A Low-Cost Rural ERE

gearb0x · Post by **gearb0x** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:33 am

thanks for the link from the NYTimes, that guy has done almost exacly what I wouldnt mind doing
Im a big fan of rural off grid for making ERE a reality. Start very simple and use all that extra spare time to slowly build in all the mod cons out of cheap/recycled materials

Mater · Post by **Mater** » Thu Aug 04, 2011 2:48 pm

I like the idea of the cobwood cabin. It needs to be implemented on a bit of a larger scale, but I like where his head's at. Very creative and earthy, which is what you want in a cabin.
The Field Lab in Texas is fantastic. Awesome creativity in that guys mind. Once again it doesn't take much for a comfortable shelter at an affordable cost. It seems to be mostly a matter of escaping the social stigmas attached to those ideas, ie, my wife's stigma's of those ideas!
It would be a cool topic to explore "what's really in a shelter" or what does it really take to be comfortable on an affordable budget while still being able to mingle with the rest of society when warranted.
Cheers!

JasonR · Post by **JasonR** » Thu Aug 04, 2011 3:55 pm

sky · Post by **sky** » Thu Aug 04, 2011 11:19 pm

or this...
http://hexayurt.com/

DividendGuy · Post by **DividendGuy** » Thu Aug 04, 2011 11:45 pm

@sky
That seems like basically living in a tent. There really isn't much difference, right?

sky · Post by **sky** » Fri Aug 05, 2011 12:14 pm

It is insulated and rigid, so sound and temperature extremes will be less than a tent.

George the original one · Fri Aug 05, 2011 3:49 pm

I think what DividendGuy was getting at is there are no utilities. No bathroom, no kitchen, a dirt floor... just like a tent.

JWH · Post by **JWH** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 6:11 am

I have a hexayurt that I built for burning man in 2009. Its a great "home" for the playa, but in my opinion, it's a temporary housing solution, not a long term livable home.

sky · Post by **sky** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 1:41 pm

If you have shared cooking, bathroom and lounging buildings in a campground setting, a small hut type shelter can work. Yes, it is temporary, but hey, some people even live in RVs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=339Xfbm_LkM

Riggerjack · Post by **Riggerjack** » Sun Aug 07, 2011 6:02 pm

Wow. i just did a post on frugal rural retirement in WA on the ERE city thread.
I read thru a lot of this guy's blog, and he seems to be preoccupied with extending unemployment rather than early retirement. for me, the difference is capability. ERE seems to be about expanding capability beyond the need for work. this guy seems to be just avoiding work. "can't do this cuz i don't have a truck", blah blah. if you need a tool to do the job, get the tool or don't do the job. work you do yourself is still not free.
when working with raw land, your half-done work becomes undone work in no time. i have a place that i ran my backhoe thru, stripping down to below the topsoil. 2 years later, it looks like it was never touched. that's great in my book, cuz i wasn't trying to make a road or anything, i just didn't have the skills to do it more inconspicuously. fortunately, nature is much more badass than we give her credit for.
i like the idea of rural land for retirement. it is the way to go as far as i'm concerned. but i don't find his approach anything like anything i'd want to try.