Ok .....I am a long time lurker here and wanted to tell everyone that I appreciate all the wonderful advise given here...but I need some IDEAS. I have about $4000. dollars to use for y2k. I have purchased most all of the food supplies that I think my family will need. I have 20 acres of land. I am having a well drilled on this land so that we will have water. I belive that this will cost around 2000. That will leave me with 2000 to come up with some type of shelter for us to live in....There are 13 in my family that will be there. This includes a husband that is disabled and on SS an eldery Aunt that is 70. A daughter that just had her husband walk out on her and two kids, along with taking everything that they own. Plus grandchildren, ect. My husband and I are both GI's...as a matter of fact he is spending the night on the land cutting wood for this winter for us to use despite the fact that he has seizures. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated I don't care how far fetched they sound. U are looking at a desperate woman who loves her family and wants to keep them safe.

-- Mary (NetDevL@aol.com), October 27, 1999

Answers

Mary, People in Oregon are using a Yurt structure. I don't think they are too hard to build--probably keep in heat pretty well. You have helps for building, even if they can only help a little, for a short while. Make an adventure of it. I'm not sure what permits you'll need. Do you know? 20 acres sounds wonderful. BEST WISHES!!!

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), October 27, 1999.

sell the computer

-- trollin trollin trollin,keep them (doggies@trollin.hide), October 27, 1999.

Ha-Ha, that's so funny I forgot to laugh. Scram troll, it's past your beddy-bye time.

-- @ (@@@.@), October 27, 1999.

I don't know where you live, but here in Calif. and other states, it is not difficult to find used mobile homes(10'x60')that are about that price. They may be a bit run down, but they can be good, quick, eheap shelter.

-- johan (reisch@c-zone.net), October 27, 1999.

Hi Mary- About a month ago I remember someone posting an article with pictures of a small structure (on wheels?) that could be built for under $2,000 complete with wood stove and windows. I would think the plans could be modified. Look in the archives, or maybe someone could find a link. Good luck to you.

-- Gia (laureltree7@hotmail.com), October 27, 1999.

A Yurt kit could cost anywhere from $US 5,000 to $10,000. A tee pee kit might be less expensive, but less accomodating. If you can build it yourself (cut the wood and sew the canvas), you might be able to accomplish a shelter within range of your $US 2,000. Perhaps, you can share your space with someone else who can help you build shelters.

Sincerely, Stan Faryna

-- Stan Faryna (faryna@groupmail.com), October 27, 1999.

You guys are taking the troll bait faster than a pirahna in a goldfish bowl.

-- @ (@@@.@), October 27, 1999.

Mary,

I know this isn't necessarily what you want to hear, but find out about a "buckskinner's lodge," they can be had in the $400.00 range, and may even include a woodstove. They are very cozy, even if crowded, and with limited resources, it would be an option that would work in the interim. The Indians used teepees to great advantage, and some of them were huge. Don't forget lots of 6 mil plastic sheeting.

"Back to Basics" from readers digest has info on building several different type of homestead dwellings, and they can be done affordably, if the sweat-equity can be obtained. I would get more food and tools, and perhaps you can find folks that are willing to work hard for a meal. I wish you well.

-- Patrick (pmchenry@gradall.com), October 27, 1999.

Mary,

"The StrawBale house" has some great ideas about how to put together some very quick and durable shelters for not a lot of mula. If you live in a cold climate, you will need part of the roof to be made of metal, so that you can stick a wood stove pipe through it without buring the place down.....

-- Berry Picker (BerryPicking@yahoo.com), October 28, 1999.

---not clear on how you will get the water OUT. this is most important. that might take up all of that 2000 if you have a deep well and need a genny and fuel for the pump and pressure tank, in fact it would be real cheap at that price. with that aside, assuming you have a shallow well and a handpump, I'd recommend a good used RV, preferably the driving kind. I have a decent one i bought for only 1,000, it needed some minimal work, it runs ok, but i have a 2.5 kw genny that came built in, a refrigerator, furnace and stove that all run on propane, and it's got tons of storage, two built in fuel tanks, a large fresh water tank, two propane tanks that can be T'd to a larger outside tank, it's pre- wired 12 volt and 110 volt, and have onboard storage room for 2 starter batteries and three deep cycle batteries. Can't beat it with a stick, and it's a big truck underneath, you could still tow a cargo trailer full of stuff, or maybe a small 4 wheel drive or a rowboat or whatever fits your lifestyle and land where you will be holing up. I think it's a good option for a lot of people on a budget, and there are thousands of private campgrounds, or public, but you do have your land, so there ya go. Just look around and shop wisely, you'll find a deal. Ours is most comfortable, and have been living in it for two months now (2 people). The front windshield is huge, a large solar panel props up there just swell, and is angled good for solar gain now and protected from storm damage. We had to really scrub it out, and we painted the inside (it's a 73), but it's clean and airy, and cozy when it;s buttoned up, and really fits the bill for us. Good luck. zoggus camp a lottus

-- zog (zzoggy@yahoo.com), October 28, 1999.

Shelter for 13 on 2g's WOW.....

Start by collecting 200 for EACH BODY. NOW you have 4600+/-.

Look into 2X4's and plywood. Roofing etc and see how far 4g's wil take you. Be reasonably creative and you MIGHT look up a product called STARPLATES which have directions and parts lists in them for some fairly strong, usable shelters.

Chuck

GOOD LUCK because you are REALLY gonna need it.

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), October 28, 1999.

Mary, the best idea in all the above, is the used mobile home. Would be big enough for 13 (not comfortable but will do). It's already built. You can put a wood burning stove in it. Make it home.

The Lord bless you and your tribe. (I don't believe in luck)

sdb

-- S. David Bays (SDBAYS@prodigy.net), October 28, 1999.

Be aware that trailers are not very wheelchair friendly, if that is what your disabled relative requries. Folks don't realiaze how much more space is necessary to accomodate diabled folks. My very best to you in your search. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

-- Big D (ddac@yahoo.com), October 28, 1999.

Mary, We don't know what kind of climate you are dealing with.

Depending on what you can find at this point I imagine. Either way, you are not going to be able to afford a septic system unless it is already installed, so you will need to build a fair sized privey to accomadate that many people. Also some sort of grey water system, which is a sanitary place to allow your bathing and kitchen water to run off safely.

Mobile home is one option. Mobile home, $X down, take over payments are also offered in local papers. Check with zoning laws in the area before you commit purchasing one. Some counties have laws dealing with older, and thus cheaper mobile homes, some do not allow them. This would be a problem if you are not planning on hooking up to electric service though.

Building a large area one room with lumber, perhaps a pole building, and scavenging for alot of the lumber, windows, doors, etc. is an option.

Also, perhaps you could locate in a local trade paper, sometimes people offer some of these larger metal buildings cheaply if you take them down. Then you would still have to put in a floor and insulate.

Log cabin (is there timber available and you have the knowledge and back); straw bale house (I once built a "hay" bale outbuilding, about 16 x 16 with free spoiled hay...it wasn't a permanent structure, but it served its purpose well), many options depending on your area and local resources and determination. The plains settlers started out their homesteading in "dugouts". Well, you said far fetched was OK! We started out life on our 20 acres in a tent with a "porch" built on, but it was certainly chilly, and I was much, much younger! :-)

Good luck and best to you.

-- Lilly (homesteader145@yahoo.com), October 28, 1999.

Hmmmm....out all night in October....cutting wood for THIS winter....

Must be looking forward to a chimney fire....

-- Pierre Bear (I'm@lumberjack.andI'mok), October 28, 1999.

Build this cabin for under $2,000 in 3 weeks.Very small with wood stove.

http://www.jshow.com/y2k/listings.html

-- Maggie (aaa@aaa.com), October 28, 1999.

Thanks for all the great ideas...I will be checking into several of them. I have a wood stove that a friend decided to get rid of so we will have a source of heat. I am willing to work hard to do whatever I need to do...it just seems that time is so short and I seem to get worried more everyday. Anyway...like I said a great big THANKS to all of U I knew that I could depend on everyone here for great answers. Oh we are located in Central Ok in the middle of nowhere.

-- Mary (NetDevL@aol.com), October 28, 1999.

What is a Yurt? What is a buckskinner's lodge? What is a strawbale house? Links to these please? Thank you!

-- Boggled (houses@galore.com), October 29, 1999.

Boggled, Mary,

I decided to post a thread for alternative housing resources in the prep forum so that others might find them or add to the list. I will get working on it!

Preparation Forum

-- Lilly (homesteader145@yahoo.com), October 29, 1999.