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Ok, so once I find, research and buy, then set up well and septic/waste mgmt, then I should be free to just build from there? What about permits or anything like that? does the property have to get assessed for tax reasons?
Get the survey done before the purchase closes, not after. Make sure the survey is satisfactory. Check to make sure there are no restrictions before it closes as well. The county will assess on a scheduled basis, usually not when it's bought or sold. You will know your property taxes at closing. You will need to pay it yearly.
Get the survey done before the purchase closes, not after. Make sure the survey is satisfactory. Check to make sure there are no restrictions before it closes as well. The county will assess on a scheduled basis, usually not when it's bought or sold. You will know your property taxes at closing. You will need to pay it yearly.
Ok, and then once thats all done, I get the well drilled, and septic set up, do they usually require inspection?
If there are no building code, does that mean I dont need to get permits? Am I allowed to just start building?
In southern MO, any of the counties I mentioned, you need NO permission from the county to build whatever you want, unless within a city limit that regulates it, or a subdivision with bylaws covering it. The assessors in these counties do not care what you build, beyond assessing its value for taxes. And the owner of the land will be liable for all taxes on the entire property. You would have to figure out how to equitably divide that burden amongst the residents. The only things comtrolled in these counties are the well(s), which is/are required to be registered with the state, and the septic system which may or may not be regulated at the county level. There are state regulations on construction of wastewater infrastructure. As far as structures, these counties have no permits, or oversight of structure building. As I already stated, I know this both as a contractor and as someone who is at this moment sittng in a house I built, looking at the shop I built, without asking anyone for permission. I even dug my own lagoon and installed my own electrical service. Nobody but me has looked at any of it, and no one thin dime was spent on permits. The assessor came skulking around, hit a locked gate 3 or 4 times, and finally figured out they had to call me and make an appointment if they were ever going to get in here and see how much the county could steal from me every year. I don't know how to spell it out any clearer than that. In this part of MO, you pretty much have all the freedom you know how to have, if you are smart enough to exercise it.
The assessor came skulking around, hit a locked gate 3 or 4 times, and finally figured out they had to call me and make an appointment if they were ever going to get in here and see how much the county could steal from me every year.
If you are setting up a communal neighborhood, it might be best to invite the assessor to come take a look when you have done most (but not necessarily every last item) of your "improvements" but before your other residents move in. Less privacy issues that way.
There's some good hidden gems and tidbits of info in there, although it gets hijacked into a building code debate from time to time...
Since you like it warm, check out the terlingua area of Texas. Large parcels of super cheap remote land with elevation change. No one will be asking you too many questions out there.
If you can afford it and deal with winter, check out Montana. I was recently driving through and stopped at a gas station that sold Jack Daniels whiskey and AR-15's complete with all the ammo. You could also buy energy drinks and Copenhagen there as well making for a complete 'murican freedom experience. I almost cried tears of joy just walking in. I'm sure in Montana people won't be asking too many questions if you're outside of cities.
New Mexico is pretty cool. Lots of earthbag and strawbale and similar type homes. They do have a statewide building code, but it's largely unenforced in some of the more rural areas. They do have an earthen materials subsection in their code for things like Adobe and rammed earth if you went that route though.
Eureka county Nevada is another hidden gem and the county doesn't have codes.
If you really want no questions asked, check out parts of Alaska. There's several long term "successful" commune type places near me. There's no one to ask any questions and no permits to get and no one to get them from if there were any permits to begin with. And if there were ever any permits, there would never be anyone to enforce non compliance. Of course it's cold and dark though.
Missouri Ozarks doesn't sound bad. Affordable land and I've seen land with live water such as creeks and springs on it for relatively low prices.
Some posters here are from Maine. Land is affordable and there is places where codes don't seem to exist or to be enforced if they do. It's one of the few states I've never been to, but it may be closer in proximity to you and your group which could be a good thing.
Google (county your interested in) building department permits, when nothing comes up you'll know your on the right track.
Are you planning on building something with natural materials or experimental with the no building code land?
Ok, and then once thats all done, I get the well drilled, and septic set up, do they usually require inspection?
If there are no building code, does that mean I dont need to get permits? Am I allowed to just start building?
Our well driller tested the well to see how much water it produces. That number was engraved on the casing lid, and I think that he had to report it on the form he submitted to the county. If I were to try and open a restaurant or a food processing plant [like a dairy] then independent water testing would be required.
Our septic has never been inspected.
The state, county, and town where I live do not require any building permits. But the power company wants to see a permit before they will install a transformer and meter. I parked a motorhome in my driveway and I was building the house when we got the power pole set next to my motorhome. The power company was fine just leaving the main breaker there on the pole, to power the motorhome.
I ran power from that pole, another 100 yards to my house and I wired it.
In this state, there is a big distinction made between 'permanent dwellings' and 'camps'.
Permanent dwellings need a foundation or slab, and will have a well and a septic system.
Camps could be a clearing for a tent, a yurt or where you park a trailer. If a camp burned down there is no permanent residue [like a concrete slab or foundation]. Many people build a cabin, set on blocks, and only use them while on vacation for hunting, fishing and sledding. Camps are usually not built to provide living space throughout the winter.
If you make a 'dwelling' then people will expect to see permits for the foundation and septic. But if you make a 'camp' it would never occur to anyone that you would have any permits.
I think in MO and AR, if you have water that runs onto, and continues through and off of, your property, you have to take steps to insure you do not either pollute, nor completely obstruct (aka, impound) it. From that rule, you may need to discuss septic systems with the local authorities.
The main problem you will likely run into with power (and this is anywhere) is the cost of running it to a location that previously had no power lines. The cost will be in dollars per foot, and while I can't quote a price, it is more than most people expect. I know of at least two places that chose to be "off the grid" simply because they couldn't foot the bill to get commercial power.
I think in MO and AR, if you have water that runs onto, and continues through and off of, your property, you have to take steps to insure you do not either pollute, nor completely obstruct (aka, impound) it. From that rule, you may need to discuss septic systems with the local authorities.
The main problem you will likely run into with power (and this is anywhere) is the cost of running it to a location that previously had no power lines. The cost will be in dollars per foot, and while I can't quote a price, it is more than most people expect. I know of at least two places that chose to be "off the grid" simply because they couldn't foot the bill to get commercial power.
My brother lives in Oregon county, he was told by the co-op that they would run power and set up to six poles for free. In a straight line, six poles wil, get you well over a thousand feet. Basically, thats longer than the width of a square 40 acres.
With my co-op in my county, it cost me 1400 to have 4 poles with guy wires set, plus the transformer and a 400 amp meter base with breakers. 200 bucks a pole, 50 bucks a guy wire, and the rest was for the meter base. I ran new power over 600 feet. Every co-op is different. I just did a complete service replacement in Laclede county, the meter base was free from the co-op, I installed it on the house and connected it to the underground service cable. A week later, it rained, and the co-op detected a voltage drop at the meter, came out and marked the spot they determined it to be. A few days later, they came out, dug a new trcnch from pole to house, laid in new service entrance cable in conduit, and hooked it up, did not charge a dime. Every co-op is different. Some seem to consider service installation a part of the deal in exchange for a new customer, others charge for every part of it.
Last edited by countryboy73; 05-05-2018 at 01:24 PM..
Every co-op is different. Some seem to consider service installation a part of the deal in exchange for a new customer, others charge for every part of it.
This is true. Every one is different.
I have never seen one as generous as yours.
(Well, at least not since the "Rural Electrification Project" ran
a bunch of lines back in the 30's and 40's.)
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