Help Me Design a Texas Home

HawkTheSlayer wrote:

Crusader wrote:I have started the preapproval process for a VA land loan with the Texas Veteran Land Board.  The 30 year fixed interest rate is 6.95%, but they only require 5% down and I can refinance after the house is built and interest rates come down in a couple of years.

I'm working with a realtor and I have found 5 1/2 acres just outside a town of about 5000 people.  They have several tracts available.  The cheapest is $108k, but I like the $123k lot because it is more secluded on a dead end road across the street from a cemetery.  The lot is triangularish in shape and is set up nicely for solar panels on the South side with my front entrance being on the West end.  The road frontage is only 92 ft and the rear lot line is about 400 ft or more.(I haven't checked the numbers yet, but it's a decent estimation.)  The covered porch will be on the North and not visible from the street or any other houses.  It will take 3-4 months to get the financing approved and the deal done, but I should have a contract on the land within a couple of weeks and begin with the mandatory surveys and qualifying the land for VA financing.  As I understand, water and electric are available and I will need to pay for the installation of meters and supplying the utilities to the house.  I'm guessing about $10k for both.

No way! ILol  I have electricity  off of an existing line run back here years ago where I had to give right of way for it to pass through my property..

When I moved here four years ago  and applied for electricity, they told me it would cost me $12.50 to hook up .

Oh shit, I said go ahead and make it so..  

That women had already pulled up my credit report!
And seen it was over 800. Lol.

HawkTheSlayer wrote:

HawkTheSlayer wrote:

Crusader wrote:I have started the preapproval process for a VA land loan with the Texas Veteran Land Board.  The 30 year fixed interest rate is 6.95%, but they only require 5% down and I can refinance after the house is built and interest rates come down in a couple of years.

I'm working with a realtor and I have found 5 1/2 acres just outside a town of about 5000 people.  They have several tracts available.  The cheapest is $108k, but I like the $123k lot because it is more secluded on a dead end road across the street from a cemetery.  The lot is triangularish in shape and is set up nicely for solar panels on the South side with my front entrance being on the West end.  The road frontage is only 92 ft and the rear lot line is about 400 ft or more.(I haven't checked the numbers yet, but it's a decent estimation.)  The covered porch will be on the North and not visible from the street or any other houses.  It will take 3-4 months to get the financing approved and the deal done, but I should have a contract on the land within a couple of weeks and begin with the mandatory surveys and qualifying the land for VA financing.  As I understand, water and electric are available and I will need to pay for the installation of meters and supplying the utilities to the house.  I'm guessing about $10k for both.

No way! ILol  I have electricity  off of an existing line run back here years ago where I had to give right of way for it to pass through my property..

When I moved here four years ago  and applied for electricity, they told me it would cost me $12.50 to hook up .

Oh shit, I said go ahead and make it so..  

That women had already pulled up my credit report!
And seen it was over 800. Lol.

This land has just been divided out of a 56 acre cattle pasture.  There are utility lines available, but we will have to pay to have the meters installed and to run the lines from the meters to the house.  I'll have to get a tractor and dig trenches and buy the water and electric meters.  It may only cost $5k, but I heard somewhere that typical price to have an electric meter installed at a new location costs $4k.  I have a friend 6 miles away with a tractor and he just offered to come help me as I need it.  I'll also need to buy a couple of truck loads of gravel for an access road.  I have some very good friends and family.

Is it customary to put the meters on the pole and then run the wire into the structure? I've never seen that. Only place I'd seen a meter on a pole was with a temporary job-site power hookup. Meter to a couple of four-outlet boxes, so everyone can run the chop saws and nail guns as needed.

Once a structure was completed, the meter would go on the building. In Gnu Yark, the policy was: Everything past the meter was the homeowner's. Everything on the far side of the meter, belonged to the power company. I haven't hooked up new service; but my father did in 1969 for a cabin he was building, and IIRC the hookup was free.

The power was not, of course. Gnu Yark has THE most expensive electrical power in the nation. Or it did, before we went Woke.

Casey Jones wrote:Is it customary to put the meters on the pole and then run the wire into the structure?  I've never seen that.  Only place I'd seen a meter on a pole was with a temporary job-site power hookup.  Meter to a couple of four-outlet boxes, so everyone can run the chop saws and nail guns as needed.

Once a structure was completed, the meter would go on the building.  In Gnu Yark, the policy was:  Everything past the meter was the homeowner's.  Everything on the far side of the meter, belonged to the power company.  I haven't hooked up new service; but my father did in 1969 for a cabin he was building, and IIRC the hookup was free.

The power was not, of course.  Gnu Yark has THE most expensive electrical power in the nation.  Or it did, before we went Woke.

I'll have to find out the specifics,  but I think I'll be responsible for the installation of a new meter and im not sure how temporary power is handled.  I'll start by asking my realtor tomorrow when I see her.  

My son wants to go with me to see the land.  I'm glad he's showing interest.

Crusader wrote:

Casey Jones wrote:Is it customary to put the meters on the pole and then run the wire into the structure?  I've never seen that.  Only place I'd seen a meter on a pole was with a temporary job-site power hookup.  Meter to a couple of four-outlet boxes, so everyone can run the chop saws and nail guns as needed.

Once a structure was completed, the meter would go on the building.  In Gnu Yark, the policy was:  Everything past the meter was the homeowner's.  Everything on the far side of the meter, belonged to the power company.  I haven't hooked up new service; but my father did in 1969 for a cabin he was building, and IIRC the hookup was free.

The power was not, of course.  Gnu Yark has THE most expensive electrical power in the nation.  Or it did, before we went Woke.

I'll have to find out the specifics,  but I think I'll be responsible for the installation of a new meter and im not sure how temporary power is handled.  I'll start by asking my realtor tomorrow when I see her.  

My son wants to go with me to see the land.  I'm glad he's showing interest.

ive just been privy to a clusterfuck. homeowner cosigned a power contract co signed by bank to resell power from solar bank. contractor installed meter bank that wasnt to new power authorities liking. power company went directly to homeowner telling her she had a certain amount of time limit to have the meter that the power company demanded or the contract would be voided.

I'm not meeting the realtor until tomorrow. I talked to a friend with land in the area. He had a meter installed 800 ft from the street with underground wiring for $2000. That was 22 years ago. I'm figuring on 200 ft from street, so I still don't know. I should just call the power company and quit guessing. The area uses Trinity Valley Electric Coop. I should ask about net metering while I'm at it.

Crusader wrote:I'm not meeting the realtor until tomorrow.   I talked to a friend with land in the area.  He had a meter installed 800 ft from the street with underground wiring for $2000.  That was 22 years ago.  I'm figuring on 200 ft from street, so I still don't know.   I should just call the power company and quit guessing.   The area uses Trinity Valley Electric Coop.  I should ask about net metering while I'm at it.

Good ideas.
Sometimes the answer you get can be unexpectedly good.
A good question to ask is ........ "I have a problem, can you help me? "

I called the electric company.  They won't give me a quote or estimation over the phone, but I don't have enough information to schedule a meeting for a quote.  I'm back to getting info from the realtor tomorrow.  I texted her and asked for any information that will help me with the electric company.  I went to the electric company's website for information on connecting solar power generation to the grid.  Because it's a closed system on the electric company's grid, they will only pay me their cost of generation for any excess power I generate.  That rate is currently $.054/kwh.  I was hoping for a true net metering that allows the meter to run both ways at the same rate and any excess I generate at the end of the month would be bought at their cost of generation rate.  That's how it works on the main TX grid with multiple power companies vying for your contract.  I'll take what I can get.

To compensate, I may get a smaller solar system to minimize running the meter backwards at a lower compensation and install a vertical axis wind turbine to supplement my energy usage at night also.  I'll have to study this and talk to some friends.  I'll need to study average wind tables.  The land is wide open with no wind or Sun obstructions at the moment.

When I buy land, I'll start a "Construction" thread to chronicle my progress.

Crusader wrote:I called the electric company.  They won't give me a quote or estimation over the phone, but I don't have enough information to schedule a meeting for a quote.  I'm back to getting info from the realtor tomorrow.  I texted her and asked for any information that will help me with the electric company.  I went to the electric company's website for information on connecting solar power generation to the grid.  Because it's a closed system on the electric company's grid, they will only pay me their cost of generation for any excess power I generate.  That rate is currently $.054/kwh.  I was hoping for a true net metering that allows the meter to run both ways at the same rate and any excess I generate at the end of the month would be bought at their cost of generation rate.  That's how it works on the main TX grid with multiple power companies vying for your contract.  I'll take what I can get.

To compensate, I may get a smaller solar system to minimize running the meter backwards at a lower compensation and install a vertical axis wind turbine to supplement my energy usage at night also.  I'll have to study this and talk to some friends.  I'll need to study average wind tables.  The land is wide open with no wind or Sun obstructions at the moment.

When I buy land, I'll start a "Construction" thread to chronicle my progress.

It all reminds of Ronnie Reagan telling folks of the 9 words you never want to hear.

"I'm from the government. I'm here to help" LOL

I haven't closed on the land yet, but I should any day now. The front porch will face East and I will have a 15 foot awning all along the South side. The front 20 feet of the South awning will be screened in. I'm thinking about putting up a lattice around the South and East sides of the front porch and grow berries in raised planter boxes. Gardenia bushes smell nice and I may plant one between the front and South awnings. Rose bushes should line the front of the building.

I had plans of a second story loft with an extra bedroom and 1/2 bath, but I think a 3br would be a little much for just me. I can still build a pretty impressive 2/2 single story for a lot less money. Here is a computer rendering of where I am at right now.



[url=https://servimg.com/view/20328695/48]