Period correct cabin

[Red Owl]

Are there any states in the Southwest where you can have a period correct cabin? What I mean is a cabin of logs or adobe bricks with a rammed earth floor and you truck in your water and have a chemical toilet. Other than that, kerosene lamps, etc. It seems cabins or camps are a thing or the past, what most jurisdictions want is a small house with all the facilities. The thing I want- is it termed something else? Line cabin? Etc.

 

[Thagomizer]

I have traveled through the 4 corners region a few times and observed the following:
Some Navajo still live in hogans with no water or electric.
In one of the Hopi villages there were some hundreds of years old pueblos that had been modernized with windows, TV towers, Etc. All this was on one of the many reservations. I would assume that in the rest of these areas, outside of Tribal lands, one would fall under various building codes and zoning. I'm thinking you could build anything you want on your own land, but if it is a residence, that may be another story. Just my 2 cents
Looking to retire in the southwest?

 

[64Springer]

Government and Commercialism can't thrive if you deprive them of Internet, Cable, Landline, Gas, Electric, Water, Sewage, Insurance and all the other scammer schemes to keep them rich and you poor.

You'll be on the grid.

And you'll like it.

 

[Red Owl]

I never thought about that aspect. Some years back for $140 you could become a member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe- sort of wished I'd taken advantage of it. For the most part- a great bunch of guys and better laws IMHO. In any event maybe I'll check out some sort of long term lease on reservation land if you don't have to go through all the drill needed in many places. I get this "routine" that I want to screw up the environment with an outhouse etc. Well, if a chemical or compost toilet is okay in most areas- what's the big issue? I'd truck in drinking water, use oil lamps or Coleman lamps. Cook stuff not requiring refrigeration. Only use the place now a then- a 3-4 day stay maybe 3-4 times a year. In some areas you can camp on your own land if less than 2 weeks- I think Southern Colorado. What's the diff?

 

[Phil Coffins]

We built this cabin in Colorado which has a floor but is hand cut log and has a small wood stove. To comply with the rules it is a 10x12 “shed”. It’s up on rocks with no foundation with out water or electricity. There is a out house a couple hundred yards away that was there since the 1960 and we keep it in use. No, we don’t rent it but this shows there are ways to work around rules.
IMG_0245 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
IMG_0262 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[Antonio Ferraioli]

Now that is something I could live in. If it is on my own property, the hell with them, it is mine. I would be so far back they would not even know.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

That is mountain man heaven right there. Nicely done.

 

[2 shots]

phil c. you are lucky people

 

[Phil Coffins]

I’m very aware of how lucky it was to get the chance to build this cabin, the fellow that owns the land let us do it and we can spend as much time as we like there. And it’s a good neighborhood!
015 (2) by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[2 shots]

nice guard cat. trespassers will be eaten

 

[Dale Lilly]

I’m very aware of how lucky it was to get the chance to build this cabin, the fellow that owns the land let us do it and we can spend as much time as we like there. And it’s a good neighborhood!
015 (2) by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

Nice neighbor

 

[Red Owl]

That's what I was wondering, if you put down that it is a storage shed, etc. Nice cat.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Great cabin, something like that has been a long-time dream of mine.

 

[JEBMs]

That's what I was wondering, if you put down that it is a storage shed, etc. Nice cat.

It’s all in the terminology when dealing with the government. 6 months after we bought our house we got what FEMA called a 500 year flood. I wanted to build a levee around most of my property so I filed the necessary paperwork and the city approved it but since I live on a river bank the Corps of Engineers struck it down saying it would change the course of the river during flood stage so we would have to have more surveys and studies done. I said “well duh, that’s what I want to do, I don’t want the river running through my living room at flood stage “. My contractor refiled for the permit but this time he said it was for an elevated driveway instead of a levee and it whizzed right on through

 

[Rifleman1776]

In many states building codes can vary county to county. I am on my county planning board. We recently rewrote the building and subdivision rules. Except for subdivisions where the developer sets minimums, any self built structure is exempt from regulations. However, sanitary systems are state regulated. If a contractor is used he must abide by certain standards and use only licensed sub-contractors, such as plumbers, electricians, etc.

 

[SOLANCO]

Years ago had a friend who owned a beautiful red Jaguar sports car. He applied for a permit to build a shed. His "shed" had electric, HVAC, a garage door, alarm, concrete floor and a glass wall. He could look up from his reading in his living room and look at that pretty red Jag in the shed. Building inspector said "Nice shed".

 

[Red Owl]

Well, now I have a pathway.

 

[Dale Lilly]

My wife and I lived 18 months in a 23' sailboat [cabin? about 12' X 5']. Place to place on a trailer. No electric: Brass lamps with Kerosene or Lamp oil. No refrigeration: Soft drinks and Carton long-lasting milk taste OK from down in the bilge. Canned meats or dried are fine. Porta Potti but pee goes over the side in the ocean. Heat? for what? nice on the Baja and at Lake Mead. Warm clothes in lakes up North in spring and fall. Had more fun, made more friends, [even spent some time, on the Baja at San Carlos, with Burl Ives - nice guy], saw wonderful places only visited by boat. We caught and ate fish, clams, shrimp and an occasional lobster. 18 months of joyous, carefree, inexpensive living. Only health prevented a longer stay. Try it, you'll like it. Dale P.S. do not take a gun of any kind unless you think a Mexican prison would be fun

 

[andy52]

I have no idea what all states do, but I have 70 acres of what's considered unimproved land here in Missouri, with no electricity, water, or anything else. I could build just about anything I want there.

 

[oldwood]

In 1990 was doing a total remodel of and replacing all imaging equipment in a North Central Pa. hospital. The job was going to take two years , or so. I figured I might as well try to accomplish a Bucket list item , while up north as well. That would be obtaining a hunting camp of some sort. There are a lot of camps with in a half hours drive of the motel I was living out of, so when I wasn't working my 10 + hour shift at the facility , it was summer , and day ended near 9 PM. , I was driving around looking at For Sale signs at camps. Biggest problem was , most existing camps I could afford ,had septic problems , that had to be dealt with , before the sale could be accomplished. After shopping around quite a while , I gave up ,but the experience had a lot of valuable lessons to be learned , about camps. A year or so later , was looking through a backwoods news paper ,and There was a 6 acre lot for sale , next to state forest land , in Northern Centre Co. . A year later , my Son and I , built a 28' , by 32" camp on the lot , and we were in business. Bucket list Completed. It's been well worth the struggle. ...................oldwood..........Early he rises , well before day , waking all the camp , with noise of preparation. He leaves at day ,returning well beyond the dark. His breath smells of strong drink , and the truth , is not in him. The Deer Hunter.