Off grid living-there are some things to consider before packing up and moving.

Cost:

Cost may be the most deciding factor to living off the grid. How will you finance your home? Cash, pay as you go, home mortgage loan, private loan? The answer to this question effects how your plans will progress.

If you have cash, do you have enough? Conservatively speaking, building the home yourself will cost between $125.00 to $140.00 per sq. ft. That's if you use recycled materials where possible and depending on your own your own skill level, cut labor costs.

Research home mortgage loans for offgrid, they are not as easy to get as a conventional loan although they are getting more recognition. If you are relocating the mortgage company is going to need to know how you will pay for the loan.

Building permits:

Check with your local city, county and state codes. Laws for your state may supersede local laws. Be sure that you understand the building codes and their cost. Your local office may or may not be very helpful with this information. Off grid living is a relatively new concept even though it has been around a long time. When considering any alternative energy items such as a composting toilet be sure to check with EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) as they have their own criteria to follow as well as permits.

Where to purchase land:

Are you relocating? How far away is the property you want to develop from your current location? Will you live on the property while it is being built? What permits do you need? Does the land have any improvements like well (shared or private) or a septic system already installed?

Modern conveniences you cannot live without:

If you cannot live without an air conditioner, you may want to rethink living offgrid unless you have unlimited funds. Large energy consuming appliances are unrealistic for offgrid applications.

Type of home construction:

The type of construction for your off grid living home should reflect your climate and region. Assess the climate were your home will be located. If it is a cold climate, heating and weatherizing your offgrid home may be one of your main concern.

If it is a hot arid climate, keeping your home cool from the scorching hot sun may be the prime issue. If it is hot and humid, cooling and moisture may be the most relevant. There are many factors to consider when choosing the type of construction of your off grid home. Personal style, environment, pests, insects, weather, type of soil and land elevation should also to be considered.

Who will build your off the grid home:

Owner/builder, contractor, some subcontractors. When chosing a contractor be sure they know the codes for offgrid or sustainable living. Many do not and can effect the overall environmental plan. Ask to see other homes they built off grid.

Life style:

Does your personal life style mesh well with off grid living? If you have no experience with living offgrid, read articles of other people's life styles to see if feels right for you. Things that you may have taken for granted like turning on tap water or a light or even the fire department may not be there if your location is remote. Offgrid living doesn't have to be a meager life style. It depends on your financial and creative resources and the impact you want to leave on the environment.

Environment:

Is the natural environment where you choose to build your offgird home compatible with your vision of how you want to live?

Usually, but not always, offgrid homes are off the beaten path. This means that you will be living in a natural habitat with animals, reptiles and insects where you or your pets could be the prey. Learn all that you can about the area in which you would like to build. If there are potentially dangerous animals, learn about their behavior and habitats. Sometimes we create and invite animals close to our homes because we are unaware of their behaviors. They need food, shelter and sometimes water. If we provide these, they will come.

Employment/how to make money:

If you do not have a home based business in mind, you may want to look for one.

Check the local newspapers for employment before you build. Know the job market in nearby towns. Chances are you will be travelling some distance for work.

Last but not least, knowledge:

Are you willing to learn how to maintain your off grid home? There is much to know about off grid living. Maintence living off the grid is one of those key factors to consider. Even if a contractor builds your home, you will need to learn to maintain it. This type of home usually does not take care of itself.

Off grid living is to be free from mortgages and utility companies. An owner/builder with limited skills and knowledge can build a home that is structurally sound, comfortable, economical and like no other.

We are not engineers nor particularly creative. We had no prior experience when we built our home. My name is Jeanne and my husband is Ron. I'll be sharing our story with you about off grid living. We wanted to be self-sufficient. We did not have a lot of money yet we still wanted a clean environmental life style. Building by yourself is hard work. There are some contractors out there will to listen and build the home you want for you.

Building our dry stack concrete block home off grid in the desert started with searching the web for land. We narrowed the search to S.E Arizona for the climate. This view is from our dining room table. I call it Breakfast Mountain.

Ron and I looked at a couple of properties with a real estate agent that would be good for off grid living. The desert valley that we chose was calm and serene. We both knew that this was home. Sometimes the sky is so blue and hazy that the heat waving off the desert floor looks like the ocean.

By this time I was desperately looking for information. I searched the internet, the library and book stores anything to do with owner/builders. I researched many different types of houses including wood framed, modular, manufactered, Structural Insulated Panels called SIPs, cabin kits, adobe and strawbale. Visit Construction Types

There was little information for the owner/builder living in the desert. Most of my research involved colder climates. Then I came across dry stack concrete block house that a single man was building. It was perfect for off grid living. I knew nothing about it, but, I was going to learn and explain it to Ron.

We take walks, watch the sunrise and sunset. We have 10 acres to run and play, well I walk and play. Our property is adjacent to BLM and close to San Pedro Riparian Reserve so we actually have miles to explore. There are hundreds of species of birds and wildlife. We bought ATVs to go exploring and exercise our dogs.

Off grid living has possed some challenges but we still manage to have a social life. We have cookouts with our neighbors which are no less than 1/4 mile away. Once in awhile we leave our home and go into Tombstone to socialize. During monsoon season we don't go anywhere because we are stuck in the mud. The clay mud sticks to your shoes and you get about 2 inches taller.

June 2010: There have been many changes to our off grid living lifestyle over the past three years and many changes in the future.

March 2008: Ron and I have been living in our home for a year now. Construction has been slow since we both had to go back to work. We love our home and we sit back and marvel sometimes that we are living in a home that we built ourselves. It doesn't leak, it didn't fall down and we are very comfortable. We have a lot of work to do as yet, but now each time we complete a task we really appreciate the accomplishment. We really need to make the time to enjoy our surroundings.

Sharing information can be helpful when researching or regarding practical application.