Anybody built a house in the foothills (GV, Auburn, Cool, etc...)? (Vista: new home, landscaping)

[Vic Romano]

I would appreciate any advice you can offer regarding building a house in the Grass Valley/Auburn/Cool area. We don't want a huge piece of land, less than one acre. Here are some of the questions:

1. How is the water and sewer situation? I would like to be hooked up to water as well as have a well (for landscaping). And I would prefer not to have septic though I may not have a choice.

2. Is it pretty much all propane for heating and stoves?

3. What are the costs involve in "prepping" a piece of land? I would like a relatively flat space but with a view if possible.

4. I would prefer to have solar as well as some sort of rainwater collection system.

5. Any other advice regarding building a new home?

6. Has anybody worked with a contractor in building a home? I looked at the website for Wechsler Homes in Foresthill and was impressed they have a number of floor plans with base pricing...

Thanks in advance!

[hydro]

If you have enough$ you can buy a lot that has water and electric to site. The engineering and excavating are the most major of all the costs- so again, if you have $ you can buy a lot w a building pad already. Saves time, headache

[OutdoorsyGal]

Cool is in El Dorado County and they are much more relaxed and honest about building permits than in Placer County. Cheaper too.

I Nevada County where Grass Valley is located is also good. They have a bit of a hippy culture there.

Placer County where Auburn is located, is generally more expensive full of well to do folks.

Our friends who live at Auburn Valley Country Club in Auburn were told it would cost $35,000 for the permit to add on an average sized
garage to their home just 4 months ago. Businesses along Hwy 49 often depart even before they open because the County messes with them making up fines and stuff until they go bust.

Near Hwy 49 (aka Grass valley Hwy) in Auburn the wells are often contaminated due to the Cow Pastures and the drought.
I do not know further up Hwy 49 the condition of the wells since that starts going into Nevada County.

Cool should be better regarding water prices, it runs about 75 per month in Auburn for NID considering you don't use it much. We had 3 people and a small lawn.

Meadow Vista water is a little cheaper, about $60 per month right now. Same situation


Grass Valley is friendlier and more laid back than Cool or Auburn. Overall it is cheaper to buy there

If you have kids, Lake of the Pines in between both Auburn and Grass valley is nice. Lots of teenagers and children in that area.
It's a little less expensive than Auburn

You could also look at Meadow Vista, Applegate, Weimar or Colfax. But Colfax water, which is within the city limits, is twice the cost as other areas. We own a small half acre of land in Alta, California about 30 minutes up from Auburn. There are some cute towns up that way including Dutch Flat. Where we live in Meadow Vista is my favorite but it is the most expensive town of them all, for almost everything except maybe food. They have a wonderful grocery store which sports a huge organic section, a deli, and many homemade items.

My recommendation is Meadow Vista, Grass Valley or Cool

.

[Vic Romano]

Thanks for the useful info!

We are thinking about retiring there in a couple of years. About that permit at Auburn Country Club, is that the city that charges $35k? And isn't Lake of the Pines considered Auburn?

Do the delta breezes reach up there during the summer?

We like the more rural aspect, but don't want to be too far from conveniences and medical facilites. My wife's parents have some health issues and they are 30 miles away from the VA hospital, so it is resonating that she doesn't want to be that far away from a facility. We hope to move only once. I don't want to be too far in the woods, I like to see sunsets. My wife likes the woods, so we have to compromise on that somehow. We hope to have some sort of view. I did kind of like the Auburn Country Club area.

[OutdoorsyGal]

Originally Posted by Vic Romano

Thanks for the useful info!

We are thinking about retiring there in a couple of years. About that permit at Auburn Country Club, is that the city that charges $35k? And isn't Lake of the Pines considered Auburn?

That would be the County, the unincopoprated area of Auburn which wanted to charge them $35,000
But the City isn't known for being much better. They are so greedy they have a lady driving a mini vehicle placing tickets on folks windshields. The parking downtown is sparce. They often complain, then try to fine you for this or that. My husband hates to work in that part of Auburn as they complain about his painting. Where he parks, where they clean out their paint brushes etc..

Lake of the Pines has an Auburn address, same zip code as North Auburn (95602) but it is considered Nevada County. This means you deal with Nevada County building permits. When driving on Hwy 49 (aka Grass Valley Hwy) you'll cross the Bear River which is a tiny bridge barely noticeable. This is the County line for Nevada and Placer County. So if you enjoy Auburn, you could live about 3 miles out off of Hwy 49 yet into Nevada County while staying within 3-4 miles of the hospital. The Ambulances are located somewhat beyond the County line in Nevada County in a crappy little house, I believe they sleep and stay there. The street I am pretty sure, is Cherry Creek if you want to mapquest it. So they'd be nearby to help drive you to the hospital in Auburn. My husband also thinks it's called Cherry Creek. There is an old restaurant on that road which closed decades ago, it was called the Cherry Creek Inn. You'll usualy see 1-3 ambulances parked there at all times.

Do the delta breezes reach up there during the summer?

No but Auburn gets alot of smog coming up from Southern California. We also have Chemtrails which are airplanes which fly in the sky leaving very long white cloud looking tails. Some here don't believe it but clouds in our area, and I've lived here all my life, do not stick around that long. They diccipate. So whatever this is, it is not normal. This is one reason why we moved up just 10 minutes away, we do not see them anymore.We need to live here in Meadow Vista to care for my FIL at this stage. My MIL, his wife passed last week. My husband also has a contract with the school district in Meadow Vista, he is in Construction which is how I know all of this stuff. I paint with him sometimes. And work my regular job

We like the more rural aspect, but don't want to be too far from conveniences and medical facilites. My wife's parents have some health issues and they are 30 miles away from the VA hospital, so it is resonating that she doesn't want to be that far away from a facility.

If you mean a hospital, all we have is Sutter Auburn Faith in Auburn which is off of Hwy 49 and in Grass Valley there is Sutter Memorial which is also on the side of Hwy 49 (Grass Valley Hwy). If the VA you refer to is in Reno, you'd be a little closer driving from Grass Valley to Reno. But not enough to really worry over.

We hope to move only once. I don't want to be too far in the woods, I like to see sunsets. My wife likes the woods, so we have to compromise on that somehow. We hope to have some sort of view. I did kind of like the Auburn Country Club area.

We lived about 1.5 miles from Auburn Valley Country Club but the smog was so bad that we both started having breathing issues. The water got me sick, it affected my Kidney which healed up fast but still. The well was fine the first few times we had it tested. Even without that, the water is so hard that it leaves white lines on your glasses and ruins your clothing. But our friends don't mind this so to each is own. But they also have breathing issues yet are well into their 70's. Maybe you could live behind Sutter Auburn Faith hospital around the Bell Road/Mtn Vernon Area. Bald Hill Road area. You can come out into the Ophir Area that way too.There is a really nice place called Hidden Falls Park back there beyond Mt Vernon where many people go to Mountain Bike and hike. They are planning to expand the park further

The town of Cool is as far away from a hospital as you can get. And that windy part of Hwy 49 would make for a long trip in an emergency. But no doubt, it's probably the healthiest area to live

[Vic Romano]

Thanks again! I liked Cool but my wife doesn't like the winding road. I didn't think it was that bad, it took me less than 15 minutes to get from 193 to 80 and that was following a truck with logs for part of the way. I understand about the hospitals being relatively far.

My in-laws live in Dallas, OR. The VA hospital is in Portland. They have to drive nearly an hour for an appointment there. They chose to live in Dallas because they liked the area, but now that there are health issues, it's a burden for them to drive to the VA. It's a mistake that my wife doesn't want to make (being far from a hospital). Fortunately, we're in good health right now.

[OutdoorsyGal]

Originally Posted by Vic Romano

Thanks again! I liked Cool but my wife doesn't like the winding road. I didn't think it was that bad, it took me less than 15 minutes to get from 193 to 80 and that was following a truck with logs for part of the way. I understand about the hospitals being relatively far.

My in-laws live in Dallas, OR. The VA hospital is in Portland. They have to drive nearly an hour for an appointment there. They chose to live in Dallas because they liked the area, but now that there are health issues, it's a burden for them to drive to the VA. It's a mistake that my wife doesn't want to make (being far from a hospital). Fortunately, we're in good health right now.

It seems watching your parents mortality in a sense, is sobering. Good luck to you both