kinda tight but should work for one person if planned out well.

Good luck

[peternap]

I'll go out on a limb as long as you understand that I am bad about thumbing my nose at local government. Also understand that you could be forced to tear it down if caught.

That said, build it if you want.Looking at your picture, I'd pass on the underground cabin. They have advantages but the big enemy (Other than decay) is water. I've found that in your type of soil, you hit water a few feet above the waterline of the pond. This will cause you no end of misery,

For the size you are talking about, the options are limitless. One would be to buy a metal storage container and insulate it. That will even be legal in most cases.

Another would to be to build a small cabin (start calling it a shed) on skids.

Nothing is break in proof although the storage containers are pretty hard to get into. I have have a trick for keeping most people from my place. I found that the hunters ignored No Trespassing signs when I wasn't around.

I took a sheet of plywood and set it up so I could pin a silhouette target on it. I shot several very tight groups in the head, chest and  :)other parts and then I put a no trespassing under it.

I've only had one hunter go past it since I did that.

Good luck with whatever you do!

Take a look at some of the plans available here. There are some very small but well designed building that John's designed.

[desdawg]

I saw a sign one time that said: "Trespassers will be shot. Survivors will be shot again." 

[peternap]

The problem with those signs is that if you DO shoot someone, the wording will come back to haunt you.

Mine is juit a target

[fishing_guy]

Welcome to the forum Stuck.

It all depends where in Minnesota you are and how lucky you are whether or not you'll have any problems.

A couple of years ago, we were looking for land and found some by Mille Lacs.  One drive through the neighborhood showed at least 5 trashed cabins.  We decided against it.

We finally ended up with 13 acres north of Hibbing and Chisolm.  Have had an RV parked there for 2 hunting seasons, and no problem.  The difference is there are a couple of year-rounders near and they DO keep a watch on it.  Not obnoxiously, but they do know the comings and goings of vehicles in the area.

So, get a feel for the area, and any speciial problems it may have before making your decision.  The other thing you gan do if you do build above ground is blend in as much as possible.  Choose colors, details, etc to blend into the surroundings.

Most of all, enjoy it!

[peternap]

Oh...one other thing....
Get some game cameras. They are great for keeping an eye on the game and even better at keeping an eye on trespassers.

The one bunch of hunters that passed my sign was on Thanksgiving.
This weekend I'll find out who they are and they'll wish their mothers never met their fathers

[JRR]

How much time will you be able to spend there?  How often will you visit?

You may just want to build a "campsite".  Perhaps a raised platform with a metal roof overhead.  A surrounding knee wall, ... but otherwise open, nothing to break into.  Attached stone fire-pit and chimney.  Separate privy.  A good place to set up a tent, but not much to destroy ... and little invitation for destruction.

Any small building that is remote .... becomes some bum's toilet.

[John_C]

"Trespassers will be shot. Survivors will be shot again." 

That's better than the one I had that said "Trespassers will be shot, survivors will be prosecuted"

Interesting set of smileys here.  Since it's morning...   

[FrankInWI]

It's such a shame one has to worry so much about vandalism or break in.  Is it really that prominent in the area you are in?
I too suggest you call the county planning department (or whatever they call it).  They HELPED me find a suitable classification in the state law that I could build without making it into a "dwelling".   "Fishing and Hunting Shelter" it was... I was all excited till I talked to the township building inspector.  He would have no part of it. He said he'd have to treat that as a dwelling and it's having to meet all inclusions and codes.  My township isn't as remote as yours though...maybe you wouldn't have that conflict.
The definition was that it be less than 960 sq and used for the aforementioned activities, with overnight lodging intermittently, and no permanent plumbing.  Guy can do a lot with that description.
Staying legal could avoid heartache, headache and cost later maybe.
Good luck, it sounds exciting! 
Frank, your neighbor in Wisconsin (Go Packers!)

[williet]

The camera is a great idea. I've wondered how to help keep an eye on the gate....just didn't think of it.

Maybe the local police will be able to do something with the pic.

[StinkerBell]

I am wondering if you place a No Tresspassing with it saying violaters willbe fined 10,000 and then if they are found guilty via the camera you can take them to court and collect..... Thatmight be lesson enough for a community to respect private property.

[MountainDon]

I am wondering if you place a No Trespassing with it saying violators will be fined $10,000 and then if they are found guilty via the camera you can take them to court and collect.....

It's the collecting part that's going to be difficult with a bunch (most?) of them.

I do like the subtle art displayed by Peter's bang on target, juxtopositioned with the No Trespassing sign. In today's litigious world it might not be wise to display a "shot on sight" sort of thing. Something like might need a lawyer trying to explain that it was meant in jest, IF something ever happened, even if you were innocent.

The game cameras came up some time ago in another thread. I still think they're a good idea tho' I haven't got any yet myself. Peter, did you get the universal type that you use your own camera or an all-in-one, ready-to-go type? Have you captured any four legged game as well?

[peternap]

Don, I think the universals your talking about are homebuilts. Yes, I do have a couple. This one was a store bought Stealth I450. It's the best for the money I've found.

I have thousands of game picture.
I have some on line
Go to :
https://s198.photobucket.com/albums/aa57/peternap/

and browse away.

I have a soft spot for my bears so I have a lot of them there.

[MountainDon]

Thanks, Peter. You weren't kidding when you said lots of bear! Deer too. And one wolf; haven't seen one of those out here, ever. Coyotes all over the place tho'.

[peternap]

The wolf isn't on my property Don....Sorry, didn't even think about it. I hosted it for a friend out west. As far as i know, there aren't any wolves here. Plenty of yotes though.

The fellow with the deer is my son. He killed  that during muzzleloader season a few weeks ago.

[CWhite]

I really enjoyed you animal cam shots too.  You sure do have a lot of bears wandering around there.   They look healthy too. 
Christina

[peternap]

Thanks Christina.
The Bears eat well. They get in my deer feeders. I went through 400 pounds of corn over the summer.
I saw the cubs last weekend. They are over 100 pounds now. I may feed them some trespassers this weekend

[MountainDon]

I may feed them some trespassers this weekend

[desdawg]

That guy on the passenger side must not have seen the camera. He looked like the "flip it off kind of guy" had he known. Go get em Peter! 

[Redoverfarm]

Probably you will need to find out which type of structure doesn't require and permit and then tell them that is what you are going to build or at least call it. Maybe even a picnic shelter with screen sides.

As far as the modern things in life. I'm going to keep my charmin and you can have the outdate "sear and roebucks catalogs" and the " corn cob".

Good Luck

[glenn kangiser]

Just be sure to use a different cob if you ever want to make a corn cob pipe.