So the well is drilled and cased... 479ft, cased all the way as they hit caves/voids at 75ft, 200ft, 320ft, and 400ft. Drilling was slowed for a bit when the case setter broke and had to go in for repairs, but it's done now.
Static level is 180ft.
Recharge rate is 18 gpm.
They recommended setting the pump at 430ft, but really? Why so deep? Why not at 230ft? He said he couldn't estimate the recharge rate at different depths, and the 18 gpm was at the bottom of the well.
Due to the casing going all the way, it added an extra $4800 to the cost. Ouch.
So...on to building the pumphouse, and to find a solar pump that meets my needs for this well.
Now if the weather will only cooperate, been raining forever with more to come.

The static level is actually at 233 ft, as measured by me with a line and a 2 liter bottle.
Don't know the recharge rate at around 300ft which is where the solar pump will sit.

 

Finished the subfloor today, will start building the walls tomorrow. Gets hot early, so my son and I are only out a few hours before I have to work. All in good time, slow and steady. He's learned to run the nail gun pretty well

We had a visitor today, first time my son has seen one up close, and first time up here. Just a baby.

 

1st 32ft wall is up...whew. Building the second one now.

 

That brings back memories - my husband, a come-a-long, a chain hoist and a great big tree. Good work!

 

Went to work this morning, it was nice and cool, planned on getting the end wall up, supports for the loft, and the loft joists in....unfortunately, things never go as planned.

Got the end wall up, and support posts on the right hand side. As I was cutting the supports for the left hand side, the compressor went BANG...and all the magic smoke came out. It wasn't even plugged in at the time.

The start capacitor blew...so I pulled it out we packed it in and came home and will see if we can get a new one from one of the electric stores here.

Anyway, here is what we accomplished, although you can't see the supports for the loft joists.

 

Well, a little more progress today. Built the 4th wall and put in the support posts for the 2nd loft. Tomorrow I have a friend coming out to help me lift the wall into place, and to put up the loft joists...as much as my son wanted to do it today, he just doesn't have the strength or height..maybe next year Once the wall was built, he went and picked some blackberries while I was cleaning up. He's now happily eating some ice cream with fresh blackberries on it

Here is a shot of where we are at, My son is nailing the top of the wall, and you can see the 1st loft joists behind him.

 

My wife joined my son and I on this beautiful day to pick blackberries while we worked. Our place is covered in them.

She picked enough to make a cobbler and a pie today, and over the next couple weeks we'll get enough to make jam and freeze some.

We got the 4th wall up, and the second loft joists in place. Now to do the roof...not looking forward to it we'll do a 8:12 pitch for headroom in the lofts.

 

It's been a bit since I was able to get out and get anything done, but made a little progress.

Squared it up, added the top plate, threw up some decking to stand on, and added some sheathing on each corner. Started framing the roof, and will have it finished this week.
Here are a couple pics:

 

Little more done today, rafters in, cross ties in, and started the purlins for the metal roof. Had to throw some planks and decking up in the middle that will come out later...easier than using a ladder.

Next for the soffit and gable ends. Might be a couple days before I get back out. Neighbor stopped by to see if I wanted to butcher his chickens for 50/50, and of course I said yes. Tomorrow I'll be doing that in the morning, and Thursday I drive across the state to drop my wife and son at the Amtrak station for their trip....ahhh, I get a vacation not.

Anyway, here is todays progress:

 

Wow, it has been a while:
Just a small update, photos are from a crappy vivitar, can't find mine.

Here is the metal roof on, and a pic showing our scaffolding.

 

Alrighty then, a little farther along.
I picked up a door and some windows, and after the church chili cookoff today, I enlisted the help of the pastor to help me lift the door in place...but by the time he got there, my son and I had it in...apparently the chili my son ate gave him the extra strength required to lift it

Almost completely dried in, have to do the gable ends yet, but might ask a couple locals to do it...I found that heights are beginning to bother me and the older I get, the less I bounce.

I'll frame the windows out later, just working to enclose it before the bad weather.

 

Just another short update. Gable ends filled, window installed over where the kitchen sink will be. I used a smaller window and turned it 90 degrees for this.

I have also started the addition that will be the bathroom, and will put the walls up today...hopefully.

and my wife and son waiting to move in

 

I know....I'm slow. Well, the addition is almost complete. Walls and rafters up, roof is ordered.

Here is where we stand.

 

So, with the holidays and vehicle repairs, haven't had a lot of time or money to do much...but here are a couple photo updates.

Got the tyvek clone on the house...what a pain in the keister with 2 people. I used a 10ft pvc pipe with a collar to hold the 3ft roll high enough for the top row...worked great. The windows leaning against there are for the green house I will build..they were free and I got about 50 total.

And my son started putting up insulation...didn't have the heart to tell him he shouldn't have yet...need to drill and wire and install boxes first

 

This is where I am at. More windows to pick up this week (for the house this time) and ordered the siding, which is #2 Cedar. Will go out tomorrow to build the wall separating the add-on room into a utility room and bathroom.

Would I do some things differently next time? Yes. I would probably not use balloon framing with fire-blocking, I would do standard framing.
I also made a mistake and didn't do a double center on the frame for strength, so added more posts underneath.
It's a learning experience for both my son and , but will eventually provide us a home.
Total cost to what you see right now is around 7500, not counting the well.

 

Very cool! I can't wait to see the end result.

So what's the property look like? How many acres? Any streams/ponds?

I'm jealous of the blackberries!

 

Cool! And you did it all today before 1:50pm.

 

Just over 23 acres, on a ridge in the Ozarks. I have an old mine and some caves, and a stream is nearby although not on the property.

There is also a place where a pipe has been shoved into a crack, and locals fill up their water there. Nothing above it, so it comes out clean. Had it tested and it's better than the city water. Many folks only have water from this source.

The black berries...omg the blckberries...imagine them everywhere you look.
Also have Black Walnuts, and Carolina Shagbark Hickory...both some mighty fine eating .

Deer, rabbits, squirrels, and wild hogs are abundant on the property, we see them every time we are out there.

Oh, I'll also be totally off grid as far as power..originally was going to have electric brought in, but the cost would be $25,000...ain't going to happen. Had I known it before I started I may have made other changes.

 

For less than $25,000 you can build a complete off-grid solar system with batteries and a capacity over 10,000 watts -- and save $10,000 to boot.

We have a couple of guys here who did a comprehensive 12,000 watt off-grid solar system -- complete with batteries -- for $1/watt, and that included a $4,000 charger.

One of them was the "GoForGreenLiving" folks.

 

Wholesale price of solar has fallen well below a dollar this year. Who knows how low it will be by the time you finish your construction!

I hate to think what that well cost to drill!

 

$8400 including cased all the way down...otherwise would have been $4400

 

Looks great, thanks for the picks.

 

Incredible pictures--thank you so much for posting them and the commentary. You and your family are an inspiriation about what people can build for not a lot of money.

I hope you'll post a picture of the house when the siding is on. I bet it's going to be beautiful.

 

I'll continue posting updates as I go along. I've got a lot to do in a short time...so I'm scrounging materials, and hitting up the ReStore shops. I was lucky to have a guy call and ask if I gould use 15 rolls of insulation that he didn't need...that helped a lot.

 

Your are doing a wonderful thing. Hope all goes well. The old family farm is north of Harrison. Beautiful area.
Thanks

 

Very nice photos

 

Awesome thread. Thanks for sharing!

 

Congrats to you and family. Can't wait to see the finished product. Really enjoyed this.

 

So jealous!!