Our Journey
We personally started our own journey into alternative housing back in August 2021. Facing the uncertainty of our current economic climate and a house full of 5 people and our mini shar-pei 😉, the idea of price gouging and rents raising up to 58% all around our country, terrified us! We KNEW we had to figure something out much smarter.
I may be somewhat of a control freak by nature I admit it, but the idea that the fed can create a demand for housing, motivate investor takeover on moderately priced starter homes by lowering interest rates, thereby creating a supply and demand crisis or essentially destroy money by raising interests rates or that landlords have the right to raise rents across the country whenever opportunity presents itself, was NOT something I could reconcile and feel comfortable with. In my mind there was no security in that.
Pretty quickly we realized something had to be done. Luckily we started our family with no student debt looming over our heads (another scam but we’ll save that blog for another day 😉) but even without student debt we had no desire to be enslaved to a 30 year mortgage or the whims of the rental market.
We began to think hard on our options. We ultimately decided on land purchase in cash and a RV in cash converted to an Eco-friendly minimalist tiny home. Wow, that was a mouthful!
We considered our strengths and weaknesses as a couple and our similar and shared goals before embarking on this very exhaustive and sacrificial journey.
Tennessee
We began this process by searching all surrounding areas for an affordable campground to take our un-renovated RV to while we began our arduous journey into finding rare un-restricted land.
WARNING ⚠️ this alternative method is not for the faint of heart, but if you can make it through the tests and challenges, you will be glad you did.
Insert gigantic inhale here-
Our Last Couple Days of Peaceful Ignorant Bliss
September 16th, 2021
At this point we had no idea really what all of this was going to look like. We had purchased a used, but affordable RV in cash but had no clue the level of damage the RV may or may not have had.
My husband and I own our own construction business so thank God he knew a little bit about what he was looking at and how to fix it. When he started to do some digging he wasn’t prepared for what he found.
Full Demolition had commenced. What had once been covered by early nineties niceties where you almost thought most work would be cosmetic, had turned had into a complete rehab assignment. And what were we gonna do about it but throw caution to the wind and immerse ourselves in it? By this time we were already elbows deep.
I should warn you, what you are about to see may be disturbing to some viewers! 😬
Once we realized the total undertaking we were approaching, we realized we would need to stay with supportive and very understanding family members until it was at the very least-livable.
Day after exceedingly cold day the camper was demo’d, beaten, gutted, shop-vac’d, and rebuilt. Here is every step to date:
- Gut, reinsulate walls, ceiling and floors. Laid new OSB.
- Laid waterproof Pergot flooring
- Hung Cedar ship lap
- Hand built Fireplace/space heater/entertainment center
- Immediately demo’d bedroom
- Contemplated keeping bunks and building a high platform bed on the other side
- built storage area and 3rd bed, though this was nice it utilized WAY too much floor and air space.
- ultimately decided on trundle bed no 3rd bed for ample space. Finished with cedar board ship lap and ceiling trim out.
- Full demolition overhaul no stone left unturned
- Expert plumbing by Blue Ridge Mountain Services😉
- Stand Alone Tub set and walls built to close im bathroom.
- Platform base for tub set, new OSB and cement board placement
- Began with full demo of room
- walls and ceiling were gutted and reinsulated
- New OSB was built onto new insulation
- Finished with Cedar board shiplap dual side entertainment center for flat screen
Where are we today?
We will update with part three upon its completion.
We have bought unrestricted property and are still in the middle of renovations. We have built a deck and excavated our land. We are still incomplete on our kitchen, master bedroom and bathroom renovations along with all of our external work. We will be back to update you soon! Until next time- Signing off-
Blue Ridge Mountain Services
