yard site

Hello everyone, I have just signed a lease on some bare pasture land and want to build a yard with a house, sheds, and a shop as I restore vehicles as a side line and a passion. By doing this at this time in life my wife and I are looking at possiably being totally debt free by the age of 40.

I have looked into running power from the grid and it will be $20, 000.00 so looking at alternative systems.

There will need to be a sewer/septic system installled, and a fresh water cistren installed as well. To do this the way everyone else does would be minimum $20, 000.00 so also looking for alternatives.

Then the house which I was thinkin of a strawbale house in a rectangle shape with cathedrial style celings. Would like a 3bed/ 2bath style with wrap around pourches.

I have not figures out a heating system as we get some pretty drastic winters around here ( north of Regina, Saskatchewan,).

The obsticals I am up against are that we both work full time jobs and we needto move out of ourcurrent housing arrangement by end of august, 2013. And at this point the snow still has not melted.
Any and all advise is appretiated. We are really excited to be debt free before retirement.

Thanks in advance
Sheldon

If you are looking into solar panels as an option you need to do an inventory of all of your energy needs. How will you heat? cook? The design of your strawbale house should incorporate passive solar heating. Is wood available on the property to burn for heating? Propane available for cooking? for heating? What kind of lighting do you need in your house? What kind of tools do you need in your shop and how much power do you need to run them? What is your peak power needs? Once you have answered these questions you can begin to look at solar options.