How to build an off grid cabin for free. Yes, it’s possible, and you can do it! This article will explain how to build your off grid cabin for free with no cost in materials. It starts with the land. It’s all about how to choose the perfect off grid land. This article also assumes you already have the land, the tools and the equipment ready to go. These things cost money but they are not counted in the materials cost of the log cabin itself because you will be using the materials and resources available on your land.
Off Grid Land Comes With All The Resources You Need To Build Your Off Grid Cabin
For example, trees, rock, clay, sand, gravel, dirt, are all building materials. You have to look at the land you purchase as not just a parcel of land, but it’s a resource for all the materials you’re going to need to build your log cabin.
Now, some people will say I’m splitting hairs here and playing semantics, and that you can’t build a cabin for free because you can’t exclude the cost of tools, equipment, gas and time and labor and all the “expenses” that you have going to and from your off grid property to build your cabin. In truth, that is correct, practically speaking.
However, that’s not what we’re talking about here. We’re talking about how to build an off grid cabin free with the materials available on your land.
If you’re not paying for the materials to build your cabin and you have to purchase the land anyway, then the cabin building materials are just a bonus, right?
Is It Really A Free Off Grid Cabin?
I can hear some people saying, “Well, it’s not ‘free’ if you’re paying money for the land.”.
You purchased the land. I look at it this way. When I purchase a parcel of off grid land, I’m purchasing an area of earth predetermined by some arbitrary lines someone drew on a map.
That is my place to take care of the land and be the caretaker of my little piece of earth while I am on this planet. If it just happens to have trees and rocks and clay and sand and gravel and water and all the other materials I’m going to need to build my cabin, then in the long run that saves me a lot of money on materials later.
If I were to try to purchase all the precut lumber and milled logs from the lumber mill and even if I did all the labor myself, it still would cost me tens of thousands of dollars in materials cost.
It’s All About The Materials Available on Your Off Grid Land
So technically speaking we’re simply talking about saving money on materials and labor, because the land has the materials and you are doing all the labor.
Most modern homes today cost over $100/square foot. ($110/sqft in the US to be exact; as of the writing of this article; if you’re reading this later then that cost is likely higher)
Do you want to pay $110 per square foot to build your log cabin? Even if you build a respectable sized log cabin, say about 24’x12’ which is only 288 square feet, but when you factor in the average cost of home building in the US at $110/sqft, that’s a total cost of $31,680.00
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to pay $32k for a 288 square foot log cabin! That’s a ridiculously high price, in my opinion.
It’s Also About Investing In Quality Tools & Equipment
I would much rather invest that money in tools and equipment and save on the labor cost by building the cabin myself using the materials I find on my off grid land. It just makes logical sense. It saves you money.
Think of the HUGE list of tools and equipment you could purchase (and you’re going to need on the homestead later for decades to come) if you invested that cash into those tools and equipment. You could have all the tools you’d ever need for $32k!
Which is why I can say, that technically speaking, when you don’t factor in your tools and equipment cost (because you’ll be using those forever on your homestead and that is an investment, not a cost, the way I look at it) that more than pays for itself over the long term. Short term, it’s going to be an expense. Long term, those tools for pay for themselves 1000 times over.
PRO TIP: Invest in a portable saw mill. There are a lot of portable sawmills to choose from and you can even make your own, but, if you’re smart, and think more long term, invest $3000-$5000 into a good quality portable sawmill for your property. It will pay for itself over the year to come 100X over in the lumber cost savings alone. If you’re not into cutting and milling your own lumber, that’s ok, but just know that it’s going to cost you way more over the years in lumber cost than simply investing in a portable sawmill to begin with.
Tools & Equipment Are An Investment In The Long Term Value Of Your Off Grid Homestead
Norwood sawmills make a great portable sawmill for the homestead. This is not an endorsement or a sponsored paid advert. I’m saying that when I build I will be purchasing a portable sawmill, or at the very least an attachment for my Stihl chainsaw that will allow be to cut and mill lumber for my cabin.
A sawmill can also provide an income that could pay for itself. People need lumber and are willing to pay a premium price for it. Having a sawmill gives you options for an extra income.
Off Grid Land Cost
This will vary greatly depending on location and resources. So are you paying for those resources? Yes…in a way you are, but it’s more like wholesale cost rather than retail, paying a contractor, architect and engineer to design a custom luxury log home for you. If that’s your thing, then more power to you, nothing wrong with that.
But I want to build my own cabin, just like you likely do and millions of other folks out there who want to move off the grid.
Pioneers Built Their Off Grid Log Cabins For FREE!
The pioneers and settlers built their log cabins for “free” using their own tools and equipment. If they can do it, so can you.
Even staying within the building code and regulations. Some places, counties, states, do not require building permits for certain size cabins/dwelling. This is where doing your homework on your land purchase comes into play. It’s vitally important to know what you can build on your land, the minimum square footage, etc. and whether or not you need a permit to build. If it costs money to get a permit, then no, you can’t build a free cabin.
Look for land where there’s no minimum square footage, or the minimum square footage for building without a permit is higher.
This will usually be remote rural land and it’s usually zoned agricultural. Which cuts down on your annual property taxes as well.
Shawn James Built An Off Grid Cabin For “Free”
Off Grid Technology is much better now than it was hundreds of years ago
We have power tools and solar power, solar panels and solar charging technology. Battery powered chainsaws, drills, and portable sawmills that are affordable. For a few thousand dollars, well invested in quality tools and equipment, you can build your log cabin for free. You’ll simply charge your devices from your renewable solar energy.
The old “homesteading” days with free land for homesteading are over.
Back in the old days you could go pick out a parcel of land for free, work the land, make improvements, build a cabin, and after a few years of working the land and making improvements you were deeded the property. Those old homesteading days are gone.
But we can still build a log cabin for free. The money is simply allocated for land, tools and equipment.
Modern Amenities & Appliances Will Cost Money
Things like an electric stove, wood stove, propane stove, refrigerator, big screen TV, computer, washing machine and dryer, dishwasher (if you’re so inclined to use one; nothing wrong with that) all cost money.
Light Fixtures, Electrical, Wiring, Receptacles, Costs Money
If you’re planning on having electricity in your cabin, you’re going to have to run the wiring, install lighting, and plug receptacles, and other fixtures.
Solar Power System With Battery Backup Costs Money
Most people going off grid will choose to power their cabin with solar power, wind power, and have a battery backup system. This includes a charge controller, inverter for converting DC solar power to AC power and run through your wiring to your plug/outlets, lighting and to power all your appliances and electronic devices. All this costs money.
Water, Septic, Toilet, Pipe, Plumbing Materials Cost Money
Drilling a well, running pipe, installing a toilet, drains for bathtubs/shower, sinks, and washing machine all require pipe and plumbing and all incur expenses.
Do You Need All That “Stuff!”
What does off grid living mean to you? How do you want to live your off grid life? What is your off grid dream?
Some people are purists and they like the idea of living primitively and with few if any modern amenities.
Still others would like to live their lives more comfortably with modern technologies and take advantage of the innovative new high tech products that make living in remote areas more comfortable and enjoyable.
The good thing is you get to decide how you want to live off grid.
How Do You Want To Live Off Grid?
The point is it’s all a matter of personal preference. There is no right or wrong way to live off the grid. Off grid living is about how you want to live the lifestyle. If you want to live as primitively as possible then more power to you and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. If you’d like to live with more modern technology and be more comfortable, there’s nothing wrong with that either. Your way of living off the grid is the right way for you based on your own personal preferences and needs of you and your family.
Dick Proennek built an off grid cabin for free in the Alaskan wilderness
If that’s how you want to live, then that’s how you should live. Whatever makes you happy. And that’s the point.
Watch Dick Proenneke build his log cabin using hand tools and the resources and materials available from the land.
Dick Preonneke and Shawn James both were able to build an off grid cabin for free using the resources available on their own land.
These are the two best example of how to build an off grid cabin for free I’ve been able to find on the internet. Perhaps you know of others?
So Can You Really Build An Off Grid Cabin For Free?
YES! If you don’t count the land purchase, and count the tools and equipment as long term investments in the building and maintenance of your off grid cabin. You’re going to need tools anyway, so I don’t count those as costs. Tools and equipment are long term investments and the returns on your investments can be counted in the years to come.
YES! Absolutely. You can build an off grid log cabin for FREE using the resources available on your own land.
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REFERENCES:
Log Cabin – Wikipedia
Richard Proenneke – Wikipedia
Off-The-Grid – Wikipedia
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