Current residents of the San Luis Valley...Can I ask you a few things? (Blanca: fit in, houses)

[MtnJam]

Originally Posted by Rainbow Demon

Check with the County agencies. Each county has different requirements/square foot minimums/restrictions on camping while constructing a home. In many cases you need a permit...so you're gonna end up at the county at some point...one way or another.

Water is regulated by the State. It would be a good thing to check and see if the prior owners of the particular property you are interested in have ever filed for a well permit/been denied a well permit/etc. These permits run with the land, not with individual ownership so any prior activity should be on record to see.

There is no "they". It's a community.....with rules...and expectations....like anywhere else. The only folks who can't understand the need for such things are those who have yet to INVEST their cash into such things. Once you do that, the guy next door living in the tent and crapping in a hole..cus he doesn't wanna play the game...isn't such a hero.

Does anyone have any further info about these (SLV) counties tightening up their Building regulations as was discussed here a few months ago? It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

good luck

Costilla County at the forefront...as they should be.

In Costilla County, Tempers Flare In A Fight Over How To Live | CPR

[Cabernetkev]

Originally Posted by Colorado Rambler

You may have. The time to ask questions about San Luis (and the SLV) is before you buy, not after. Let's hope that some valid water rights were included with your 5 acre plot.

Those five acre lots DO have water rights, though limited. You CAN invest in a well for household use. Please I am tired of people saying the 5 acre lots have no water rights. Well water cant be used for outdoors, but if you are retired, who wants to manage a farm anyway? You just want a place to sleep at night while you enjoy all the area has to offer. You can build a rocket mass heater to stay warm, with its adjoining warming bench. Put up a few solar panels and walla, your set. Just build a house with heat mass, like adobe or straw bails. So much negativism on this board. The real issue is not the cold, which you can plan for , but the crime. Since many have been scared away from building, like with forums like this one with all the negativity, then not many neighbors to watch your home. Maybe covered trenches with punji sticks will give a message to thieves. Just kidding, but it is an issue. My Filipino wife would not do well being stuck in a cabin for 4 months out of the year, so for me personally, a summer place is all my property would be. But year round living is a possibility. My question to all the naysayers who tell us its too cold to live in the San Luis Valley is this, how do the 10000 people who live in Alamosa survive? I am sure not all those homes have great thermal mass.

[Raddo]

Originally Posted by Cabernetkev

My question to all the naysayers who tell us its too cold to live in the San Luis Valley is this, how do the 10000 people who live in Alamosa survive? I am sure not all those homes have great thermal mass.

In my case, propane and allowing the hot sun to penetrate into the house.

[Cabernetkev]

Originally Posted by Raddo

In my case, propane and allowing the hot sun to penetrate into the house.

Nice, but I thought people were going to say they go up to Valley View Hot Springs to stay warm...LOL

[Hyperviktor]

What about people wanting only to spend there 1-2 month year?

Just purchased land near Blanca and looking to build a holiday house in the next 1-2 year.

Will need to see the land first though to sketch a suitable building design.

[LHS79]

Originally Posted by Hyperviktor

What about people wanting only to spend there 1-2 month year?

Just purchased land near Blanca and looking to build a holiday house in the next 1-2 year.

Will need to see the land first though to sketch a suitable building design.

Land was purchased before even seeing it-

How is the water situation on the land?

[Hyperviktor]

Why on earth would the million times befor mentioned and so called ‘water situation’ matter?

I’m not being rude simply don’t understand, please do explain your question.

[ColoGuy]

Originally Posted by Cabernetkev

Those five acre lots DO have water rights, though limited. You CAN invest in a well for household use. Please I am tired of people saying the 5 acre lots have no water rights. Well water cant be used for outdoors, but if you are retired, who wants to manage a farm anyway? You just want a place to sleep at night while you enjoy all the area has to offer. You can build a rocket mass heater to stay warm, with its adjoining warming bench. Put up a few solar panels and walla, your set. Just build a house with heat mass, like adobe or straw bails. So much negativism on this board. The real issue is not the cold, which you can plan for , but the crime. Since many have been scared away from building, like with forums like this one with all the negativity, then not many neighbors to watch your home. Maybe covered trenches with punji sticks will give a message to thieves. Just kidding, but it is an issue. My Filipino wife would not do well being stuck in a cabin for 4 months out of the year, so for me personally, a summer place is all my property would be. But year round living is a possibility. My question to all the naysayers who tell us its too cold to live in the San Luis Valley is this, how do the 10000 people who live in Alamosa survive? I am sure not all those homes have great thermal mass.

Nice post but they do not allow straw bales to be used. Might be possible if covered with stucco though - unsure about that.

[Hyperviktor]

LHS - any details ? I did describe before that we'll only be there for 1-2 months a year and since water can be delivered it doesn't matter if I have a working well or not.

[ColoGuy]

Originally Posted by Hyperviktor

LHS - any details ? I did describe before that we'll only be there for 1-2 months a year and since water can be delivered it doesn't matter if I have a working well or not.

I'm not certain you are telling us everything which is understandable and possibly wise. For 1-2 months/year I would not do a well or solar. Time degrades batteries as much as usage. I don't know your elevation but I suspect the well would be much deeper than a typical well in the flats. Maybe 3 times more expensive and that is a wild guess of course. Someone recently posted a link that tells you the depth of wells in the area.