As i’m sure you know off grid is one of those phrases that gets tossed around haphazardly these days. Unfortunately, this is typically done by people who have never went on a camping trip let alone lived on the outskirts of society.
Due to this phenomenon there is a lot of misinformation in regards to the transition from society to homestead. I’m going to fill that gap for you with a few tips for living off grid.
Is Now The Right Time?
This is typically where the off grid journey stops for most people. That ever present doubt in the back of your mind that the timing isn’t right. What if it doesn’t work out? What will people think of me? This stage of finding the perfect time to go off grid can and will last forever. I speak to people all that time that are entranced with taking control of their life and going off grid after realizing that I have done so successfully. I typically find out that this idea of living outside of society has been bouncing around inside their minds for years, sometimes decades and unfortunately they fear being out of control and therefore never bring themselves to take the plunge.
The first and probably most important tip is to take the first step, whatever that means to you. That can mean start visiting parcels that you’re interested in, picking an area you definitely want to move too saving money to make an RV, trailer, land or home purchase etc.
You need to remember you can always go back to the subdivision or apartment complex if you don’t like living off the grid but you can never get back the moments you did nothing out of fear or indecision.
Perfection
I know some people are wired to plan for every contingency. It is a quality trait and this level of organization and focus is a good thing. However, it can also be a detriment. You will find out very quickly that you can not plan for everything. Living off the grid comes with far too many unknowns. It’s similar to drifting you learn by doing it
The 2nd tip is don’t cripple yourself with indecision based on not knowing all of the factors that go into switching to a different lifestyle. Just get off the grid and start living. You will learn as you go and most of the problems you’ll encounter will be specific to your skill set or lack there off, things that wouldn’t know how to mitigate until you experience it.
For instance, I wanted to build and underground garage next to one of my houses and upon digging I realized it is on top of a quartz vein. Obviously this made digging by hand almost impossible past a certain depth. Therefore, plans have changed and it will be a pond for my dogs to frolic in moving forward lol. The key is I didn’t know about it until i started and you just have to continue moving forward
Geographic Location, Location, location
The big 3 of real estate. This is much more important when it comes to living off the grid because it is your lifestyle and well being that will be at stake vs a nice view or a short trip to work. For example if you pick a plot that you can only access by game trails that means either buying or building a proper 4×4 that can allow access to the property year round as well as coming up with creative and typically more expensive ways to get building materials and furniture to the site etc.
When picking your location you have to think of a plethora of things. How will you get power to the sight if you want it. Can you use Solar panels? That isn’t efficient in a heavily forested region with tall trees or in places that are overcast for a good portion of the year. This mean wind power, water power, fossil fuels etc. How will you get water, is there a well on the sight, can you dig a well on the site, or do you bring water in using a water tank with a trailer, do you have a vehicle that can support the load of 1000 gallon water tank filled with water? That is roughly 8300 lbs.
You also have to take into account if this area is prone to wildfires, floods, earthquakes etc and build accordingly… A Brutalist concrete house if in wildfire territory, a timber house raised on concrete piers or treated lumber posts if in flood zones to avoid water damage, an earth bag house if near a fault line or a movable RV or trailer in either location to flee from mother nature when she comes knocking. All of these options will just typically mitigate damage vs prevent it.
If you plan on growing your own food the zone matters as only certain fruits and veggies grow in certain zones. You also have to choose the depth of your foundation based on the frost line in the region to prevent upheaval from freeze and thaw cycles.
With that being said the 3rd tip is to pick a location that is conducive to your lifestyle. If you want to fish for food, pick somewhere near a body of water, if you love the winter pick a northern location etc. This is very important as it will largely effect your happiness and wellbeing off the grid and you didn’t leave your previous life just to be unhappy in your new one.
Budgets Are Made To Break
This is incredibly important and I deal with it on every project I undertake. Whatever budget you have set add roughly 30%. There are so many unknowns every step of the way. You always need more dimensional lumber, more screws, more nails, to replace tools, extra plywood, dust musk for when you use equipment etc.
Tip 4 is to plan to spend more than you envisioned but don’t let it hold you back. Every task that has never been done before seems daunting and you have to leave room for more mistakes which is where the extra money comes into play. If you can’t save anymore or you want to get off the grid as soon as possible plan to start small and make a house you can add too over time after you are acclimated and have excess to spend.
A House or A Home
Although this item is last on the list it is the most important thing when you do finally get off the grid. You need a place to keep your things, a place to keep you safe from harm and out of the elements. I am telling you from experience there aren’t many thing worse than a winter in the negatives with no insulation or heat source, waking up to check whether your toes or numb or you have frostbite is not a fun experience. Hearing the tinkling of rain and having to move anything that could be damaged by water to safety before the water starts coming through the sheathing is something you want to avoid lol.
With that being said the last tip is to have a structure that can help you avoid these events. Whether that be RV, a shipping container, or proper planning that allows you to finish your house before the elements overwhelm you. In some cases you may want to build something small to completion as soon as you arrive off the grid for shelter while you are building your dream home.
Regardless of how you plan to do it try and make sure you have a weathertight structure as a haven. It won’t seem that important until it is too late.
Recap
The Tips for living off the grid include
- Take the 1st step in your journey and start making concrete decisions about how you are going to get off the grid and change your life for the better
- Don’t be crippled by indecision due to things not being perfect, whether that be the timing in your life, the plot you can afford, or the location of your plot. Find a way to make it work if it’s the only option. Your life will only be as good as you want it to be
- Location: Know the positives and negatives of the location you picked. Everywhere is perfect to someone. Keep power, water and mother nature in the back of your mind at all times. It is essential to your success.
- Add 30% to your budget for the unknowns of living off the grid for any projects or builds. If you can’t add that amount try and lower the cost of your project by that amount to cover it.
- Have a weather tight structure prepared to keep you warm, dry and safe before you need it.
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