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Small Cabin Forum / Properties / Avoid building permit?
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spence
Member
# Posted: 24 Jan 2012 21:37
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Does anyone have any experience/advice in Virginia, or even more specifically Grayson county? I cannot find reference to any exceptions for "hunting/fishing cabins" liek the one referenced above for NY? One thing to note is that the property is used as a working farm by my family, so i could build a storage shed for farm use and avoid permits. This would not be a total lie, as it would be used to store tools, etc. year round but it would also be used to stay in 10-20 nights a year. Do I have any other options?

I don't want to lie to avoid permits, but if i could get around them using this farm structure law I think i could live with myself ;) Just not sure if anyone has experience building a small cabin in this area.

Anonymous
# Posted: 24 Jan 2012 22:04
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i would build it, enjoy it --and it the man shows up,beg forgivness, but i bet nobody will check on it ,on a farm as log as you dont have to get power, you should be in good shape.

Cazm1
Member
# Posted: 26 Jan 2012 04:22
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WWJD,.. Lol he would say u were born free on this earth..no man can deny another to provide shelter for his family..u must follow regs.! Nyaaahh!..says the descendant of the ones who stole the land fair and square from the indigenous, how did those poor natives ever survive so long without building permits to protect them from faulty wiki up construction..lmao I'm being sarcastic by the way..ya we need some regulation sometimes but in some places the regulations are ridiculous..

Igogines
# Posted: 4 Feb 2012 18:30
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MO is our better option - no building permits or inspections in most rural areas.

millerke
# Posted: 19 Feb 2012 20:35
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It's apparent that a few of you are so worried about what someone else builds that it may effect your property value. The real reason for all of this if for the taxation and fees generated for local government. I spent 20 years defending you rights. Now leave mine alone! I have 16.7 acres that I'm building a 1500 sq. ft. cabin with loft on a non-permanent foundation. It will not have any utilities hooked up nor have a well or septic. I'll provide my own electric, water, composting toilet and greywater greenhouse so I don't harm any of you. But I can't wait for someone to step on my rights. I'm at 99% Duty, Do you or anyone else want to be the 1% that pushes me to 100%? Time to wake up as Americans. Not those who put a value on everything.

Stophel
Member
# Posted: 20 Feb 2012 11:20
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I'm afraid the days of living free are nearly over, and will likely be gone before I get a chance to enjoy it.

Building codes and permits and inspections are getting worse and more onerous in more and more places. And technology has already gotten to the point where you can be observed and tracked at all times. "Getting away" is going to be impossible soon.

Building permits and codes are pushed by cities and states to generate income of course, and to entice the wealthy to move there, because the fees and codes keep the "riff raff" out. Leaving some of us poor "riff raff" nowhere to go....

spicyacres
Member
# Posted: 20 Feb 2012 12:09
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Quoting: Stophel
I'm afraid the days of living free are nearly over, and will likely be gone before I get a chance to enjoy it.


Maybe, maybe not. When the financial depression really takes hold, and foreclosures, falling house prices, and widespread unpaid property taxes are the norm, I'm guessing municipalities will out of necessity have to relax some of their onerous regulations. It's easy for the parasitical classes to target individuals, not so easy to subjugate entire communities. That's my hope. It's also the best case scenerio IMO. The worst case scenerio is we all get herded into FEMA concentration camps.

simon
# Posted: 21 Feb 2012 06:26
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Where did all the preppers come from?
Lots of like minded people seem to be posting lately.

TomChum
Member
# Posted: 29 Feb 2012 22:04 - Edited by: TomChum
Reply 


Quoting: spicyacres
The worst case scenerio is we all get herded into FEMA concentration camps.

Yikes. An equally bad scenario is city dwellers who maintain a list of cabins to occupy WSHTF. WSHTF is another good reason to avoid a building permit. (If you can, like if the cabin is tiny) With a permit, the county publishes (on the internet!) the existence of your cabin, pics, sq footage and its location. Also don't publish your cabin location on the internet. I doubt there's any worry from the good people that post on the forum, it's the lurkers.

turkeyhunter
Member
# Posted: 1 Mar 2012 07:20
Reply 


Quoting: TomChum
Also don't publish your cabin location on the internet. I doubt there's any worry from the good people that post on the forum, it's the lurkers

x 1000

Quoting: TomChum
WSHTF is another good reason to avoid a building permit


one of a 1000 reasons not too....

millerke
# Posted: 14 Apr 2012 17:18
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The Old rule was, "If you don't like the looks of your neighbors property, look the other way." Some people are so caught up in value of property. Dollar $$ signs in their eyes. What about the value of life. As an Animal although human, we still have Natural Rights to a Dwelling. If you don't like what I'm building, then you can pay to have it built your way, otherwise "Shut Up and get over it". I'm building an A-Frame Cabin on 16.7 acres this summer. Driveway going in next week. It's going to be 32'x48'. Their are no Building Permits in this area but are Septic and Well Permits. Seeing how I'm going with an attached Greywater Greenhouse and Central Composting Toilet system, I will not need a Septic system.

Also, Common Sense, Animals and birds sh$t in the woods or wherever they want. You want me responsible for acts of nature also. I will have a Rainwater harvesting System to collect Rainwater for Showers and Washing Clothes or Dishes.

Live your life in tranquility with nature. Cook on a BBQ Grill. Avoid Public Utilities except maybe Satellite TV and Internet.

Check out Clivus Mulstrum on the internet. They have pictures on their website showing homes without Septic Systems or Public Sewer System.

We in America are being educated to perform all our actions on account of Public Safety. When the truth is it's about the almighty Dollar and Greed.

Did the Founders of this country have Septic Tanks or get permits. How about the people venturing out west. How about them. Answer is NO. If it's a matter of Public Safety - Let Government pay for it.

Anonymous
# Posted: 16 Apr 2012 19:51
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would like to build an 8x131/2 foot cabin .Its just under 107 square ft or 10 meter square. Have 9 acres of Ag3 zoned property. The building
code states under 107sqft is excluded from the code .the permit office states that any building requires a permit yet says does not apply to structures not required to be built to code? This is central kootenay district of bc. Dont really want to give them my legal land description
for fear of being monitored.

Anonymous
# Posted: 7 Jun 2012 02:05
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In Regions of Beautiful British Columbia, you don't need B permits for 'water access only' building of any kind.
You must though, comply with riparian setbacks and such.

Some call it "No Road...No Code"...but there's usually good reason to do it right anyway!

Rob

OwenChristensen
Member
# Posted: 8 Jun 2012 08:25
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I think it's the mind your own bus. thing. The problem is some lots are small enough for the structure to be seen by the nosy neighbors. A call to big brother can force standards on us. We don't like nosy people. I know I don't want to have to ask someone else what I can or can't do on my own land. I don't build crap, I just don't think it's anyones bus.
In most cases it's all about the money. Your local gov. needs it.
Why do they need so much money? To pay the building inspector. Da.

Owen

Anonymous
# Posted: 8 Jun 2012 08:57
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If you have enough land where I can't see , smell or hear anything you do, or suffer the negative results of anything you pollute, then I agree you don't need permits or zoning. If you don't have that, but replace it by being a "good", responsible, considerate neighbor, then again I'll agree you don't need permits or zoning. But if you don't have that much land, and totally desregard how "your business" effects me, then we need permits and zoning.

PA_Bound
Member
# Posted: 8 Jun 2012 14:01
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Geez, Anon... sounds like you've had a bad experience somewhere along the line.

OwenChristensen
Member
# Posted: 8 Jun 2012 19:32
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I have stinky horses, but nothing is said, but I don't like it. I agree overcrouding is a problem. I have enough land, but most do not.

Owen

Anonymous
# Posted: 10 Jun 2012 19:44
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just to let you know I live in Ontario and i have gotten building permits for my families projects and there quite reasonable. They basically pay for a representative from the local government (usually a former contractor) to come at each stage and make sure you are doing it right. During these projects the rep usually even provides suggestions and tells you what you can and cannot do before you start. When your hiring a contractor they make sure they do it according to code, when you do it your self they make sure you do it right and safe. If however you are insistent on bypassing the law, (good luck on any further dealings with your region or city government) you can usually build a building no greater then 107 sq ft in most places without a permit as long as there is no plumbing or hydro so you could build two or three close to each other.

OwenChristensen
Member
# Posted: 11 Jun 2012 21:59
Reply 


It's different everywhere. Here is 120 sqft but some places it's even larger.

Owen

Anonymous
# Posted: 13 Sep 2012 02:09
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actually you need a primary residence before any auxilary buildings .my neighbours an ass and would probly report me.

Anonymous
# Posted: 13 Sep 2012 03:12
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We have horses and they don't stink if you clean up their stalls. The moderator of this web site does not condone building without permits. You are breaking the law and when you are caught you will either have to tear down all your work or bring it up to code. Plus you will be on the building inspectors radar. Nothing will come easy for you.

Anonymous
# Posted: 13 Sep 2012 03:23
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Nobody on here was alive during the chloria epidemics in the 19th and early 20th century's due to the lack of sewer systems. There are building codes for a reason. To protect people from shoddy construction and you crap from getting in my well water.

OwenChristensen
Member
# Posted: 13 Sep 2012 07:51
Reply 


As with a lot of good intentions, they start out well enough, before they go too far.
When permits and inspections went from structural integrety concerns to energy conservation, a lot of mistakes were made, and still are.
My biggest worry right now is power ventalation. As the natioal code is now, our cabins would have to have electricity to vent. Insulated and wrapped to tight to dry out. The early stages of this change caused the country's mold issues. Contractors that built by '' the code'' were held responsible and went bankrupt and are gone now. The government couldn't be sued, and to this day lawsuits from mold are still keeping insurance costs thru the roof. The old 2x4 framed homes may cost a bit more to heat, but never had these issues. Wrap a house so it can't get air and the people inside will have trouble too.

Anyway we all need to becareful before we make changes in the way things were done.

And that my friend is why I question if building inspections are good for me.

Owen

Anonymous
# Posted: 22 Sep 2012 12:55
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you people dont get it ..Its a tax grab and I pay too much where I live and pay more on my vacation property.Most people dont put up small structures to live in.Bunkies are for campin out a month out of the year.Perminent residence is something else . I have 9 acres and can have a pig pen next to my fence and a barn with in 15 meters of the fence . As well composting toilets dont contaminate well water.Sewer feilds are even more pollutive to a well . This site is about building a small cabin in the woods.Not a full time residence.

Anonymous
# Posted: 22 Sep 2012 13:08
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For bare land they tax too much as it is and they dont maintain the access road .the district should get nothing extra as the do nothing for it. Outfitter tents work ok if your not scared of bears ,cougars,wolves and coyotes .

Anonymous
# Posted: 22 Sep 2012 18:01
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Well I get it. Some of you don't want to obey the law and wouldn't pay property taxes if you could get away with it. This small cabin site has seasonal, part time and full time residences. And no matter how much time you spend on your land you need to insure that you don't pollute it because I don't want to drink your crap.

Anonymous
# Posted: 1 Oct 2012 22:13
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Zoning laws are designed to generate tax revenue . Permits are a rip off when you go to build anything. It costs a pile a loot just so they can now tax you to the dawn of time. If your not wealthy good luck developing anything .

silverwaterlady
Member
# Posted: 1 Oct 2012 22:48 - Edited by: silverwaterlady
Reply 


I am not wealthy. Worked hard for a long time(decades) before I could afford to build. With permits. Got lucky because we are in a remote area and the permits are not expensive. And yes our taxes went up but that is just the way it is and either you learn to accept it or you will get upset and curse the government everytime you get a tax bill. And what good does that do?

Anonymous
# Posted: 17 Oct 2012 11:49
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I have read this thread from start to end and it seems to have gotten away from the intent. Even still I felt compelled to add my two cents to the discusion. I live in Oregon, in a house that was built in 1923. There were no codes and it still stands there keeping me warm and dry. The point is that the government does not need to get involved to make sure a structure is built to last. However, I would never advocate for building a home in town without permision today, but I shouldn't need one to put up a picket fence in front of the flower bed! I think there are several reasons people build without a permit: 1)The pricipal of "I won't be told by the gov. what I can and can't do",
2)To save the time money and hasssle of the permit process.
3) They intend to build in a substandard fashion and know full well that it is illegal and have no regard for right and wrong.
4) All of the above
I am visitng my parents in northern Vermont. 20+ years ago they came here, bought 65 acres of raw land with trees as numerus as sand on the beach. There are no building codes (which BTW are as many and as varied from place to place as the affore mentioned sand) They built a log home with all the modern uttilities and it was built to stay here until the Lord comes back. In fact as an engineer it probably exceeds code in many ways...if there were any.
The problem people have with code (the part Anon doesn't seem to get) is that it was intended to keep people safe but has become somthing that keeps people from being free.
Bottom line IMHO, if you want a cabin in the woods and build without permits go somwhere where it allowed. Want to build without permits even though you know it's illeagl, go for it but don't get all pissy and righteous if you get caught. The law of the land is what it is, don't like it, go somwhere else.

dstraate
Member
# Posted: 17 Oct 2012 12:15
Reply 


We need more codes to protect us from intrusion and fines that do little more than pad county budgets.

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