Our New Home

[Robson Valley]

I have experienced dark nights on several occasions.
The starlight is extraordinary, particularly in the southern Hemisphere.

The only thing which goes "BUMP!" in the night is me,
just kicking another boogie-man down the stairs.
I got a size 12 at the end of each hind leg.

 

[Janne]

The "BUMP" in my house is usually me hitting the closet door I forgot to close, on my way to the toilet in the middle of the night!

 

[Badger74]

Interesting. So it needs a pump = constant electricity which costs money?

Here on island we are not so advanced in the environmental dept. We do not need any of those fancy systems, just a concrete subterrain box ( septic tank) where the clean-ish overflow goes into a borehole ( 25 feet deep) type soak-away.
Cheap and it works, no smell ever! All I use is one bottle of an bacteria/ enzyme mix once every year to keep the system healthy.

That's how a lot of them are still here, but they are making you upgrade if you have to get planning for anything. The bacteria are present in the filter and the oxygen keeps them "living". Your right about the electricity but I have had this, the pump for the water from the wood buring stove and the water treatment all connected to the same fuse, so that when I get some type of renewable energy, it will be only to run these during a power cut and just to tick over any other time.

 

[Janne]

God I hate when you have to "upgrade" functioning systems.....
Usually prone to breakdowns, extra costs, and so on.
What happeneds if the system circulation stops for a couple of days or weeks?

 

[Robson Valley]

Have you got any numbers yet on the number and duration of the power cuts?
Add up the power needs of all the equipment. Multiply by 1.5. That's the supply with a cushion.

I experienced that in McBride, at least one per week, 10 seconds to 8 hours, we never knew what was coming.
The girls in the grocery store quit counting after 60 ( ! ! ! ! ) one day. Glad I don't have to write fiction.
I need 500W to run my wood pellet stove motors. I do otherwise for lighting.
My solar system gives me 8 hrs. All I want next is to double the battery capacity.

 

[Badger74]

Janne, "Usually prone to breakdowns, extra costs, and so on", correct. My tank is for 12 people based on the amount that can live in the house in theory; yet there are only 4 of us. if ist tops for a few days i don't see us filling it up in that time. The traditional 2 chamber concrete tank is about 500 euros, the one i have to have, 3,000 euros!

Robson, power cuts do happen here, but they are not that common. I just want to be prepared, because when it occurred in storm hit flooded areas of the south west last winter, they were several days without power. If that happened to us in the house we are in now, we wouldn't be able to cook or heat the house.

 

[Robson Valley]

Plan to cook with propane and/petrol. It's amazing what all you can do on a 2-burner gas BBQ/grill = 3 meals a day, coffee included.
Next, I set up a single and 2-burner butane camp stove on top of my regular kitchen stove. Never enough carbon monoxide to be an issue.

Winter heating, with -20C and windy outdoors, is a serious issue for me. All of my solar power system capacity is dedicated to that.
In addition, I bought a big, sophisticated battery charger. If the juice comes on in the middle of the night, I have to get the
batteries topped up as fast as possible as the next power cut could start in a few hours.
Hate to break the news but solar panels are weak, enough of them is a big expense and they don't do squat at night.

 

[Janne]

I had an electrical AGA installed in our house in UK. It was hot enough for cooking for about 15 hours after a power cut.
I had our bbq ( charcoal ) as backup, always had those self lighting bags ready to go, but when we did have a powercut long enough for the AGA to cool we used my old Trangia. Quicker, less messy.

Here on Island in the area I live and work in,we have had no powercut longer than maybe 15 seconds for at least year snd a half.
Coming well into Hurricane season we might get one though, if (when?) we get a proper wind.

 

[Robson Valley]

I've read some prediction of fewer hurricanes but much more powerful ones.
Keep your charcoal dry and your propane tanks filled.

When we get big wind in McBride there's not too much snow that comes with it.
No matter how hard it rains, most everybody is grateful that you don't have to shovel it.

One calm night in late November/14, a warm front snuck in from the south.
By 8AM, measured 36" snow on my front door step. 44" at a friend's place 100m down the street.
No power cut so living was easy.

Badger74 has plenty to think about in his new place = what works and what doesn't,
to optimize his living circumstances.

 

[Janne]

The charcoal was in UK, here I use Propane.

I was a die hard proponent of grilling over Charcoal, more flavour, authentic, and so on. Finished off 3 cheapo Chinese charcoal BBQ's in 7 years. Got tired of wasting money so I I bought a quality US made Gas BBQ, and frankly speaking, can not taste any difference.
And it has lasted 3 years so far, looks factory new.....

 

[Robson Valley]

When I was of sound mind and body, I actually made a list of all the BBQ that I have owned.
Some still exist, some were trashed. The most recent refit as a wood-smoker BBQ is gasser #17.

At the moment, there's both a smoker and a grill in the city. Refit, the smoker is in fact Gasser #1 from a past life.
Out east in the mountains at my place are two smokers and a grill.

The smokers are 2-burner rigs.
There's a smallish iron frying pan of wet apple wood chunks which sits directly on the lit burner.
All the meat/potatoes/corn gets laid out on the "cold side" for 3+ hrs. Over there, the temp from the
indirect heating should be kept below 300F for 3+ hours.

The biggest smoker was a huge 4-burner gasser that died. Got it for nothing.
Gutted it and now drive the rig with the single big burner from my lobster/crab pot.

 

[Badger74]

After a few months of intensive work, we are now in the house. The garden is next years problem for the moment as we still have to decorate a couple of the rooms and sort stuff out. Internet has proven to be not reliable due to the house being in a black spot and no telephone connection; i'm only getting chance to post pics now because i'm back in Leeds for a few days using the office internet. The well water now goes through a treatment set up of filters, water softener and UV light, and so far we haven't been ill There have been a few niggles with the plumbing but the stove works great. It's coming together.

20160826_175809 by chrstphrferg, on Flickr

20160828_120856 by chrstphrferg, on Flickr

20160908_151411 by chrstphrferg, on Flickr

20160816_112703 by chrstphrferg, on Flickr

20160823_132854 by chrstphrferg, on Flickr

20160814_133510 by chrstphrferg, on Flickr

 

[Mike313]

Wow! The house looks amazing. I've just read through the whole thread and found it inspiring. I have a brother who moved to Castlebar and did pretty much what you have done - without the extension. Your extension looks like it doubled the size of the house, that was a brave project to take on! Now that you are at the end of the build, is there anything you would have done differently? Best wishes for a happy, healthy and content life in your new home.

 

[Robson Valley]

I wish you well, Badger74. It's wonderful to see your home.

 

[Badger74]

Thanks RV, the limbo we have been in for the last 2 years since we moved here is over, its now time to make it a home.

Mike, we have doubled the house size, but the original intention wasn't to do that, just add an extra bedroom, bathroom,kitchen and utility, it just sort of grew on paper and our hearts made the choices and not our heads. In hind sight i should have sorted the mortgage fully first before starting as this caused me some stress, especially after we used all our money after 3 months; it took six months to get the first mortgage payment after agreeing to give us one when we started. The red tape is a nightmare, lots of male cow poo. But that is the only thing i'd redo.

Would we do this again, not on this scale. Are we glad we did it, YES. We now live in a very rural area which still has a wildness to it and isn't over populated. I now have opportunities to pursue shooting and fishing and start our own vegetable growing as well as potentially for some livestock. This is something that i would never have managed back in Leeds.

 

[Mike313]

As my Dad used to say 'do it once and do it right' and you've certainly done that. I'm hoping you will continue to update us on your progress. All the best!

 

[mr_magicfingers]

How fantastic to see it come together and I'm sure closing the door behind you for the first time after moving in was a feeling you'll savour for a long time.

 

[Robson Valley]

I see it as a reflection on your strength of character. Lots of people, me included, can "talk the talk."
Takes more than just a little effort and focus to "walk the walk." I can imagine wildlife walking past your windows.

 

[milius2]

Nooooooooooooooo my heart breaks! Such an envy! I was going to move in first but it will have to be some time next year. Ok, after seeing your improvement now I have to get my camera and take some shots of my place Anyway, you did very very well and best of times in your NEW HOME !

 

[Badger74]

Mike, that has more to do with my relation who did the work. I'd have so many more exposed internal walls if I had had my way

MMF, we will when we things settle down and we finally have stuff sorted internally, like finishing the decoration and furnishings, but that wont be for a few more months. I do get a very contented feeling when i finally settle down on a night in front of the fire and that's when I just think "damn, we really did it!".

RV, thank you, but I believe your someone who 'walk the walk' that bit more. I've been to Fort Nelson and Prince George, and after just looking, been through McBride a couple of times so I know the area you live in; heaven.

Milius, thank you, but i was envious of your place before my move here; get clicking.