alaskan wilderness (to live, costs, floor)

[UAFBoundYankee]

=) Thanks for the info, Starlite. I think it's a fair misconception that people think building a cabin is cheap. I can understand and appreciate all the logistics involved in such an ordeal. There's nothing wrong with paying for things with 'sweat equity'. Sometimes it makes something that much your own. By the way, wasn't that you that posted pics of bringing your bulldozer from your remote cabin?

ETA: At least now I know who to ask for help whenever the time comes for me to build a cabin.

[Rance]

Waterfront property = 12,000
Bandsaw mill = 3,500
Logs = traded for chainsaw labor clearing a right of way for a road
Pilings = free (old electric poles)
4x10 rim joists = around 300
20' 2x10 floor joists = around 300
Tongue and groove decking = around 300
Timber screws = 300
2x6 and 2x10's for gable ends and roof = around 300
Plywood to sheet roof and gable ends = around 300
6 windows = 100 (used and got them from a remodle friend)
2 doors = 200
Woodstove = free but I paid 14 bucks for new stove paint
Stove pipe and roof jack = 130 bucks

There was tarpaper, nails, joist hangers, saw gas, boat gas, and I paid everyone that came out and helped, a minimum of 50 bucks a day, plus food and beer.

The island property has nearly tripled in price since I bought mine. You'd be lucky to find a waterfront lot (1/2 acre) for under 30 grand right now.

[NomadicBear]

Originally Posted by Rance

The island property has nearly tripled in price since I bought mine. You'd be lucky to find a waterfront lot (1/2 acre) for under 30 grand right now.

That's pretty much the story everywhere. I remember looking at a particular 5 acre parcel in western WA in 2002. At $35,000, it was a bit more than I wanted to spend given the cost of a well and septic. I did not buy it. Fast forward to 2006, and 5 acre parcels in the area were selling for more than $300,000. Deep pocketed developers were buying off zoning changes, and chopping up everything available. Now, land has come down a little bit, but it's a stalemate between buyers and sellers, and banks are holding large amounts from bankrupt builders and developers. The people who would actually respect the land, and improve it, are shut out because they cannot afford it.

Edit: I should add that it's actually less of a stalemate and more of the fact that people cannot afford the prices, and land loans are non-existent anymore.

Land in Alaska should not be very expensive given the high costs of development, highlighted by Starlite and Rance, and the fact that most people don't desire to live in such a harsh environment. That's partly why moving there sounds so appealing, to me. I'd want to wait for prices to come down before I considered purchasing something. I don't want to spend a bundle on a parcel as I want plenty of money to build a modest little cabin, and things are always more expensive than planned. 900 square feet is fine by me.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by UAFBoundYankee

=) Thanks for the info, Starlite. I think it's a fair misconception that people think building a cabin is cheap. I can understand and appreciate all the logistics involved in such an ordeal. There's nothing wrong with paying for things with 'sweat equity'. Sometimes it makes something that much your own. By the way, wasn't that you that posted pics of bringing your bulldozer from your remote cabin?

ETA: At least now I know who to ask for help whenever the time comes for me to build a cabin.

Yes, that was my dozer. Didn't even relate that to a cost, but to put in a runway, that is part of the cabin the way I wanted it for access. Using the lake with a floatplane is easy to do, the the cost of floats has it's own expenses over what I wanted to pay. Besides with the plane sitting outside of the window, I don't have to worry about bears playing with it. Can't see the planes on the lake directly, even if it isn't far from the cabin.

[NomadicBear]

Originally Posted by starlite9

Yes, that was my dozer. Didn't even relate that to a cost, but to put in a runway, that is part of the cabin the way I wanted it for access. Using the lake with a floatplane is easy to do, the the cost of floats has it's own expenses over what I wanted to pay. Besides with the plane sitting outside of the window, I don't have to worry about bears playing with it. Can't see the planes on the lake directly, even if it isn't far from the cabin.

You're lucky you know how to fly, and enjoy it. I'm not sure I could. I mean, I know I could physically learn how to fly a plane, but I cannot stand flying as it gives me an uneasy feeling which is hard to describe, kind of like I'm dangling above the ground and desperately trying to regain my footing. I'm not sure why that is, but I hate the sensation. I wish I didn't have it, because flying into ones own remote parcel seems too good to be true.

[Rance]

Originally Posted by NomadicBear

That's pretty much the story everywhere. I remember looking at a particular 5 acre parcel in western WA in 2002. At $35,000, it was a bit more than I wanted to spend given the cost of a well and septic. I did not buy it. Fast forward to 2006, and 5 acre parcels in the area were selling for more than $300,000. Deep pocketed developers were buying off zoning changes, and chopping up everything available. Now, land has come down a little bit, but it's a stalemate between buyers and sellers, and banks are holding large amounts from bankrupt builders and developers. The people who would actually respect the land, and improve it, are shut out because they cannot afford it.

Edit: I should add that it's actually less of a stalemate and more of the fact that people cannot afford the prices, and land loans are non-existent anymore.

Land in Alaska should not be very expensive given the high costs of development, highlighted by Starlite and Rance, and the fact that most people don't desire to live in such a harsh environment. That's partly why moving there sounds so appealing, to me. I'd want to wait for prices to come down before I considered purchasing something. I don't want to spend a bundle on a parcel as I want plenty of money to build a modest little cabin, and things are always more expensive than planned. 900 square feet is fine by me.

There is land available for much less. But not along the Kenai River. Everything from the mouth of the river in Kenai, clear up to Kenai Lake has been bought up what isn't state or federal. This one island was last in line, and even now it's been affected.
But there is plenty of land remote or not, that is still affordable. It's just not on the river or lakes.

[NomadicBear]

Originally Posted by Rance

There is land available for much less. But not along the Kenai River. Everything from the mouth of the river in Kenai, clear up to Kenai Lake has been bought up what isn't state or federal. This one island was last in line, and even now it's been affected.
But there is plenty of land remote or not, that is still affordable. It's just not on the river or lakes.

That's good to know. As much as I'd love to live somewhere so remote, it's not practical for me. I'm not independently wealthy so I do need income.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by NomadicBear

You're lucky you know how to fly, and enjoy it. I'm not sure I could. I mean, I know I could physically learn how to fly a plane, but I cannot stand flying as it gives me an uneasy feeling which is hard to describe, kind of like I'm dangling above the ground and desperately trying to regain my footing. I'm not sure why that is, but I hate the sensation. I wish I didn't have it, because flying into ones own remote parcel seems too good to be true.

There are other ways to access the wilderness areas of Alaska other than flying. The interior has a network of rivers that you can access much of the interior.

I learned to fly in the 70's out of Valdez, seems everyone I knew could fly except for me, so I bought an cheap Cessna 150 ($6,200.00) and learned to fly.

[UAFBoundYankee]

Wow, thanks for all the info, fellas. I've been looking at the land offerings done by the state: Alaska State Land Offerings and seen a few that interested me. I don't plan on buying any prior to walking the property, but it's nice to know that I'd be able to purchase something outright. I'm with you on that, Nomadic, I don't need anything fancy just a place to call 'home'.

I actually enjoy flying and it seems it would be a lot less hassle than driving everywhere, albeit a bit more expensive. The ability to just pick up and go would be well worth it, though. I think I'll look into flight training while I'm at UAF.

[arctichomesteader]

Be aware there's a lot of wetlands for sale and most of the DNR land is fly-in only. With the bush property you'll spend more on transportation than the land in many cases. Something to consider, how you'll be able to access several years down the road, and all the costs added up over the years. You can find land at the end of the road system that's more accessible, affordable (when you budget in everything), and still relatively isolated if you look in the right place. I know of some land like that. It just kind of comes down to what's best for you and your situation, and I wouldn't rush into things unprepared.

Building a cabin can be very cheap or very expensive...you need to know what you're doing, have the strength or extra help needed, plan ahead, etc. It starts with the land, if you have to buy your materials things can get expensive quick (then again, if you find a "cheap" way of getting the materials, maybe not...).