Introduction

I want to homestead one day. That involves building lots of things - starting with a place to poop sleep. I want to determine if there’s a small shed or other prefinished structure that I can buy to place on an undeveloped parcel of land within an hours drive of my house.

Priorities

As far as possible, these are my priorities for the structure:

  • Indoor plumbing including a shower with hot water
  • A kitchen(ette) with a refrigerator larger than a mini-fridge, a stovetop and (stretch) an oven
  • A queen bed
  • A fireplace
  • A/C Power
  • Heating
  • Cooling
  • TV
  • (Stretch) Internet

Ideas I Want to Explore

  • Tankless hot water heaters
  • Radiant floor heat
  • Murphy beds
  • Polished concrete countertops
  • Soundproofing walls
  • Spray foam insulation
  • Ductless Mini-Split Air conditioners
  • Whole house fans
  • Skylights
  • Septic
  • Wells
  • Solar electricity
  • Solar hot water
  • Heat pump water heaters
  • Drinking water tanks
  • Smart locks
  • Home automation
  • LTE Internet
  • Satellite Internet
  • LVP Flooring
  • Foot baths
  • Eating nook
  • Indirect lighting
  • Loft space
  • Gravity-pressured plumbing
  • Greywater systems
  • Washer/Dryer in single unit
  • Swamp coolers

Cabin Size

Let’s see what we can find. I want a kit or something prefab.

You can buy this stuff on Amazon.

here is one that is 16x28 for $15k. It’s a kit, which means exterior without shingles and also no floor. 2x4 exposed studs on the inside. IT’s a kit too, so you have to put it together.

here is a 12x24 shed. same deal on most of the above. It costs

So, 12x24 - can I do all of this in that amount of space? Can i even live in such a thing according to codes?

Codes

I want to build in Park County CO - Bailey to be specific. I found land there. Doesn’t look bad. What codes do I need to follow?

here is Park County, CO building code questions. Item 12:

12.What is the building code for Park County?
Park County has adopted the following 2012 International codes.

The 2012 International Residential Code.
The 2012 International Building Code.
The 2012 International Mechanical Code.
The 2012 International Fuel Gas Code.

These code books can be purchased at the Park County Building Department or on-line at www.iccsafe.org

Okay, how much will this set me back?

I’ve found the four things I need:

I can rent them monthly, or get a PDF download.

Here’s the costs:

Document Subscription/Month PDF Cost
2012 International Fuel Gas Code $6.08 $81.95
2012 International Mechanical Code $6.08 $81.95
2012 International Building Code $9.83 $132.00
2012 International Residential Code $9.67 $129.00
Sum $31.66 $434.90

And at that rate, it would take accessing the documents for 14 months of subscription to match the cost of buying them.

Are these codes useful? Would another county use them?

I checked the codes of the county I went to college in: Peoria county. Look here for this bit of text:

The Following Codes Are Adopted & Enforced
January 13, 2012 began the adoption of the ICC 2012 Building Standards

2012 International Building Code
2012 International Residential Code
2012 International Existing Building Code
update: 2018 Illinois Energy Conservation Code, effective July 1, 2019
2012 International Mechanical Code
2012 International Fuel Gas Code
2012 International Fire Code
2012 International Property Maintenance Code
1996 Illinois Accessibility Code
2014 National Electrical Code
The current State of Illinois Plumbing Code, Part 890 Illinois Administrative Code

Huh. It actually seems that those codes could be worthwhile. Let’s check my other adopted home county of Brevard, FL.

That building code, found here says this:

Except as otherwise provided, the regulation entitled the Florida Building Code as established and amended from time to time by F.S. ch. 553 and adopted by the Florida Building Commission is hereby adopted as the building code of the county, to apply to the unincorporated areas of the county. A copy of the Florida Building Code shall be filed in the office of the clerk to the board of county commissioners and shall be available for public inspection during regular business hours of such office.

Okay, what’s that say?

Wow. It has a website. Here.

And you can buy it here.

Oh shit it’s the same site that sold me the international codes.

Florida’s cost $42.83 per month, $607.00 for the PDF.

So, maybe they’re worthwhile.

$434 is nothing on $15K, plus like $20K for the land.

So, I should probably buy a copy of the code. But, I don’t want to pay that right now. I’m not committed. I just need to take a look at the code to get an idea of what the next step is. And I can use the monthly subscription to do that.

I can do one at a time to minimize waste. So in essence, my choice right now is, do I pay $9.67 and commit to taking notes on the code for a month?

And, yes, that’s something I can do.

So that seems like a good idea.

OOOOOOOORRRRRRR……

I could go to the library. My local library has the 2018 building code and possibly others. I could read all I can in the 2018 for free, identify important sections for me, then get a months subscription of the 2012 and ensure that the important parts are the same.

Use Cases

Kitchen

Outhouse

When we’re just camping, I’ll need a place to pee and poo. Sadly, if legal, it will have to be an outhouse.

I should research that.

I can just get the septic tank and put the outhouse over it. You just poop right into it.

I’ll need a well and septic like, first thing. after the driveway of course.

Legality

PRobably not legal. I mean, would I even want to do it? that shit (literally) is going right back in my well.

Sequence of events

FIrst, I have to buy the land. That’s really it. Which would mean that I need the money first, but let’s start with the land.

So, I buy the land and the first thing I need to do is clear land for the cabin. Hopefully it’s mostly small brush that I can clear with hand tools and no, like, explosives. I’ll pile the brush up somewhere and we can chip it later for mulch.

TODO [ ] Figure out how large of a cleared area I will need

I can camp on the land 14 days of the year. A few weekends in the summer.

I can’t put up a storage shed until I pull the permit for the main structure.

Once I pull the permit I have to show progress every 6 months. They will inspect it.

I will need the money for the shed and the cabin before I pull the permit.

Perhaps I can start the caissons for the shed foundation. Get them put in and then get the shed delivered quickly.

That’d be tricky. Taking a risk. Maybe worth it.

But before that we’d be camping. We’d need water. A well has to come first.

  1. Buy the land
  2. Get well permit
  3. Put in a well
  4. Get driveway permit
  5. Put in driveway
  6. Get septic permit
  7. put in septic.
  8. Clear land for camping
  9. Fire pit
  10. Hammock area
  11. Outside lighting
  12. Firewood storage
  13. Solar Electrical station 9.

Random

I will need a smaller shed on the property to store building materials and later, to possibly store supplies once the shed is built.

According to Park (here ) I do not need a permit:

What can I build without a permit?
The following do not require a building permit but still must conform to land use regulations.

• One story detached accessory structures used as tool and storage sheds, that do not exceed 200 sq. ft.

So, I can buy property, buy a prefab shed, put it up without a permit, use it has a test bed for some of my ideas (particularly solar) and store stuff in it.

Before we have a cabin on the land, can we camp?

here is a description of Park County’s camping on private property regulations. Important parts:

• Property owners can camp for up to fourteen (14) cumulative days in a calendar year
without a permit
• After those 14 days, property owners may be granted a no fee permit to camp for up to
thirty (30) consecutive days in a calendar year.
• One (1) renewal of 30 consecutive days may be granted.
• One additional 30-day permit renewal (two renewals total allowing 90 days of permitted
camping) may be granted if a permitted septic system including a leach field is used for
sanitation.

Okay, so, camp before you have a house, have a storage shed with stuff ( camping stuff…). Build a fire pit, clothes line, drill a well? Outhouse? Outdoor lights. Pour a concrete pad for something. Camping is a good way to ease into this.

Realistically, I’ll only be camping during warm months, so 14 days is spread out between May and September which is 5 months, 20 weekends, 40 days total 14 is roughly 1/3 of those. A reasonable amount of time there over the course of the summer.

Maybe we can even buy a camper.

Wait, the accessory building will not be bueno:

here Page 19, ** note:

Accessory structures are not permitted on lots smaller than 35 acres without a residence

I kept reading and its either a residence OR you have pulled the permit and begun construction of the residence.

Snow load for both prospective properties is 90PSF

this says the wind load is 110MPG

20. Can I put a shed or a garage on my property prior to a house?
If your property is zoned Residential, the first structure on your property must be a dwelling. Please contact the Planning and Zoning Department @ 719-836-4254 or planner@parkco.us for this question.
25. Do my plans have to be engineered?
Yes, because Park County is in a special wind load and special snow load area, Park County will require that plans carry the stamp of a Colorado Registered Structural Engineer. Please remember the more complete your plans are the faster your plan review process will go.
26.Can I build my own home?
Yes, Park County does allow home-owner builders. However, the only stipulation is that the structure cannot be offered for sale until after the Certificate of Occupancy is issued. Home-owner builders can only build one dwelling as owner/builder every four years after the Certificate of Occupancy is issued.
29.Can I just build a primitive/weekend/hunting cabin without water, sewer, electrical or plumbing?
No. There is a minimum standard of living that states all buildings used for the purposes of sleeping must have electrical, plumbing, sanitation facilities, and running water.
32.How often do I need to get an inspection to keep my permit valid?
Code requires that work commences within 180 days of permit issuance, and that progress be made every 180 days. If work proceeds but cannot be completed within one year, you can request a permit renewal.
17.Does my shed require a permanent foundation?
Yes, because Park County is in a 110 mph wind zone. Sheds up to 200 square feet can be attached to minimum 8” caissons 24” below undisturbed soil. Sheds over 200 square feet shall be on a permanent foundation, i.e. monolithic or spread footing and stem wall or engineered piers.

Looks like I need a foundation for both the shed and for the house.

this is a site on different foudations

Resources

Park County Permitting Guide - Step 1 for Building a Home in Park County: here Onsite Wastewater Treatment System: here Snowload Map for Park County: this Park County Building Permit Application: this Cabin Depot - lots of stuff to buy: this