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Small Cabin Forum / General Forum / Anyone willing to help raise funds for off grid cabin in MO?
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jeffmoore_stl
Member
# Posted: 10 Apr 2019 15:44 - Edited by: jeffmoore_stl
Reply 


I am pouring piers for a small 12 x 12 cabin in rural Missouri in two weeks. I am raising funds to simply get the building under a roof and then will set off saving my own funds for the remaining components once the main structure is up. I already have a small solar system that will provide power to a rain water catchment system. This cabin will be used to demonstrate how simple solar setups can be useful to run a variety of elements in a cabin. Any help is much appreciated. URL
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ICC
Member
# Posted: 10 Apr 2019 17:02
Reply 


Paint me cynical, but there is no dearth of examples of off-grid cabin and solar power systems already built. Help in the form of advice or responses to direct 'how-do-I do-this' questions will be freely provided.

What makes your project so worthwhile that others should fund your personal dream?

Most successful 'gofundme' appeals I have seen have included more info as to what makes the appeal deserving--- medical issues, disaster relief, non-profit org's, animal welfare projects, and so on.

frankpaige
Member
# Posted: 10 Apr 2019 18:26
Reply 


I have some extra bags of concrete if you would like to pick them up? Also, some extra nails/screws, fasteners, insulation and some asphalt shingles.
You are more than welcome to them.
South Park

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 11 Apr 2019 08:50
Reply 


Quoting: ICC
What makes your project so worthwhile that others should fund your personal dream

I dont get it either. Anything worth while is worth working and struggling at. Becids i have my own cabin to build so why dont you give me your hard earned money?

Cowracer
Member
# Posted: 11 Apr 2019 10:02
Reply 


You can't blame a guy for trying any more than he can blame us for saying "no".

Tim

jeffmoore_stl
Member
# Posted: 11 Apr 2019 12:38
Reply 


Exactly right Tim. There is zero harm in saying no and I believe that it was worth asking. This entire website is wonderful as I have been a lurker for a while. Thanks

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 11 Apr 2019 15:18
Reply 


12x12 is small enough that you could just put it on concrete blocks.

jeffmoore_stl
Member
# Posted: 12 Apr 2019 09:10
Reply 


I could put it on concrete...but there is a design element I want to incorporate due to the slight slope of the placement. I want the cabin to appear to float above the earth, therefore the piers will push it up off the ground.

deercula
Member
# Posted: 12 Apr 2019 13:51
Reply 


Hmmm. Only $5 so far. Looks like he may have to WORK his butt off, and SAVE for YEARS like most of us did.

KelVarnsen
Member
# Posted: 12 Apr 2019 17:23
Reply 


I can’t believe someone would ask to raise funds for them on this forum. This forum is about hard work and self sufficiency. I love to help people who are truly and need, but this ask doesn’t seem to meet this criteria. Work for what you want dammit! That’s what the rest of us are doing.

ICC
Member
# Posted: 12 Apr 2019 18:29
Reply 


Quoting: KelVarnsen
I can’t believe someone would ask to raise funds for them on this forum. This forum is about hard work and self sufficiency. I love to help people who are truly and need, but this ask doesn’t seem to meet this criteria. Work for what you want dammit! That’s what the rest of us are doing.




xtolekbananx
Member
# Posted: 12 Apr 2019 20:13
Reply 


Check out craigslist for free stuff. If you look hard enough you could probably build the whole thing for free.

toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 12 Apr 2019 21:03
Reply 


I had lots of free volunteers, they loved helping, and I always fed them well, didnt pay them anything monetary wise. In fact, they all enjoyed it so much, I bet could of gotten them to pay me to help.

silverwaterlady
Member
# Posted: 12 Apr 2019 23:37 - Edited by: silverwaterlady
Reply 


No.

I'm going to be nice and not write what I think about a first poster that thinks people whom have worked long and hard for decades to build their cabins should give a hand out to a person whom does not need it.

I have a good heart and have donated time and money to good causes or people that had devastating things happen to them.

You sir do not qualify.

old243
Member
# Posted: 13 Apr 2019 08:30
Reply 


jeffmoore, If you revise your request and ask for helpful information. I think you will have better luck. No one, is about to build your camp for you. But if you ask questions that cost us nothing. You will probably have better luck. The people on here , are experts in many fields. Ask away, but don't , take us for fools. Old 243

FishHog
Member
# Posted: 13 Apr 2019 09:20
Reply 


Quoting: jeffmoore_stl
There is zero harm in saying no and I believe that it was worth asking.


The harm is you take a great group of kind and generous people and turn them against you in your very first post.

Its a younger generation thing to expect stuff the easy way, most of us are older and don't appreciate that attitude after spending a lifetime working for what we have.

neckless
Member
# Posted: 14 Apr 2019 08:32
Reply 


must be a rich guy. only he would have that much balls....... the window street washers can make a pretty good buck , maybe even get some homeless to help....

Gary O
Member
# Posted: 14 Apr 2019 10:25
Reply 


Quoting: jeffmoore_stl
There is zero harm in saying no

good


no

naturelover66
Member
# Posted: 14 Apr 2019 10:34
Reply 


Uh. NO .


ICC
Member
# Posted: 14 Apr 2019 13:53
Reply 


Still at $5.........

From the GoFundMe page. "It is my desire to have my kids help build this system and provide a learning experience in not only building but also in sustainable resources."

Should teach the kids that you have to work for want you want, not to ask for a hand out for something that does not seem to be an emergency situation.

toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 14 Apr 2019 15:28
Reply 


Quoting: ICC
Should teach the kids that you have to work for want you want, not to ask for a hand out for something that does not seem to be an emergency situation.


Trying to increase the demonrat voter base.

jeffmoore_stl
Member
# Posted: 15 Apr 2019 09:31
Reply 


Thanks everybody, such a warm group. I accept your NO's and will move on.

Wilbour
Member
# Posted: 15 Apr 2019 15:12 - Edited by: Wilbour
Reply 


Jeff,

Sorry is the group offended you. Your request is uncharcteristic for this forum. Never any harm in asking as long as you can handle "No"

What you have to realize is that most of us are dirt poor and cobble together any cash and resources we can find to slap together our little peices of paradise. Free advice is plentiful here and so is encouragement.

My advice is to make personal connections with the locals. I did and the next thing I knew I had a pallet of free shingles and nails in my lane way.

Feeding the starving children in Africa gets a lot of donations from strangers. Building a fun cabin is a different beast and takes generosity of family and friends.

I encourage you to stick around and absorb all the free information and advise you can, and when you come upon a solution to a problem, share that as well.

The people here are good folks but remember that a good percentage of them sacrificed a lot to make their own get-away.

ICC
Member
# Posted: 15 Apr 2019 23:55 - Edited by: ICC
Reply 


Right, Wilbour. There is a good-hearted lot on this forum. Like most everyone here, I like to pass on knowledge when members come and ask questions. I do that for free.

Jeff, please don't let the following lead you to believe I'm just blowing my own horn. What follows is meant to show that I am not the ogre I might seem to be when I dismissed your appeal as a bad idea. I and others here are really caring, helpful people.

I collect used materials whenever I can and know they are the type that can be used by the local Habitat for Humanity organization. Either to sell in the Re-Store or to be used in projects. I also volunteer time for projects a few times a year. Helps fill the retirement days as well as helps people who are not as fortunate as I. That is also done free.

I cannot speak for anyone else but I also make monthly monetary contributions to certain causes and services I believe in. No need to name names, but they are organizations that provide assistance to those who are in obvious need, from natural disasters as well as an eclectic mix that benefit animals, health of people (medical and nutrition), education, arts and culture.

However, I am simply dumbfounded by the request to fund a project like this. I've already stated some reasons, no need to expand on them.

Jeff, if you need advice on how-to, or what code says, or if a beam, joists or whatever is strong enough, or an electrical issue, including solar, ask. If I am around I respond to most questions. FWIW, I've had at least a part of my electrical needs met by solar going back almost 20 years, completely grid free since 2006. Virtually all water comes from rain catchment and underground storage tanks so it does not freeze in winter. Also, FWIW, I used to pound nails or supervise others pounding nails for much longer than that and still maintain my state license.

Everything I have I earned myself, with the exception of all the help on various building and ranch tasks that friends and neighbors showed up to help with for free or for a potluck dinner afterward. Of course, those acts were reciprocated. We're in the middle of rebuilding a barn that got burnt a few months back. Neighbors helping neighbors. We'd help a stranger too if there was a humanitarian need, but for something that has "been a dream of mine since I studied agriculture and aquaculture in college. ", well that is something that you should be working towards. Working, maybe asking for advice, but not begging for something that seems more like a hobby than a matter of life or death. Or I can say what you are asking for would be similar to me asking if somebody would like to donate to my Piper SuperCub fund so I can buy avgas and fly more. I know, not a great analogy, but maybe you get the idea.

cabingal3
Member
# Posted: 16 Apr 2019 09:27
Reply 


we bought our property in 1999.worked in the big city for years on end.paying off debt.raising the grandkids.
traveling far to get to our land.after having no money to build.we would scour craigslist for freebies. free windows,free to cheap woodstoves.u name it. free insulation.
finally in 2015 we finally got to move to our land. all those years of work and paying off 40,000$ of debt. it was so hard i cant even tell u.
now we get people out here who buy land. they want us to build their cabin for them. we dont want to deny them the honor of learning to do this themselves...some people get mad at us. several come out here to build and dont bring tools. yes we lend them our tools. hubby is 70.do they care?? nope. they just know what they want but not enough to even think to bring tools. so odd.
so we tell them we have lots of advice we can give u.we even hook them up with a guy willing to charge them plenty and do a good job. so we did this.guess what happened? the guy we told them is a good worker...is blamed for everything the people who wanted us to build them a cabin. hes blamed for all the wrong stuff.we are so glad we didnt build for these people.its called DIY.its a world of honor and good feelings in doing this yourself.good luck on your worthy project.

creeky
Member
# Posted: 16 Apr 2019 10:26
Reply 


No.

Quoting: cabingal3
its called DIY. its a world of honor and good feelings


The joy of this forum, where despite our differences of opinion and thought, is we have worked hard to build our dreams. Huzzah.

Taking pride in pulling on our own bootstraps. Good luck.

Steve_S
Member
# Posted: 16 Apr 2019 14:13
Reply 


Geez I wish I would have imagined I could crowdfund my cabin but nope. No financing, just a LOT of saving and time to get the property and then doing it myself over the past few years... All this with failing health (bad heart topped off with cancers that are killing me) but do it I did and still doing it. I only contracted out the well digging, concrete & having the roofing installed and did everything else myself. My little place is the one gift I can leave my darling Maggie knowing that she'll have a safe, secure place that will do what it should. Should she decide she doesn't want to keep it when I pass, then someone is gonna get one hell of a place.

krstrout1
Member
# Posted: 16 Apr 2019 15:02
Reply 


Enough on that subject, I am headed from FL to Upstate NY Thursday to open up the cabin for the year. I am like a kid on Christmas eve,,,,. this is also the last year of this trip as I am retiring in March 2020 and will be off the grid the rest of my life....... Will post photos on my return.

Jebediah
Member
# Posted: 17 Apr 2019 06:50
Reply 


My brother told me of an older gentleman who rides around on his bike with a trailer collecting cans(5 cents a can that's not a bad haul) My brother asked him why he was collecting cans, the gentleman said he couldn't afford to smoke cigarettes if he didn't...."Perpetual Motion".

Janemarie
Member
# Posted: 25 Jun 2019 23:26
Reply 


No.
As a person who works with younger people for a living (18 to 26 year olds), I think you have a misunderstanding of what GoFundMe is about. It started to either help people in disasters (accidents, disease, social issues) or as a place where friends can help someone with a project (mom and uncles give to help you redo a car or buy a new musical instrument). But to use that with strangers is just off. I have read all the comments out of interest and agree with the remarks about hard work, sacrifice, and help from friends. This is a great forum, but not a place to hit up strangers for dough.

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