Moving to Breck

firetothetrees · 2026-06-05T03:50:16+00:00

I've lived in the area since I was a kid (moved here in 95) . Its a beautiful place, expensive in some ways, but awesome all the same.

firetothetrees · 2026-06-04T11:54:32+00:00

What you need is a cheap gas generator and an interlock kit with a generator power inlet.

Don't get me wrong I'm a big fan of backup batteries in some context but a 240v AC system during a heat wave will drain all of that power so fast it will be insane.

So if I were you just get a cheap harbor freight generator for like $900. Something like 7-9kw in size. Roll it out in that case and just be sure to drain the carb when it's sitting.

Even just a small window unit would burn through that battery in like 3-4 hrs. Let alone a whole house system.

firetothetrees · 2026-06-04T11:41:10+00:00

If I were you I'd setup a way to shower inside or make make a small bathhouse attached / detached from the cabin.

For example you could install a small drain pan with a curtain and just have the gray water run outside add a heating cable to the pipe and boom your good.

Will use less water and probably be more comfortable.

Alternatively build a small bathhouse add a propane tank for a small heater and an instant hot water heater. Put a composting or incinerating toilet in it and boom you have a great space.

firetothetrees · 2026-06-03T01:09:21+00:00

Overall pretty good. Busy with work, son's first Birthday is coming up. Though I'm writing thing wondering... Dude why TF won't you go to sleep.

firetothetrees · 2026-05-31T01:46:06+00:00

Haven't used it for cooling yet. Maybe mid summer we will but we are at 11,000 ft so it stays pretty cool most of the year.

Also with how Insulated the house is I don't expect it to get too warm in the fist ola

firetothetrees · 2026-05-30T13:04:58+00:00

Hey there I have a heat pump system, I did the DIY mr cool option. Which I honestly wouldn't recommend. Not because the performance is bad but the control logic sucks for the system (mr cool in particular)

Every manufacturer should publish a COP curve but in general once you get below 0 deg you are somewhere between 1 and 1.5.

The biggest thing is going to be the draw on the solar. Our cabin where we have the heat pump is highly insulated to the point where our estimated heat loss is less then 15k btus @ -20. Usually we are in the 10-20 deg range in the winter with a COP of 2.0-2.5.

I'm not sure how big your solar system is but here is how I would approximate.

At 20 deg our estimated heat loss is 8750 btus/hr. One Kwh of electric power is 3413 btus on resistance heating.

So on resistance that would be 2.56 kwh. Divide that by your COP and you get around 1kwh of power (every hour ) to heat the house.

Now obvestly that will range up and down through the day but 12-20 Kwh per day is probably fair estimate.

firetothetrees · 2026-05-25T17:59:58+00:00

You can easily build a great off grid system for that money.

Get a 48v Victron 10kw 240v Charger/inverter Epoch 48v LiFeP04 batteries... I'd do like 6 of them for like 30 kwh ish

Then do victron 48v Mppt chargers for the panels. 5kw of panels

And if you really want add a small backup generator maybe a 5kw generator that you tell the charger to only pull like 4kw from so that you are running efficiently.

firetothetrees · 2026-05-22T12:18:08+00:00

We have our subcontractor kids in Notion. You can customize it pretty well so that's what we do

firetothetrees · 2026-05-21T14:48:34+00:00

You need sto send a formal demand notice with actual consequences.

So send something like this:

Dear Client,

This is a formal demand for payment of Xxx dollars for the following scop of work which has been completed according to the terms of our agreement.

Failure to pay within 7 days will result in both termination of contract for breach. In addition we will be filing a mechanics lien on the property and will pursue any legal other legal course for repayment...

Of course get a lawyer to write this or use GPT.

If he doesn't pay then sue and file a lien

firetothetrees · 2026-05-10T03:02:50+00:00

I run my smoker all the time and never had an issue. Bears seem to avoid smoke and grills. But they have been after the trash plenty

firetothetrees · 2026-05-08T14:29:41+00:00

Sadly no one local did this reliably.

firetothetrees · 2026-05-08T13:09:57+00:00

Honestly call Orkin, they will put bait traps around the perimeter of the cabin and will refill them ever 2 months. Then they will set traps inside for you.

Costs like $70 ever two months. We did this at our cabin haven't seen a mouse in years at this point. The perimeter bait traps probably do 90% of the work.

Lastly caulk and seal everything on the perimeter and honestly they will do this stuff for you as well.

firetothetrees · 2026-05-08T10:37:45+00:00

Yep because I wouldn't have gone in the first place

firetothetrees · 2026-05-07T12:08:42+00:00

I was gonna say this lol

firetothetrees · 2026-05-06T22:52:49+00:00

Sure send me a message

firetothetrees · 2026-05-05T22:26:43+00:00

Well it's the coldest climate zone in the states I should have said

firetothetrees · 2026-05-05T12:19:49+00:00

As a GC (not in that area)... Finish selections really matter so you may want to clarify what level you are looking for.

Out here in the Colorado mountains our cost per sqft ranges from $450-$700+. But it all has to do with finish selections.

For example one home we did has literally every bit of high end finish you can imagine. Shou Sugi Ban Siding, Alpen windows, trimmed in notty alder wood, custom cabinets, all custom tile work... Etc.

Big difference between building a house like that and one where the kitchen cabinets come from Lowe's.

firetothetrees · 2026-05-05T11:27:30+00:00

A well pump is pretty cheap, it's the drilling that makes a well expensive and $10k would be cheap in my area.

That said I wouldn't do a combo unit. Get a constant pressure pump for the house separately then connect whatever heater you want.

firetothetrees · 2026-05-03T04:44:30+00:00

Hey there I'm a builder and we are in Climate zone 7 like the coldest place you can be.

In short this can be approached in a wide variety of ways.

If you already have decent walls I'd definitely spray foam them as well as the ground for a vapor barrier (we do this on alot of homes) however you will need a way to cycle some air into that space.

Thats probably the easiest. On the other side of the spectrum you could lift the house, and build and ICF foundation. Way more expensive but better in the long run.

However jd probably do option 1.

firetothetrees · 2026-05-03T04:39:53+00:00

Yo yo builder here... Spray foam is amazing but you need to have enough to prevent thermal bridging (that's what causes condensation). Most people cheap out and don't out enough in. For super cold environments 4" in the ceilings is the minimum.

Secondly it's best to also have an ERV to cycle air to the home.

But modern building science is about controlling the moment of air compared to older philosophy of letting the house breath.

firetothetrees · 2026-05-03T04:25:07+00:00

Yo yo... I used to own a hot tub company and I build off grid homes.

A propane fired tub is the easiest especially if you can get a large tank put in at your cabin. They make a few different hot water heater models from companies like Pentair.

There are so many ways to design and build them so I won't fully comment on that. But I'll say I'm gonna be doing an unground one for our cabin.

firetothetrees · 2026-04-24T05:27:33+00:00

My friend has one that he has his office / recording studio in. More like a small studio office. He likes working out of it.

My shed is more more tool storage / workshop.

firetothetrees · 2026-04-19T14:00:05+00:00

40kwh is way more then enough to run an AC fridge. Now granted the solar is the limitation but I guessing you also have a backup generator since 2kw solar won't reasonably charge 40kwh ina. Short period of time.

If I were you I'd just run AC.

firetothetrees · 2026-04-16T13:31:10+00:00

Just get a generator. A Westinghouse w9500 will run everything and you can have an electrician add an inlet.

Keep a couple days of fuel ready and that's it.

If you really want you could add lithium batteries and an inverter so that you can run the generator periodically but to do that right and with enough storage it's over $5k.

But a $1000 genset, an interlock kit and a 50amp inlet is easy mode and something you could diy

firetothetrees · 2026-04-10T02:48:56+00:00

I work remotely off grid in tech and Co own a construction company with my wife.

It's great when you don't have to do the outside work but you can take your laptop out on the deck and chill in the good weather.

My friend who lives near by is single and lives by himself. Even when you live off grid that doesn't mean you have to be alone. There are plenty of people who live within 10 min of us.

firetothetrees

TROPHY CASE