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Sorry to hear about your neighbor! Wow! If I were to ever consider building on land out in WY, how do I know there would be water on that land? Forgive my ignorance, but that’s what keeps me away from considering purchasing land and building a custom home over possibly purchasing an existing one. Do I assume the land would have water if there are neighbors nearby—I mean surely they would have found water if they’re living there? Just curious.
Start with the state map for water wells from the State Engineer's Office, which controls all water in WY. Go to this link and click on the map and zoom into the areas of interest.
Look near your proposed site(s) and look for well depths in surrounding wells. That can give you some idea of the water depth in the area. Look all around as much as you can, as the well depths can vary fairly rapidly. I know of one case where the wells are at a couple hundred feet deep but go 1/4 miles off the edge of the mountain and it pretty much disappears.
That does not tell you if the water is good water. Some of it is pretty heavily mineralized and pretty hard. I met a fellow at the Dodge dealer's Parts counter last spring, who has a well near Lander but who was going to start hauling better water for home use after a couple of decades of the harsh tasting water from his well. So you have to check with neighbors and well drillers from more info on the water quality.
Once you think the water depth is OK, then check with local drillers to get their take. If it seems feasible, then count on $50-60 per foot of drilling costs as a rough estimate, plus get a quote or 2.
BTW, our property is in a rural subdivison that is its own water district and has a superb flowing well. So in a few cases in WY, you can get good water. You just gotta get out there and look and ask. We just liked the area and would have put in a deep well if needed, but this site worked out pretty good for water.
It takes some work and research but with some tools and digging and asking, you can figure this out.
OBTW.... check for electricity to the property. Unlike urbanized areas, where the electric companies are pretty much obligated by state regulations to provide a connection for a nominal fee.... in WY you may have to pay for the connection, meter and base, etc. We're gonna be paying a bit over $2,000 for the local electric co-op in Fremont County (High Plains) to set up a meter on a post and make the electric connection to our property.. and they will be running the connection a whopping 10-20' ft from an existing ground transformer. LOL
Start with the state map for water wells from the State Engineer's Office, which controls all water in WY. Go to this link and click on the map and zoom into the areas of interest.
Look near your proposed site(s) and look for well depths in surrounding wells. That can give you some idea of the water depth in the area. Look all around as much as you can, as the well depths can vary fairly rapidly. I know of one case where the wells are at a couple hundred feet deep but go 1/4 miles off the edge of the mountain and it pretty much disappears.
That does not tell you if the water is good water. Some of it is pretty heavily mineralized and pretty hard. I met a fellow at the Dodge dealer's Parts counter last spring, who has a well near Lander but who was going to start hauling better water for home use after a couple of decades of the harsh tasting water from his well. So you have to check with neighbors and well drillers from more info on the water quality.
Once you think the water depth is OK, then check with local drillers to get their take. If it seems feasible, then count on $50-60 per foot of drilling costs as a rough estimate, plus get a quote or 2.
BTW, our property is in a rural subdivison that is its own water district and has a superb flowing well. So in a few cases in WY, you can get good water. You just gotta get out there and look and ask. We just liked the area and would have put in a deep well if needed, but this site worked out pretty good for water.
It takes some work and research but with some tools and digging and asking, you can figure this out.
OBTW.... check for electricity to the property. Unlike urbanized areas, where the electric companies are pretty much obligated by state regulations to provide a connection for a nominal fee.... in WY you may have to pay for the connection, meter and base, etc. We're gonna be paying a bit over $2,000 for the local electric co-op in Fremont County (High Plains) to set up a meter on a post and make the electric connection to our property.. and they will be running the connection a whopping 10-20' ft from an existing ground transformer. LOL
Wow, that is some great info you just provided! Thank you so much! This board has some great, knowledgeable members!
Yeah, same in the rural parts of northern AZ as well. I don’t think I’m up for that though, for some reason that scares me. I plan to die at my next house so not sure I want to worry about hauling water. Thank you for the idea though!
Existing properties in Story already have their wells. Everybody has a well and septic system. Lots of live water as well-most have a creek frontage.
If it is the pine forest feel that draws you to Story, the next town in that style would be Pine Haven. They are similar in some ways, but Pine Haven is incorporated with town council, mayor, etc. Has city water and sewer system in town. "In town" is about 500 people so smaller than Story, but lot more live on acreages out of town, so they feel about the same size overall.
It's on a peninsula that juts into Keyhole lake, and is more on the prairie, rather than in the foothills of the mountain like Story. Moorcroft with an IGA grocery is 15 minutes, and Gillette is 45 minutes, which has just about everything. Story has the Story Store which has essentials (you know... lottery tickets, booze and cigs), and some basic groceries. IGA's are in Buffalo and chain stores in Sheridan. Pine Haven has Paradise which is a larger small store.
In terms of being not too far from a larger town, Dayton is the same distance from Sheridan as Story, and in between is Ranchester. They are in the Tongue River valley and nice places, although not in a pine forest. I notice the new lots in the Empire subdivision at the south end of Pine Haven have city water and sewer connections. There are no natty gas lines in either, so you have to deal with all electric heat (which I think is the pits), wood or pellet stove or get a propane tank. For Story and Pine Haven, the main concern, rather than water, is the possibility of wildfire, although it hasn't happened yet.
Existing properties in Story already have their wells. Everybody has a well and septic system. Lots of live water as well-most have a creek frontage.
If it is the pine forest feel that draws you to Story, the next town in that style would be Pine Haven. They are similar in some ways, but Pine Haven is incorporated with town council, mayor, etc. Has city water and sewer system in town. "In town" is about 500 people so smaller than Story, but lot more live on acreages out of town, so they feel about the same size overall.
It's on a peninsula that juts into Keyhole lake, and is more on the prairie, rather than in the foothills of the mountain like Story. Moorcroft with an IGA grocery is 15 minutes, and Gillette is 45 minutes, which has just about everything. Story has the Story Store which has essentials (you know... lottery tickets, booze and cigs), and some basic groceries. IGA's are in Buffalo and chain stores in Sheridan. Pine Haven has Paradise which is a larger small store.
In terms of being not too far from a larger town, Dayton is the same distance from Sheridan as Story, and in between is Ranchester. They are in the Tongue River valley and nice places, although not in a pine forest. I notice the new lots in the Empire subdivision at the south end of Pine Haven have city water and sewer connections. There are no natty gas lines in either, so you have to deal with all electric heat (which I think is the pits), wood or pellet stove or get a propane tank. For Story and Pine Haven, the main concern, rather than water, is the possibility of wildfire, although it hasn't happened yet.
Thank you for all of this. I’ll check out Pine Haven as well! I’m more of a semi rural person who loves having a well & my own septic but if it’s not in the cards for my next place—so be it. I agree that having all electric is a bummer. Currently my house is all electric and I REALLY miss having a gas stove most of all. It’ll be one of my must haves at my next place, even if I have to have a propane tank. Oh and yes, I love the pine Forrest feel. I live in a desert climate now (and have for most of my life) so I want something different.
Thank you again for all the info here, very helpful!
Electric baseboard heat is relatively quite inefficient. With it, 1 watt of electricity gets you a bit less than 1 wat of heat. Heat pumps are the way to go for much of the year..... 1 watt of electricity transfer 3 to 4 watts of heat in our out of the house. In a dry climate, heat pumps can pull heat out of the outside air down to 10F but the heat you gets out of the vents is not warm. So you have a backup for when it gets too cold for the heat pump to run efficiently.
We have a heat pump with propane furnace backup built-in here in the mtns of western VA and will do the same in WY. It switches from heat pump operation to propane at 35 F and lower. So our heat is always warm heat, the heat pump is not working hard and inefficiently at a low outside temp, we have a solid back up for very cold temps, and the heat pump works efficiently for the spring and fall temps, plus provides AC.
The main reason for electric baseboard heat is for a low initial installed cost. You don't need to hire an HVAC contractor; the electricians can just add it to their work. And you don't need vents and ducts, saving that cost. But long term it is not cheap. One you get to a certain house size, then the extra initial costs of a heat pump with backup get rational, and the long term costs get lowered.
FWIW... we are going with a gas stove too in WY. One reason is that the electric power lines from the transformer to the house will be 450-500' long. Getting rid of the electric stove and oven significantly lowers the calculated electric loading, and makes the lines smaller. Having to go with one size larger power lines when you are running single phase AC power for those distances can cost a few thousand extra $$ just for the wire!
As for a propane tank, consult with whoever provides and/or installs the service. At extremely colds temps, propane can't 'boil' in the tank and create enough vapor pressure to get out of the tank (an its first regulator). So tanks get buried in some climates to keep them warmer.
I have a couple years left in my current situation before I embark on my retirement plans to Wyoming. I know I want to be in Wyoming, but not sure where. I am looking for peace and quiet but not TOO quiet.
I've been trying to research many towns and Story is on my list. I am single, my kid will be in college by that time and I can afford it. I won't be working unless I get bored and want to do something with myself.
Any info you all have regarding Story or perhaps another great town (and somewhat closer to a bigger town) that I am missing?
Not sure how to go about my physical research as I'd love to spend a year trekking all around WY to physically see where might suit me best (and to see if I can handle the weather of course). Not sure on how to do that. Hotels? RV? Buy a small house or condo centrally located and try to sell it later?
Electric baseboard heat is relatively quite inefficient. With it, 1 watt of electricity gets you a bit less than 1 wat of heat. Heat pumps are the way to go for much of the year..... 1 watt of electricity transfer 3 to 4 watts of heat in our out of the house. In a dry climate, heat pumps can pull heat out of the outside air down to 10F but the heat you gets out of the vents is not warm. So you have a backup for when it gets too cold for the heat pump to run efficiently.
We have a heat pump with propane furnace backup built-in here in the mtns of western VA and will do the same in WY. It switches from heat pump operation to propane at 35 F and lower. So our heat is always warm heat, the heat pump is not working hard and inefficiently at a low outside temp, we have a solid back up for very cold temps, and the heat pump works efficiently for the spring and fall temps, plus provides AC.
The main reason for electric baseboard heat is for a low initial installed cost. You don't need to hire an HVAC contractor; the electricians can just add it to their work. And you don't need vents and ducts, saving that cost. But long term it is not cheap. One you get to a certain house size, then the extra initial costs of a heat pump with backup get rational, and the long term costs get lowered.
FWIW... we are going with a gas stove too in WY. One reason is that the electric power lines from the transformer to the house will be 450-500' long. Getting rid of the electric stove and oven significantly lowers the calculated electric loading, and makes the lines smaller. Having to go with one size larger power lines when you are running single phase AC power for those distances can cost a few thousand extra $$ just for the wire!
As for a propane tank, consult with whoever provides and/or installs the service. At extremely colds temps, propane can't 'boil' in the tank and create enough vapor pressure to get out of the tank (an its first regulator). So tanks get buried in some climates to keep them warmer.
Wow, you just taught me A LOT. Thank you for this. Definitely something I'll be paying attention to once I'm ready to make my move. Thanks so much!
Our new place will be off grid. As much as I'd like to say NO propane. We may have to use just a bit but will primarily heat with wood. We as well as others in Wy were burned very badly in other homes that we installed propane in. Twice the price of propane cost absolutely sky rocketed to the point, I swore I'd never put in propane again. They took complete advantage of people. Propane is not regulated in Wy. Electric and NG are regulated. We build our own homes so they are extremely efficient. We went forced air all electric heat & ac in our current log home. We primarily heat with wood which we cut ourselves. The electric works extremely well for our situation. I ran 4-4-2, 475' from the box. Our electric bill might reach $110 for a 1-2 month in winter and maybe $90 for ac for 1 month in summer which our house will be 5 yrs old end of this year and this is the first summer we've actually used the ac to amount to much. Majority of months, the bill is $40-60. I also build things and weld a good bit and the welder is 50 amp. We also installed an on-demand hot water electric heater that works excellent. In our past house we had NG and electric both and the basic cost was half of both bills so we went without the NG in this home. We would have had to run NG the 475' also which wasn't cheap.
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This board has some great, knowledgeable members!
