We left California 4 years ago (after a lifetime there) for 20 acres off grid land in north central idaho. Best thing ever did in life. Spent first two years busting our butts to make it livable. Its now our piece of paradise. Congratulations Enjoy.
Priorities: 1. Order a Starlink service. 2. Over the summer build a garage/ workshop big enough for the camper or truck with a carport/ veranda again big enough for either vehicle. This will allow you to secure tools etc and put both vehicles under cover during bad weather, and lock and leave one vehicle . Solar and a small wind generator. Simple composting toilet. 3. Water storage. 3 or 4 1000 litre portable water tanks. Leave one one the truck to replenish supply, one to gravity feed and one inside the workshop (insulated/ heated). Enjoy the adventure!
Definitely build out your infrastructure first, so clearing and prep for septic, well install and solar (?). Anything you can do to let you stay at the property longer without having to go into town for essentials. Storage will be hugely important with all the new toys on the property! Also, satellite or remote internet so we can keep tabs on your progress!
I bet we're almost neighbors. My wife and I just retired, bought 60 raw acres, and moved from Texas to my home state of Idaho. Grew up in central Idaho but we bought in northern Idaho. We're doing pretty much the same thing you guys are and doing all the work ourselves, although this will be the second house we've built. Get ready for winter. It's 100 degree right now (heat wave) but winter is coming and it's no joke here. Welcome to Idaho. BTW, get any CA plates off your vehicles asap. :)
Hi Mark, congrats on retirement!! We would love to meet up with you and your wife sometime and pick your brains on everything you've done. If we can ever take you out for a beer shoot us an email! riley@trailtestedmfg.com
Absolutely, take off them California license plates. Californians and their deep pockets have made it so housing is unaffordable for Idaho natives now. Idaho natives are furious . I’ve saw a California vehicle that looked like it was destroyed by hammers. Our property taxes have more than tripled in a year, but the wages are still low. I’m old and lived here most of my life. Tough road to hoe, Good luck, wish you the best.
My first thing is find out about portable water on the property. Than I would do is build your shop, lay out for your septic system. That way you have a place to securely store equipment and building materials. And you can build your off grid solar system. And with the shop you could put the truck inside in bad weather to help protect you guys from the elements. You have all the amenities need in the camper like water, bathroom, refrigeration and a safe dry place to stay.
Infrastructure is a must. Improve the road so you will be able to get in and out during all weather conditions. You might want to consider bringing in a shipping container for weather proof storage-shop as a first stage of site development - you have experience working with shipping containers.
I would suggest you build the shop first. The shop can be used to give you more comfortable accommodations, and is easier constructed, in comparison to the home. The shop also gives you a place to keep materials and equipment out of the weather. Edit in: I would suggest a lumber mill. Wood continues to be a crazy costly resource; and, it may not ease up anytime soon. You'd need time to dry the logs prior to milling. That process is more time consuming, but highly efficient. Best wishes.
Have fun. I built an off-road off grid cabin 21 years ago. It is just a recreational place but being retired we spend a lot of time there. You talk about needing equipment, now I have 3 chainsaws, a brush cutter, off road vehicles for summer and winter.
This is the Earlies tape I have seen. You request last month for when we started watching you is the reason I am stating this. I'm excited to see baby series. And hope to start from beginning. Ambition struck me. I'm with you every video. Lonn
Get the water source done first. Then the solar and generator. ( for the best offgrid solar experience go for Victron on the inverters and charging) Try and avoid solar panels on the roof buildings.
Having done what you are about to do. I can say the first thing you need is a Skid steer with grapple bucket, stump bucket, augur and a couple of bits and snow blade. A big dump trailer.1st, Out house. We still use ours from time to time.2 shop to keep all the equipment in and you can park the camper in it when you are there working. It took me 4 years and a lot of blood sweat and tears to get to where we are now. good luck and I will follow as you go. One last thing Build a Fire break!
Fire break is an excellent idea, especially considering the dry year we have had! A shop will certainly be coming before a house for many reasons, including exactly what you said!
Congratulations! First thing I’d build is a large garage/shelter to park/store everything inside while you build and live on site. Also, a well for running water.
Just watched your video with the big excavator two years later and went back through to see where you guys started… The tree branch pruning here seems downright cute in comparison! Congrats on all the fruits of your labors. 🎉 Would love to see an overview/tour of the property vid, to get a sense of the scale of the road project and home sites. Drone shot + drawing overlay?
Garage/workshop first!!!!! Get some good lockable storage for all the tools and equipment you’ll need. Then build the hot tub on that hill with the view! Cause once the real work starts you’ll want the hot tub to soak in in the evenings!!!!!
I live Co. High altitude, off grid, put in my own solar, got chickens and dairy goat and have 2 Pyrenees guardian dogs, cats for mice and wire chewers...u can do this...I am a grandma and not afraid... learned everything I needed to know..through youtube !!!!!! good luck...lol
You guys are me and my wife almost 30 years ago. Bought the land 1st. Cleared it. Then built the house 1st. Big mistake. Needed a shop to keep house building tools and toys safe and dry. Save the wood. Out there it will last until you get your shop then house built. Get an outside wood boiler for heat and hot water. Radiant floor heat for the shop. You have tons of free BTU’s laying around for your heating needs. If you have to borrow money now is the time. Cheap interest rates. Don’t be scared! You all are going to have a ton of fun doing this. The world is watching.
Beautiful.. Watch out for the ticks more than the Moose or Cougars.. Build your garage 1st with a wicked solar power set up and 1st dig your well.. Then take your time on the house Build.. But 1st build a fencing system around the property where your builds will be for protection for those Beautiful dogs and your sleeping in peace.. Good find.. I can't wait to watch and I'll be becoming a Patron soon to Help you get out your videos.. (Love the Spirit your wife Courtney has my Brother) Quote of the Century.. "WHO KNOWS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, MAYBE GOOD THINGS; MAYBE BAD THINGS: BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FUN!"
Yes, the ticks are certainly out right now! Your plan is right along the lines with what we have been talking about. Thank you so much for the support and we look forward to taking you along on this adventure!
Congratulations on the beautiful property! I like how you reply to every comment, that takes some time. You've probably noticed that locals say "North Idaho".
I see the smiles...and the kids like the open spaces and places to run and play. I just found you guys and will now take in the adventures...got alot of catching up to do. Thanks for the sharing! Good luck!
If you guys ever get around to building a time machine, visiting the spot at 8:32 where that trail maintenance I think later lead to the army truck's rear tire side wall being cut twice would be a good starting point. 😁😉 Watching your videos has made me take note of things I would NEVER have thought of. Thank you guys!
Very exciting for you both! We’ve been renting a house on 27 acres for three years now and we are finally ready to purchase. It’s a very big undertaking to manage that much space. There is always something to do. Congrats! Definitely build your shop and septic first.
Congratulations on making your dreams happen! We are both restless people and love the clarity and fulfillment that comes from managing land. The shop is certainly the thing first on our list!
@@AmbitionStrikes you have been an inspiration to us. Your camper build prompted us to look for a “project” of our own. But as a family of 4, with two boys, a camper was not going to work. We found a great deal on a 1993 Prevost Mirage (47 passenger) charter bus. We are currently working on the conversion. We are in the “demo” stages. Thanks for sharing your journey and inspiring ours!
Congratulations! That looks absolutely peaceful. Let the adventure begin! Our off grid adventure began about five years ago and it has been nothing but amazing. So many things to learn so many things to do and we love it! Currently we have 4000 W of solar panels and 12 KW usable battery bank. This allows us to live fairly normally. Cell phone is our only Internet access which is fine. We haul water from the nearest town every two weeks. When we bought the property, putting in a while wasn’t possible due to some goofy regulations. Now that I’ve gotten used to hauling water, it’s just not a big deal. I haul about 1000 gallons every two weeks. We have a 1400 gallon tank and we use about half of it every two weeks. The tank is underground so freezing isn’t a problem. It’s been quite an adventure. If there’s anything I can do to help you out please don’t hesitate to ask.
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your offgrid experience! We plan to eventually dig a well but that likely isn't going to be in the cards for a while. It's comforting to know that hauling water hasn't been a huge issue for you. We have (3) 290 gal IBC totes that we plan to use for hauling water for now. Would you mind shooting me an email to rileydcasey@gmail.com? I'd like to talk more about your solar and battery set up.
Imo once the road is good build the shop with solar(of course) .... That way once you've got a place to park the camper indoors/ store tools machines and building materials while you build the house
We built on top of a ridge. It was so much like what you are planning. We found a freshwater spring and kept it in its natural state. My suggestion based purely on experience is to develop your access road first. You will need a road that equipment trucks can access. It needs to be smoother, wider, and graveled at least if possible. When you have the excavator that will be used on road, it will be easier to find the best places to flatten for your camper or drop off points for materials. Also between the two possible building sites find the one that has the best perc test for septic. Note: Perc tests can be costly, there is a cheaper way by hand digging a hole to test the land percolation. The approx. cost of hand-digging is $300. as opposed to the cost of the equipment method that can cost upwards $750- $1300. You both are excellent planners, so I am sure you will have a great plan.
Hey neighbor! Wow look how far you’ve come in two years! You guys keep me motivated to work on my own 29 acres! I’m up at my Tiny Home through the end of the year (2023) and would love to meet you guys sometime! Take care!
Hi guys, greetings from England. I've just found your channel and I'm looking forward to sharing your adventures. Nice camper, looks like an Earth Roamer, I couldn't believe you built it yourselves. I don't know how long it's going to take but I'm going to binge watch from the begining. Catch you later.
Cool... COOL~~~!! Im gonna watch when I can get back home on the 15th of Oct, always on the road 60 days at a time... Ill cya guys more than sporadically like now, later! :D
Figuring out your water and power solutions should be a priority. But those roads will be difficult to navigate without upgrades come November/December. Y’all got this!
Thank you for your hard work in making elaborate videos every time. I am enjoying it. Before the Corona disaster, I traveled to the United States twice a year. Looking at the vast land and beautiful buildings makes me want to go to America sooner. Looking at you, building a camper van, buying land and starting something, I think it's typical of a promise American. Please do your best, paying attention to your health without overdoing it. We support from Japan. bye Hiroshi
Build a wood shed and start stacking..winters r cold, put a wood stove in ur camper and build s shop for tools and for working...another ( BIGGER wood stove...and at least a 500 gl. Water tank, solar heated...and a snow mobile....groceries
Ahhhhh youth! I'm already in love with you two. Ready for the adventure and instead of a mountain full of trees in the way, you see potential. My kind of folks for sure! That piece of land is beautiful for those of us that know how to look at it. Heck, even for those that don't. Immense potential if you don't mind sweating a little bit. I'd be excited too!! I remember when my wife and I bought our little cabin in NC to "retire" to, we were almost giddy. I know your excitement well. I'm gonna' love watching you two develop this. Good luck!
I just came over from the Vanwives, after seeing their video on roofing your container shop. You have come a long way from "it's your dad's chainsaw". Very cool, I wish I found you guys a little earlier. My evening entertainment for the forseeable future is secured. 😅
Get a bull dozer or grader to widen your road and drop some large gravel. Flatten a plot, solar array and shit load of Tesla batteries and one Victron 5000 watt inverter to start, basic poop dump until it is time to build sceptic, move your container home and get more containers. Is there a creek to build a hydro generator? Hopefully you have a good south face for solar.
Build first? End of day Happy Hour Deck; maybe small, maybe temp. A dedicated place so everyday, or most, you can celebrate or mourn the day's accomplishments or none; a place to chronicle the deeds, events, thoughts and emotions of this endeavor. A place to plan tomorrow's task list, and most of all to love and appreciate each other; that's why you're doing this. You guys are GREAT!
Congratulations you two. Just a suggestion..ask for volunteers among your followers to help in building this project. This way you can get the project going faster and at the same time give a chance for people to get out and enjoy things that they could not do due to corona. Plus would be a good learning experience for young ones. Edit : start with large shed / garage that would help to park your home and also act as a storage unit for all materials required for building your homestead.
That is a very interesting idea! We love how our tribe of followers have such a diverse knowledge in subjects we are barely just scratching the surface on. I think that is currently the plan, try and get a shop up before winter!
Well, I'm a farmer and a country boy so of course I always think a shop should be the first thing that you build. You can always live in a shop temporarily while you build a home you have to.
Another great video! I think leveling some ground and something to cover the truck a little bit while you figure out what kinda house you want. A garage maybe ! Idk I’m pumped can’t wait
Best building material is pumicecrete Pumicecrete is a mixture of pumice cement and water mixed and poured into a set of reusable forms walls are poured from 12" to 24" thick it is fire proof termite proof rust rot and mold proof high R value and good sound attinution and is the cheapest building there is the pumice mine is Hess pumice in Malad city ID Take care Ray
Watch out for bears, you have two varieties there, black, and grizzly. Was there a couple of years ago and along with the wildlife you mentioned there is also turkey.
Clearing #1 Then I’d throw that shipping container cottage on the back of a semi and set it up on the property at view one, next to a well and solar/battery bank and then start working on the shop. Might be tricky to get it up there but worth it even if you needed a crane or telehandler. Depends on weight. You’d be equal to where you were in CA and miles ahead of others trying to live in an RV while building a home. Especially when winter hits! Then view 2 is the future off grid home and the container is guest house. Regarding the rock. Do a couple test digs. Place future home where you can more easily excavate footings or basement. Place container on the rock and tie it down. It’s nice to have options. You must be so excited! 👍
Congratulations! The property looks awesome! Life is short. I’ve had that dream, I blinked and the dream was over. It’s amazing how fast time goes by. I think the first think to do is bring in a big storage container to store tools, machinery, and materials. Might need a bulldozer to get it up that hill.
Garage first, as you can live in it. That gets you through the winter, so you can start on the house this fall or next spring, and be in it by the end of '22. Or, put in secure footings on that granite outcropping you showed, and bring your container home in. Hire a Sikorsky Sky Crane to put it up there. No worries about a shaky foundation or flooding there.
Storage, first after finding or making a level spot... doesn't even have to be near where the house will be... but it gives you a place for storage, even storage for the camper... Might think about trucking up your storage container/home you'all built in CA... Northern Idaho has quite a bit different weather than northern CA, you might want to check out Pure Life for Living YT channel... they might be close to where you purchased your property... could give you some tips to getting this place habitual...and dealing with the winter weather!
Winter is certainly going to be an adjustment for us! Storage is going to be key as we start bringing tools and equipment up here. We sold the container house to fund the build up here but have considered building another one up here!
I would say build a post frame work garage first. It will let you build your skills for the house, and provide the utilitarian space you’ll need to get projects done. Do you think you’ll give the property a name?
Congrats on the start of a new adventure! If you can get away memorial weekend go to the Lochsa River fest...I went a few years back no boat and in camp was invited to paddle multiple boats... most fun and frightening thing I've ever done...
Congrats on your property purchase!!! Invest in a extendable pruner pole with saw and hook blade for the tall stuff. It would eliminate the use of a ladder. And safer. Looking forward to seeing what you do next.
Congratulations! I would get the road, water and a shelter up and running before winter hits. Enjoy. Menard"s will be your new friend if there is a Menards out there
As someone who has grown up out in the woods. I might suggest first thing is to build a fence around where ever your going to primarily going to be building/living or parking the camper with the dogs out. Especially being what wild animals are out there. And it wouldn't be too hard being all the smallish trees there is out there. And get yourselves a rifle.
Congratulations you two! Excellent news. So many others have made suggestions, may I? Please do everything you can for wildfire survival: Deep, two-level basement (?), or a tunnel into the hillside to escape the heat, and emergency oxygen for when the fire wall passes over and sucks all the oxygen out of the air. Just sayin'.
Oi Amigos, em primeiro lugar parabéns pela nova propriedade, lugar lindo de perder o folego. Como sou do Brasil não tenho muita noção com relação as dificuldades do clima, mas acredito que este fator deva ser sempre observado e assim nortear todas as decisões que irão tomar. Estou ansioso para ver os próximos vídeos. Sucesso no Canal.
Congratulations on your new land, solar would be a definite option for power, if only slight breeze maybe aeroleaves/wind tree might be alternate option for wind power
Congrats. I would start building a garage with a small living quarters that will fit your truck and camper. That way you can stay dry even during the snowy winters as you work on the house.
Nice going guys! You already know your way around a shipping container so you could do another one to live in. Many others posted a suggestion of building a shop first. I agree. Make it big (tall) enough that you can put your camper inside it. You'll see a surprise snowstorm and be glad you're indoors. Make this building hard to break into with steel doors and no windows. Install motion cameras to monitor several areas. Install a gate at the bottom of the driveway with No Tresspassing signs. You may or may not want to mention the cameras. What are your neighbors like? Maybe have a couple of meet & greets? How have they accomplished getting water, electricity, or solar and internet? Watch TH-cam and figure out how to use dowsing rods to find an approximate water location ( makes for good vid I bet!). You are probably aware of the Pure Living for Life TH-cam channel and if not have a look. They have done what you are starting to do and they are in Idaho too. I love the foam forms they used on their foundation and the sawmill to harvest the lumber on their property to build their house. They went off-grid for electricity for a while and eventually hooked up. So figure out where the house is going to be. Where you find water may guide you. Clear the view for inspiration. Map out the septic ( fulfilling the county laws and guidelines). Will the solar be on a roof or will you have a solar field? ( Southern exposure?) Spend money on the road into your property. I guy with a bulldozer will widen it out to your neighboring right of ways and fill in the puddles with gravel and you could then get a shipping container delivered for a temporary structure for instance. This will take longer and cost more than envisioned. You can do this! Congrats!
Thank you very much for the thoughtful and detailed reply! You have made some very good points and there are a lot of decisions ahead of us. Right now we are leaning towards building the shop first. One of the reasons we chose this lot is the Southern exposure! I don't think hooking up to community power is going to be cost effective for us so solar is going to essential.
You are going to love it, the dogs may love it more than you, and while they may not be a lot of help they are really good at moral support. The scratches on the camper will become known as Idaho Pinstriping and are indicative of the vehicles of the people that appreciate this area.
We left California 4 years ago (after a lifetime there) for 20 acres off grid land in north central idaho.
Best thing ever did in life. Spent first two years busting our butts to make it livable. Its now our piece of paradise.
Congratulations
Enjoy.
Priorities:
1. Order a Starlink service.
2. Over the summer build a garage/ workshop big enough for the camper or truck with a carport/ veranda again big enough for either vehicle.
This will allow you to secure tools etc and put both vehicles under cover during bad weather, and lock and leave one vehicle .
Solar and a small wind generator.
Simple composting toilet.
3. Water storage. 3 or 4 1000 litre portable water tanks. Leave one one the truck to replenish supply, one to gravity feed and one inside the workshop (insulated/ heated).
Enjoy the adventure!
Excellent plan! We are going to be hauling water in for awhile until we have the funds available to drill a well.
Definitely build out your infrastructure first, so clearing and prep for septic, well install and solar (?). Anything you can do to let you stay at the property longer without having to go into town for essentials. Storage will be hugely important with all the new toys on the property! Also, satellite or remote internet so we can keep tabs on your progress!
Riley said he likes that plan because it means he gets to use the excavator a lot... 😉
Definitely agree with this.
I bet we're almost neighbors. My wife and I just retired, bought 60 raw acres, and moved from Texas to my home state of Idaho. Grew up in central Idaho but we bought in northern Idaho. We're doing pretty much the same thing you guys are and doing all the work ourselves, although this will be the second house we've built. Get ready for winter. It's 100 degree right now (heat wave) but winter is coming and it's no joke here. Welcome to Idaho.
BTW, get any CA plates off your vehicles asap. :)
Hi Mark, congrats on retirement!! We would love to meet up with you and your wife sometime and pick your brains on everything you've done. If we can ever take you out for a beer shoot us an email! riley@trailtestedmfg.com
Woww..sounds great!!!
Absolutely, take off them California license plates. Californians and their deep pockets have made it so housing is unaffordable for Idaho natives now. Idaho natives are furious . I’ve saw a California vehicle that looked like it was destroyed by hammers. Our property taxes have more than tripled in a year, but the wages are still low. I’m old and lived here most of my life. Tough road to hoe, Good luck, wish you the best.
My first thing is find out about portable water on the property. Than I would do is build your shop, lay out for your septic system. That way you have a place to securely store equipment and building materials. And you can build your off grid solar system. And with the shop you could put the truck inside in bad weather to help protect you guys from the elements. You have all the amenities need in the camper like water, bathroom, refrigeration and a safe dry place to stay.
Water is very important! A shop seems to be like the most recommend first building and makes so much sense!
It’s easy to lose sight of the amount of time effort and love that goes into these types of projects. Look at the progress! Amazing!
I am so IN for this series! I binge watched all your previous videos and can't wait to watch as you move forward with this project!!
Thanks for following along Chip!!
improved access for concrete trucks......the rest will fall into place
congrats on an awsome piece of wilderness
We were just talking about that today! As long as we can get a concrete and well rig up the road the possibilities are endless!
Infrastructure is a must. Improve the road so you will be able to get in and out during all weather conditions. You might want to consider bringing in a shipping container for weather proof storage-shop as a first stage of site development - you have experience working with shipping containers.
great point to post
Excellent advice George!
I can almost smell how good the trees and dirt smell through TH-cam.
It’s magical!
I would suggest you build the shop first. The shop can be used to give you more comfortable accommodations, and is easier constructed, in comparison to the home. The shop also gives you a place to keep materials and equipment out of the weather.
Edit in: I would suggest a lumber mill. Wood continues to be a crazy costly resource; and, it may not ease up anytime soon. You'd need time to dry the logs prior to milling. That process is more time consuming, but highly efficient. Best wishes.
Excellent idea! If we can make a shop with a small apartment happen we won't need to build a house for quite awhile!
Why even bother with a house, you two need a place to sit around? Shouse is the answer.
VERY good idea with all those trees and the price of lumber. Get your own milled & dried in time for building the house a year from now.
Have fun. I built an off-road off grid cabin 21 years ago. It is just a recreational place but being retired we spend a lot of time there. You talk about needing equipment, now I have 3 chainsaws, a brush cutter, off road vehicles for summer and winter.
We are in the store buying another chainsaw right now 😂
This is the Earlies tape I have seen. You request last month for when we started watching you is the reason I am stating this. I'm excited to see baby series. And hope to start from beginning.
Ambition struck me.
I'm with you every video. Lonn
Get the water source done first. Then the solar and generator. ( for the best offgrid solar experience go for Victron on the inverters and charging) Try and avoid solar panels on the roof buildings.
Excellent advice! Solar panels on roof buildings with snowfall sounds like a recipe for disaster and hard to angle correctly!
Having done what you are about to do. I can say the first thing you need is a Skid steer with grapple bucket, stump bucket, augur and a couple of bits and snow blade. A big dump trailer.1st, Out house. We still use ours from time to time.2 shop to keep all the equipment in and you can park the camper in it when you are there working. It took me 4 years and a lot of blood sweat and tears to get to where we are now. good luck and I will follow as you go. One last thing Build a Fire break!
Fire break is an excellent idea, especially considering the dry year we have had! A shop will certainly be coming before a house for many reasons, including exactly what you said!
Congratulations! First thing I’d build is a large garage/shelter to park/store everything inside while you build and live on site. Also, a well for running water.
Those are both very high priorities!!
@@AmbitionStrikes Could also catch water with the roof if there is enough rain there..
Just watched your video with the big excavator two years later and went back through to see where you guys started… The tree branch pruning here seems downright cute in comparison! Congrats on all the fruits of your labors. 🎉 Would love to see an overview/tour of the property vid, to get a sense of the scale of the road project and home sites. Drone shot + drawing overlay?
If you had told us two years ago that we would be renting a CAT 330 and building a proper road this summer I don't think we would have believed you!
Build a large shop with the second level on top being living space (Barndominium) smallest footprint with everything you will need.
Winner winner!! 😀
Garage/workshop first!!!!! Get some good lockable storage for all the tools and equipment you’ll need. Then build the hot tub on that hill with the view! Cause once the real work starts you’ll want the hot tub to soak in in the evenings!!!!!
Oh man, hot tub and shop. What more could you need? 😉
I live Co. High altitude, off grid, put in my own solar, got chickens and dairy goat and have 2 Pyrenees guardian dogs, cats for mice and wire chewers...u can do this...I am a grandma and not afraid... learned everything I needed to know..through youtube !!!!!! good luck...lol
how much did it cost you to build that? would 600k be enough?
This is awesome!!! I can't wait to see ya folks update the progress. Congrat on the purchase!
Thank you!!
You guys are me and my wife almost 30 years ago. Bought the land 1st. Cleared it. Then built the house 1st. Big mistake. Needed a shop to keep house building tools and toys safe and dry. Save the wood. Out there it will last until you get your shop then house built. Get an outside wood boiler for heat and hot water. Radiant floor heat for the shop. You have tons of free BTU’s laying around for your heating needs. If you have to borrow money now is the time. Cheap interest rates. Don’t be scared! You all are going to have a ton of fun doing this. The world is watching.
Thank you so much for the words of wisdom John! Keep em coming! 😊
I forgot. All that rock could cause problems. Blasting might be in your future but it’s so fun to blow things up, expensive but so rewarding!
It amazes me how quickly you got to where you are at the end of 2022. Great job!
Good for you. Our paths are similar, sold our property built a 6x6 M1083 traveled for 4 years and bought virgin land and built a house in Alaska.
That sounds amazing!! Congratulations on making your dreams happen. 😊
Beautiful..
Watch out for the ticks more than the Moose or Cougars..
Build your garage 1st with a wicked solar power set up and 1st dig your well.. Then take your time on the house Build.. But 1st build a fencing system around the property where your builds will be for protection for those Beautiful dogs and your sleeping in peace.. Good find.. I can't wait to watch and I'll be becoming a Patron soon to Help you get out your videos.. (Love the Spirit your wife Courtney has my Brother)
Quote of the Century..
"WHO KNOWS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, MAYBE GOOD THINGS; MAYBE BAD THINGS: BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FUN!"
Yes, the ticks are certainly out right now! Your plan is right along the lines with what we have been talking about. Thank you so much for the support and we look forward to taking you along on this adventure!
Make sure to check and survey including right a way access
So important, especially in Idaho!
Amen, sister. Life is short. YOLO! Grab hold with both hands. Enjoy the ride! Thanks for sharing.
You two and the dogs strike me. Thank You.
You guys seem like two awesome people, I wish you the best following your dreams. I look forward to following your journey….
Good luck and enjoy. we did something similar 12 years ago here in NZ and we sill have to pinch ourselves at how lucky we are.
Congrats on making your dreams happen Mark! As we get into the build any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.
Congratulations on the beautiful property! I like how you reply to every comment, that takes some time. You've probably noticed that locals say "North Idaho".
Thanks Doug! We found it funny at first but after driving through southern Idaho we understand why they make the distinction... 😂
I Love the dogs being so excited.
I see the smiles...and the kids like the open spaces and places to run and play. I just found you guys and will now take in the adventures...got alot of catching up to do. Thanks for the sharing! Good luck!
If you guys ever get around to building a time machine, visiting the spot at 8:32 where that trail maintenance I think later lead to the army truck's rear tire side wall being cut twice would be a good starting point. 😁😉
Watching your videos has made me take note of things I would NEVER have thought of. Thank you guys!
Seriously! 😂
Very exciting for you both! We’ve been renting a house on 27 acres for three years now and we are finally ready to purchase. It’s a very big undertaking to manage that much space. There is always something to do. Congrats!
Definitely build your shop and septic first.
Congratulations on making your dreams happen! We are both restless people and love the clarity and fulfillment that comes from managing land. The shop is certainly the thing first on our list!
@@AmbitionStrikes you have been an inspiration to us. Your camper build prompted us to look for a “project” of our own. But as a family of 4, with two boys, a camper was not going to work. We found a great deal on a 1993 Prevost Mirage (47 passenger) charter bus. We are currently working on the conversion. We are in the “demo” stages. Thanks for sharing your journey and inspiring ours!
Congratulations! That looks absolutely peaceful. Let the adventure begin! Our off grid adventure began about five years ago and it has been nothing but amazing. So many things to learn so many things to do and we love it! Currently we have 4000 W of solar panels and 12 KW usable battery bank. This allows us to live fairly normally. Cell phone is our only Internet access which is fine. We haul water from the nearest town every two weeks. When we bought the property, putting in a while wasn’t possible due to some goofy regulations. Now that I’ve gotten used to hauling water, it’s just not a big deal. I haul about 1000 gallons every two weeks. We have a 1400 gallon tank and we use about half of it every two weeks. The tank is underground so freezing isn’t a problem. It’s been quite an adventure. If there’s anything I can do to help you out please don’t hesitate to ask.
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your offgrid experience! We plan to eventually dig a well but that likely isn't going to be in the cards for a while. It's comforting to know that hauling water hasn't been a huge issue for you. We have (3) 290 gal IBC totes that we plan to use for hauling water for now. Would you mind shooting me an email to rileydcasey@gmail.com? I'd like to talk more about your solar and battery set up.
Imo once the road is good build the shop with solar(of course) .... That way once you've got a place to park the camper indoors/ store tools machines and building materials while you build the house
Yes!!! Perfect plan.
A safe way into the heart of your property and level ground from which you can plan.
Thank you for sharing your journey
So exciting! Very interested to see what happens with the water. That would be priority 1 for me. Can't wait for this series!
It is quite the dilemma. We wan't to make sure there is water but don't currently have the funds to drill a well!
We built on top of a ridge. It was so much like what you are planning. We found a freshwater spring and kept it in its natural state. My suggestion based purely on experience is to develop your access road first. You will need a road that equipment trucks can access. It needs to be smoother, wider, and graveled at least if possible. When you have the excavator that will be used on road, it will be easier to find the best places to flatten for your camper or drop off points for materials. Also between the two possible building sites find the one that has the best perc test for septic. Note: Perc tests can be costly, there is a cheaper way by hand digging a hole to test the land percolation. The approx. cost of hand-digging is $300. as opposed to the cost of the equipment method that can cost upwards $750- $1300. You both are excellent planners, so I am sure you will have a great plan.
That you so much for the excellent advice! Perc tests certainly are not cheap!
Hey neighbor! Wow look how far you’ve come in two years! You guys keep me motivated to work on my own 29 acres! I’m up at my Tiny Home through the end of the year (2023) and would love to meet you guys sometime! Take care!
Hi guys, greetings from England. I've just found your channel and I'm looking forward to sharing your adventures. Nice camper, looks like an Earth Roamer, I couldn't believe you built it yourselves. I don't know how long it's going to take but I'm going to binge watch from the begining. Catch you later.
Cool... COOL~~~!! Im gonna watch when I can get back home on the 15th of Oct, always on the road 60 days at a time... Ill cya guys more than sporadically like now, later! :D
Figuring out your water and power solutions should be a priority. But those roads will be difficult to navigate without upgrades come November/December. Y’all got this!
Thanks Austin! Winter is going to sneak up on us and improving the roads is certainly a priority!
Ok I'm binge watching when it's raining! I've done similar in tn mountains at one time , love the idea of Idaho ..hummmmm
Thank you for your hard work in making elaborate videos every time. I am enjoying it. Before the Corona disaster, I traveled to the United States twice a year. Looking at the vast land and beautiful buildings makes me want to go to America sooner. Looking at you, building a camper van, buying land and starting something, I think it's typical of a promise American. Please do your best, paying attention to your health without overdoing it. We support from Japan. bye Hiroshi
Thank you for subscribing and supporting the channel! It is going to be a lot of work but the endless possibilities of bare land are exhilarating.
Build a wood shed and start stacking..winters r cold, put a wood stove in ur camper and build s shop for tools and for working...another ( BIGGER wood stove...and at least a 500 gl. Water tank, solar heated...and a snow mobile....groceries
Ahhhhh youth! I'm already in love with you two. Ready for the adventure and instead of a mountain full of trees in the way, you see potential. My kind of folks for sure! That piece of land is beautiful for those of us that know how to look at it. Heck, even for those that don't. Immense potential if you don't mind sweating a little bit. I'd be excited too!! I remember when my wife and I bought our little cabin in NC to "retire" to, we were almost giddy. I know your excitement well. I'm gonna' love watching you two develop this. Good luck!
Build a Whisky Still. I have a feeling y’all are going to need it! I wish it was closer to Texas so I could come help build...
😂 Come visit any time!
I just came over from the Vanwives, after seeing their video on roofing your container shop.
You have come a long way from "it's your dad's chainsaw".
Very cool, I wish I found you guys a little earlier.
My evening entertainment for the forseeable future is secured. 😅
Get a bull dozer or grader to widen your road and drop some large gravel. Flatten a plot, solar array and shit load of Tesla batteries and one Victron 5000 watt inverter to start, basic poop dump until it is time to build sceptic, move your container home and get more containers. Is there a creek to build a hydro generator? Hopefully you have a good south face for solar.
No creek but we have excellent south facing exposure!
Build first? End of day Happy Hour Deck; maybe small, maybe temp. A dedicated place so everyday, or most, you can celebrate or mourn the day's accomplishments or none; a place to chronicle the deeds, events, thoughts and emotions of this endeavor. A place to plan tomorrow's task list, and most of all to love and appreciate each other; that's why you're doing this. You guys are GREAT!
That is an incredibly good idea!
Congratulations you two. Just a suggestion..ask for volunteers among your followers to help in building this project. This way you can get the project going faster and at the same time give a chance for people to get out and enjoy things that they could not do due to corona. Plus would be a good learning experience for young ones.
Edit : start with large shed / garage that would help to park your home and also act as a storage unit for all materials required for building your homestead.
That is a very interesting idea! We love how our tribe of followers have such a diverse knowledge in subjects we are barely just scratching the surface on.
I think that is currently the plan, try and get a shop up before winter!
Congradualtions. Your hard work is paying off. We love northern Idaho.
Thanks Doug!
Missed this video wow what a journey! Y’all has rocked it no pun intended lol
Good for you two! Can’t wait to see how it all develops!
Us too! 😂
Well, I'm a farmer and a country boy so of course I always think a shop should be the first thing that you build. You can always live in a shop temporarily while you build a home you have to.
Loved your conversation with the world
Another great video! I think leveling some ground and something to cover the truck a little bit while you figure out what kinda house you want. A garage maybe ! Idk I’m pumped can’t wait
Yes!!
Best building material is pumicecrete
Pumicecrete is a mixture of pumice cement and water mixed and poured into a set of reusable forms walls are poured from 12" to 24" thick it is fire proof termite proof rust rot and mold proof high R value and good sound attinution and is the cheapest building there is the pumice mine is Hess pumice in Malad city ID
Take care Ray
Sounds very interesting!
Congratulations! Beautiful property and it’s going to be an awesome adventure!!!
We can't wait to take you all along!
As i have seen all your videos. Road building, is number one on all your videos, with 17% grade being the problem for cement trucks.
Watch out for bears, you have two varieties there, black, and grizzly. Was there a couple of years ago and along with the wildlife you mentioned there is also turkey.
Clearing #1
Then I’d throw that shipping container cottage on the back of a semi and set it up on the property at view one, next to a well and solar/battery bank and then start working on the shop.
Might be tricky to get it up there but worth it even if you needed a crane or telehandler. Depends on weight.
You’d be equal to where you were in CA and miles ahead of others trying to live in an RV while building a home. Especially when winter hits!
Then view 2 is the future off grid home and the container is guest house.
Regarding the rock. Do a couple test digs. Place future home where you can more easily excavate footings or basement. Place container on the rock and tie it down.
It’s nice to have options. You must be so excited! 👍
Excellent advice!! Keep it coming! 😊
Get the road cleared and accessible for you and trailer. Then a pad for you new home.
Yes the road is going to need some love!!
Spectacular property.
Congratulations! The property looks awesome! Life is short. I’ve had that dream, I blinked and the dream was over. It’s amazing how fast time goes by. I think the first think to do is bring in a big storage container to store tools, machinery, and materials. Might need a bulldozer to get it up that hill.
Yes we are going to need somewhere to store tools as we bring them up!
Just revisited this video 9/28/2022. You guys have done a fantastic job in about a year.
I started following you just before you built your overlander
People from here call it North Idaho not northern Idaho but we are enjoying your journeys
you guys have come so far. love how hard you guys work.
Garage first, as you can live in it. That gets you through the winter, so you can start on the house this fall or next spring, and be in it by the end of '22.
Or, put in secure footings on that granite outcropping you showed, and bring your container home in. Hire a Sikorsky Sky Crane to put it up there. No worries about a shaky foundation or flooding there.
I like your timeline James!
Storage, first after finding or making a level spot... doesn't even have to be near where the house will be... but it gives you a place for storage, even storage for the camper... Might think about trucking up your storage container/home you'all built in CA... Northern Idaho has quite a bit different weather than northern CA, you might want to check out Pure Life for Living YT channel... they might be close to where you purchased your property... could give you some tips to getting this place habitual...and dealing with the winter weather!
Winter is certainly going to be an adjustment for us! Storage is going to be key as we start bringing tools and equipment up here. We sold the container house to fund the build up here but have considered building another one up here!
I would say build a post frame work garage first. It will let you build your skills for the house, and provide the utilitarian space you’ll need to get projects done. Do you think you’ll give the property a name?
Yes! I think the next episode is going to have to have a naming competition!
@@AmbitionStrikes Ambition Mountain is my entry.
Or how about Private Idaho (thank you B-52s)
Congrats! Happy for you. Looks like an incredible adventure!
Thanks Gregory!
Welcome to the neighborhood!
Thank you!!
Congrats on the start of a new adventure! If you can get away memorial weekend go to the Lochsa River fest...I went a few years back no boat and in camp was invited to paddle multiple boats... most fun and frightening thing I've ever done...
Oh that sounds incredibly fun!
Congrats on your property purchase!!!
Invest in a extendable pruner pole with saw and hook blade for the tall stuff. It would eliminate the use of a ladder. And safer.
Looking forward to seeing what you do next.
Riley’s Mom has a chainsaw on a stick and it is the best thing ever!
@@AmbitionStrikes that’s perfect!
Congratulations! I would get the road, water and a shelter up and running before winter hits. Enjoy. Menard"s will be your new friend if there is a Menards out there
If we can get a road, water and a shop up before winter that would be AMAZING! Or maybe just the road... 😂
As someone who has grown up out in the woods. I might suggest first thing is to build a fence around where ever your going to primarily going to be building/living or parking the camper with the dogs out. Especially being what wild animals are out there. And it wouldn't be too hard being all the smallish trees there is out there. And get yourselves a rifle.
That is an excellent idea! Especially because Boone likes to wander...
I would say the dogs love it!....................It's going to be hard work, but a lot of fun. .........Just take it one day at a time.
You always have such great advice for us! Keep it coming 😊
@@AmbitionStrikes I wouldn't say I was wise just old but I have had a full life and done a lot of stuff.......... still going!!
I can’t wait to see what you guys do! Would be super cool to build the house up on stilts to get up higher for those awesome views!
That is a great idea!
That Army Deuce and a half that you guys bought will be awesome for that property, you should look for a older tractor with a Loader also.
Yes we are so excited to get it up here and put it to work!
I love this video, i truly think that we people are in this together all the best for the building 👷♀️❤
Thank you so much!
That road with snow and rain..OMG...
Riley was incredibly sad at the thought of having to get something on tracks for this winter... 😉
I just discovered your channel and I'm addicted 😍😍😍
Road, campsite, water tank, Power source.
Pole barn for living while building house.
It's like you read our minds!
congrats. That is a beautiful piece of land. So many trees... awesome.
Thanks Doug! So many trees!!
Huge, huge congratulations. How can people thumbs down this video? Damn people 😡
I like to think they are holding their phone upside down? 😉
Congratulations you two! Excellent news. So many others have made suggestions, may I? Please do everything you can for wildfire survival: Deep, two-level basement (?), or a tunnel into the hillside to escape the heat, and emergency oxygen for when the fire wall passes over and sucks all the oxygen out of the air. Just sayin'.
Thanks Jim! That is excellent advice and something that everyone should consider on their property, especially with the dry year we have had.
I love you guys! You have great, adventurous spirits!
Oi Amigos, em primeiro lugar parabéns pela nova propriedade, lugar lindo de perder o folego. Como sou do Brasil não tenho muita noção com relação as dificuldades do clima, mas acredito que este fator deva ser sempre observado e assim nortear todas as decisões que irão tomar. Estou ansioso para ver os próximos vídeos. Sucesso no Canal.
Yes we are going to have much colder, longer and harder winters than we are used to!
Congratulations on your new land, solar would be a definite option for power, if only slight breeze maybe aeroleaves/wind tree might be alternate option for wind power
We are south facing so solar should be a great option for us!
Congrats. I would start building a garage with a small living quarters that will fit your truck and camper. That way you can stay dry even during the snowy winters as you work on the house.
That is exactly what we are thinking!!
Nice going guys! You already know your way around a shipping container so you could do another one to live in. Many others posted a suggestion of building a shop first. I agree. Make it big (tall) enough that you can put your camper inside it. You'll see a surprise snowstorm and be glad you're indoors. Make this building hard to break into with steel doors and no windows. Install motion cameras to monitor several areas. Install a gate at the bottom of the driveway with No Tresspassing signs. You may or may not want to mention the cameras. What are your neighbors like? Maybe have a couple of meet & greets? How have they accomplished getting water, electricity, or solar and internet?
Watch TH-cam and figure out how to use dowsing rods to find an approximate water location ( makes for good vid I bet!). You are probably aware of the Pure Living for Life TH-cam channel and if not have a look. They have done what you are starting to do and they are in Idaho too. I love the foam forms they used on their foundation and the sawmill to harvest the lumber on their property to build their house. They went off-grid for electricity for a while and eventually hooked up.
So figure out where the house is going to be. Where you find water may guide you. Clear the view for inspiration. Map out the septic ( fulfilling the county laws and guidelines). Will the solar be on a roof or will you have a solar field? ( Southern exposure?) Spend money on the road into your property. I guy with a bulldozer will widen it out to your neighboring right of ways and fill in the puddles with gravel and you could then get a shipping container delivered for a temporary structure for instance.
This will take longer and cost more than envisioned. You can do this! Congrats!
Thank you very much for the thoughtful and detailed reply! You have made some very good points and there are a lot of decisions ahead of us. Right now we are leaning towards building the shop first. One of the reasons we chose this lot is the Southern exposure! I don't think hooking up to community power is going to be cost effective for us so solar is going to essential.
We are in the same process in Colorado it is off grid ranch land 36 acres near Westcliffe
So awesome! We'll take all the advice you've got! 😊
You guys are totally inspiring! I'd build a landing pad for the truck first followed by water and sewage
We finished the landing pad for the truck yesterday!
just found this .....totally loving it. Wishing I were younger.......kinda?! :)
One one life, live it! Thanks for watching!
You are going to love it, the dogs may love it more than you, and while they may not be a lot of help they are really good at moral support. The scratches on the camper will become known as Idaho Pinstriping and are indicative of the vehicles of the people that appreciate this area.
Puppy snuggles at the end of a long day are the best motivation I can think of to keep building this place!!
Totally awesome stuff, first thing to build has to be an outhouse, followed by some sort of small storage barn for building materials
I think you meant to say "followed by a VERY large shop" 😉