How To Downsize And Simplify Life !

[DLRIDES]

I simply tired of maintaining a property at this stage in life, and realized impressing others with a home accomplished absolutely nothing. The engineering part of me started to have thoughts of practicality, maintenance free, simplicity, living cost, aging single, retirement, potential handicapped accessibility, etc. Being a motorcycle/auto enthusiast the answer was clear ..................... build an effective garage with a nice apartment, done for life !

From a two story hand built, high maintenance log home, two garages, ten acres, to the perfect garagedominium on a one acre lot, MY dream home ! Should have built this twenty years ago !

















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[DLRIDES]

The cupolas needed the perfect weathervanes.









The best view of all !




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[Old Expat Beast]

Great...a fun, purpose-built home...I like it. Hat's off to you for doing that!

[BNA/LION]

Looks Great!

[map782]

That is awesome! It's like a man cave on steroids.

[Chewbacca]

I like it.

[enjoythemusic]

Livingroom seems unnecessary, why not make it extra garage space?

Congrats!

[sco]

Originally Posted by enjoythemusic

Livingroom seems unnecessary, why not make it extra garage space?

Congrats!

Great job on the build OP

[bdex75]

Perfect!!! I am thinking 35’ airstream and F350 and I will come visit all you crazy dudes!!!


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[kieselguhr]

Fantastic! Love the idea of simple living

[AF_Rob]

LOVE IT!!! I'm not a motor head but I appreciate the intent. Bold move. I try to live simple myself. I want nothing more than needed and a purposeful footprint to my home for me and my wife.

[interestedwatcher]

That's really cool. Needs more 2 strokes though.

[TheVTCGuy]

Excellent Don, I wish you many years of happiness.


PS Is my room ready?

[DLRIDES]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

Excellent Don, I wish you many years of happiness.


PS Is my room ready?

Yep, it’s ready Paul !

Guest room has a twin over queen bunk bed, TV, guest Wi-Fi, bluetooth guest speaker, desk, chest, closet, and full guest bathroom.







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[TheVTCGuy]

Originally Posted by DLRIDES

Yep, it’s ready Paul !

Guest room has a twin over queen bunk bed, TV, guest Wi-Fi, bluetooth guest speaker, desk, chest, closet, and full guest bathroom.







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[colpol]

Your living in my perfect home

If nit picking - I’d maybe have your living area as a wash/ dry room for the cars/ bikes & the living quarters above the garage

[swatty]

Looks great, what a great idea

[superdog]

Wow.

You are the man. I’m so impressed. This thing is amazing. Someday I might just follow in your footsteps. Congrats on the new home. Looks perfect.

[Andad]

That is an 11/10.

Great work and my wife loves it.

Food for thought.

[mountainjogger]

My hat is off to you Don. I absolutely agree that impressing others with a home accomplishes absolutely nothing.

Stay safe my NC friend.

[Rock]

The thing I like most, apart from the 4 garages and the big driveway, is no close neighbours and the natural scenery at the back.

What I see here so often is real-estate developments made up of long narrow one acre blocks where everybody builds a big house across the block close to the road so that it is just like living in the 'burbs' but with a very big (unused) back yard that you have to mow.

[Speedbird-1]

Well done!:

Roof looks perfect for solar panels.

Love the, knee, nearly down, Weather Vane.


But, on reflection......
I'd have to disagree with some of what you stated.

As a 30yr old, I would have loved to have lived in your new place.
We have a fairly high maintenance home, but, we love it, and consider it 'paradise' and wouldn't change a thing.
'Each to his own', as the saying goes. I hope you'll be very happy there.
I've just mowed some of the lawns, watered the vegetable garden, the sun is shining, lunch is waiting......heaven!

[1st amg]

That is the perfect set up Don. Congratulations on the move and the perfect decision for you.....and only you. Enjoy for many many years

[DLRIDES]

Thanks for the compliments !

The downsizing involved more than a new house, any item that was not used and cost to maintain, had to go ! It was time to evaluate means vs needs vs wants vs retiring comfortably in a few years, etc, etc.

A few details:

3 rural acres with 1 acre clear, 200 ft off a nice paved secondary road, 1 mile from a small +/- 600 population town, 8 miles to Hickory NC, 45 miles to Charlotte NC, 4,000 sq ft drive (can circle my truck and 20’ car trailer)

2,400 sq ft total, 835 apartment & 1565 garage

Insulated concrete pad, 2 bedroom, 2 bath, 9’ceilings, maintenance free floor and walls, all LED lighting, 32’ front porch, 8’ rear porch, R26 walls, R30 overhead, all metal exterior, 12’8” garage ceilings, remote Wi-Fi door openers, 10k lb 2 post automotive lift, 2 motorcycle lifts, mig & tig welders, plasma cutter, welding table, drill press, steel rack, horizontal band saw, work bench, 2 @ 50k btu garage heaters, 2 exhaust fans, twin dual band Wi-Fi routers (1 garage, 1 apartment), security camera system, etc,etc,etc. Behind the garage is a 18’ x 42’ storage shed for trailers, tractor, implements, lawn mower, and an additional 2,500 sq ft gravel access area.

BTW, my average power bill is $71

[DonRickles]

Ok, I'm jealous......Talk about the PERFECT retirement home! It's a man's, man place! (Not that a chick couldn't find pure happiness there as well).

The purging has begun in my home too...what a chore cleaning up my 35 years of accumulated junk.....

Tools tools and more tools.....shame, so many are now obsolete.....

Enjoy your new crib there Don.

[DLRIDES]

Originally Posted by DonRickles

Talk about the PERFECT retirement home!

EVERY door in the structure is 36” wide. Some day, if need be, I could raise the garage door, drive in, set my out my wheelchair, and roll my a** right in the house without have to rely on anyone !

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by DLRIDES

EVERY door in the structure is 36” wide. Some day, if need be, I could raise the garage door, drive in, set my out my wheelchair, and roll my a** right in the house !

Very well thought out Don.

We did the same when we renovated our bungalow. We also have a walk in stepless shower and we planned for handicap implements such as grab bars etc. When the time is necessary we can just add those.

My parents moved to a care home within the past year and the monthly cost for seniors care is astronomical. I was literally gob-smacked by the cost.

Our home is now ready for us to live in until such time as we need care givers to come and help us. I’m never moving, at least that’s the plan

[airchitect]

Originally Posted by DLRIDES

Thanks for the compliments !

The downsizing involved more than a new house, any item that was not used and cost to maintain, had to go ! It was time to evaluate means vs needs vs wants vs retiring comfortably in a few years, etc, etc.

A few details:

3 rural acres with 1 acre clear, 200 ft off a nice paved secondary road, 1 mile from a small +/- 600 population town, 8 miles to Hickory NC, 45 miles to Charlotte NC, 4,000 sq ft drive (can circle my truck and 20’ car trailer)

2,400 sq ft total, 835 apartment & 1565 garage

Insulated concrete pad, 2 bedroom, 2 bath, 9’ceilings, maintenance free floor and walls, all LED lighting, 32’ front porch, 8’ rear porch, R26 walls, R30 overhead, all metal exterior, 12’8” garage ceilings, remote Wi-Fi door openers, 10k lb 2 post automotive lift, 2 motorcycle lifts, mig & tig welders, plasma cutter, welding table, drill press, steel rack, horizontal band saw, work bench, 2 @ 50k btu garage heaters, 2 exhaust fans, twin dual band Wi-Fi routers (1 garage, 1 apartment), security camera system, etc,etc,etc. Behind the garage is a 18’ x 42’ storage shed for trailers, tractor, implements, lawn mower, and an additional 2,500 sq ft gravel access area.

BTW, my average power bill is $71

The fact your garage is double the size of the living area is so awesome

[BigAppleBill]

Originally Posted by DLRIDES

Thanks for the compliments !

The downsizing involved more than a new house, any item that was not used and cost to maintain, had to go ! It was time to evaluate means vs needs vs wants vs retiring comfortably in a few years, etc, etc.

A few details:

3 rural acres with 1 acre clear, 200 ft off a nice paved secondary road, 1 mile from a small +/- 600 population town, 8 miles to Hickory NC, 45 miles to Charlotte NC, 4,000 sq ft drive (can circle my truck and 20’ car trailer)

2,400 sq ft total, 835 apartment & 1565 garage

Insulated concrete pad, 2 bedroom, 2 bath, 9’ceilings, maintenance free floor and walls, all LED lighting, 32’ front porch, 8’ rear porch, R26 walls, R30 overhead, all metal exterior, 12’8” garage ceilings, remote Wi-Fi door openers, 10k lb 2 post automotive lift, 2 motorcycle lifts, mig & tig welders, plasma cutter, welding table, drill press, steel rack, horizontal band saw, work bench, 2 @ 50k btu garage heaters, 2 exhaust fans, twin dual band Wi-Fi routers (1 garage, 1 apartment), security camera system, etc,etc,etc. Behind the garage is a 18’ x 42’ storage shed for trailers, tractor, implements, lawn mower, and an additional 2,500 sq ft gravel access area.

BTW, my average power bill is $71

My man! Livin’ the dream! Awesome!

[Knappo 1307]

Love it Don! My wife and I are thinking of doing the same type of thing. Is the building a Morton? FBI?