Going Off Grid in East Tennessee; The Story and Chat Thread (Elizabethton: per square foot, estimates)

[ylisa7]

Originally Posted by Tinman313

Mike Lisa... FYI... Not knowing if your Posted Signs are paper here's a link for plastic... Theirs one in their you will love !!! Page #2 Notis!
Voss Signs® Yellow Plastic Posted

Thank you for the link. I like some of the funny ones, lol. Thanks for the laugh.

[jbos333]

Thanks for taking time to do the cost estimates Lisa! It will vary some for my area but at least it gives me an idea.

[TwoWheelMan]

Hi Lisa and Mike ...based on the costs you've provided it looks like you've spent about $100K...not including your labor and time involved. My question is if you had all of this done by a contractor(s)...how much do you estimate it would have cost?..If I had to make a guess it would be about double what you have spent. By spending and building it youselves not only have you saved money in the long run but you are free from the utilitiy companies and have the pride of accomplishing this on your own. This concept intriques me to no end.

[ZCatcher]

These posts are easy to get addicted to!

I saw you give a cost breakdown on your solar. I found an interesting link last weekend on learning to make your own wind generator, solar panels, etc.: Wind Generator Plans - Build A Wind Generator - Home Made Wind Generator

The people that put the link up were trying to go off-grid and improvised where they could. They're selling books and stuff on the site, but there's still a lot of good info there and a YouTube video of one of their turbines.

Best of luck!

[sienna]

If ya check back you will find that M&L had 2 turbines along with the solar in the beginning.

I bet they figgured that wind was not worth the trouble I guess. Heck look at the hundreds of acres of wind turbines in this country locked down because it is not worth what they hoped. Upkeep, installing all the super highpowered lines and towers to send the wind elektrikery to a plant to be dispensed to users. Plus you need a constant supply of WIND which doesnt happen on schedule IMO

JMO ;-P

[ttazzman]

Originally Posted by TwoWheelMan

Hi Lisa and Mike ...based on the costs you've provided it looks like you've spent about $100K...not including your labor and time involved. My question is if you had all of this done by a contractor(s)...how much do you estimate it would have cost?..If I had to make a guess it would be about double what you have spent. By spending and building it youselves not only have you saved money in the long run but you are free from the utilitiy companies and have the pride of accomplishing this on your own. This concept intriques me to no end.

I am intrested in the answer to this also.....at 87$ per sq/ft + labor (100k+/1140sq/ft) i imagine it would have cost LESS to hire a contractor...as for being "off grid" do you anticipate ever being able to fill your water tank without the gas powered generator? and heat without propane? IE-wood heat or more solar to run your well pump?

PS i have no clue where the 100k figure came from and what it did or did not include and soft costs like the cost of the motorhome and its fuel, Time, etc etc

[cassy1]

What a wonderful thread, thank you for showing me this.

[Gatti]

Hello Lisa and Mike and Niki and cows and all Faithful Readers.

I am nearly cross-eyed from devouring this entire thread since I stumbled upon it yesterday. I am awed and inspired by your vision, ingenuity, perseverance and stamina! Many many thanks for your attention to detail and your generosity in sharing your grand adventure - the occasional mishaps are just as enlightening as the many successes. I have gotten absolutely nothing done for the last day and a half since I fell into your beautiful mountain world, but I have learned a great deal that will be useful as I prepare to start construction on my eco-friendly home. Not doing solar right off the bat since I am spending $$ on a closed loop geothermal system and solar water heater, etc, but am planning on adding a solar panel array on our south-facing roof eventually. I am following with interest the news on the solar film, but have not read any detailed reviews of it yet.

At any rate, thank you again for documenting your story. I send you all good wishes for your dreams and endless projects, and look forward to the next update and reading at a more leisurely pace. Unless I get sucked into your gardening thread, lol.

Your neighbor from the NC Piedmont region

[lovesMountains]

Lisa, thanks for the info on the table - I am very interested in it! Can't wait to see more pics as you get that outside area just the way you want it

[Sunnydee]

Gatti, welcome aboard! Mike and Lisa are amazing and so generous to share their story with us. It's easy to become addicted to their thread. See you on Mondays when they do their updates!

Originally Posted by Gatti

Hello Lisa and Mike and Niki and cows and all Faithful Readers.

I am nearly cross-eyed from devouring this entire thread since I stumbled upon it yesterday. I am awed and inspired by your vision, ingenuity, perseverance and stamina! Many many thanks for your attention to detail and your generosity in sharing your grand adventure - the occasional mishaps are just as enlightening as the many successes. I have gotten absolutely nothing done for the last day and a half since I fell into your beautiful mountain world, but I have learned a great deal that will be useful as I prepare to start construction on my eco-friendly home. Not doing solar right off the bat since I am spending $$ on a closed loop geothermal system and solar water heater, etc, but am planning on adding a solar panel array on our south-facing roof eventually. I am following with interest the news on the solar film, but have not read any detailed reviews of it yet.

At any rate, thank you again for documenting your story. I send you all good wishes for your dreams and endless projects, and look forward to the next update and reading at a more leisurely pace. Unless I get sucked into your gardening thread, lol.

Your neighbor from the NC Piedmont region