Sarah Atkins
mnjreporter@gmail.com
In the wake of Hurricane Helene (downgraded to a tropical storm after slowing down over land) Mitchell County was home to a significant amount of recovery-related conflict, notably over efforts to provide “tiny homes” to storm victims in the face of opposition.
Many attempts to haul tiny homes into storm-damaged neighborhoods were frustrated by being unable to get building permits for the structures — building permits that are necessary to get a new home connected to electrical services.
Mitchell County officials said that they were not “banning” these structures, only following North Carolina building codes that prohibit building inspectors from signing off on construction that does not meet particular standards for residential use.
How do they do it?
But unconventional homes do exist in Western North Carolina, so how do their residents manage? Some of them avoid the system altogether by going off the electrical grid and putting together their own power and water sources.
“A really basic setup doesn’t take much time at all, a day, two days at most if your setup is simple,” said Yancey County resident Bill Weir.
According to Weir, who built his own home from scratch, the most basic and easily accessible off-grid housing option is a pre-built tiny home or a kit that makes building a home with no prior experience possible. These homes are simple, yet they can provide a family with greater independence than government-issued shelters.
“You do have to know what to buy, you do need to know what the parts are, but it’s a relatively simple process to build a livable house,” said Weir, who has been off-grid for more than 20 years and has been a carpenter for 25 years.
Knowing the risks
Despite the possible benefits, there are several risks Weir said should be considered before pursuing off-grid housing.
Firstly, fire and gas hazards could go overlooked if an inspector does not come to the home. The homeowners would also be responsible for maintaining their power, heat and sewage. They could also have greater difficulty selling or renting out the home and would lack home insurance.
Non-residents who install off-grid homes for someone else — even as a free donation from volunteers — can also incur legal liability if the residents of said homes are harmed by unsafe conditions, according to a statement by County Manager Allen Cook in a previous Mitchell News-Journal story.
Costs & logistics
For those who take these risks into account and still decide to set up an off-grid home,
there are several supplies to gather and costs to budget for.
Purchasing a pre-built tiny home, shed or a kit to build a house can range as low as $5,000 to $10,000 for a simple structure, according to Horizon Structures, an area business that builds and delivers sheds and tiny homes.
A system for solar power could cost roughly $5,000 off websites such as eBay and Amazon, depending on the complexity of the system. Additionally, the costs of a water and sewage system and any necessary utilities may add up to another $1,000 or more.
Neglecting to install a proper sewage system in an off-grid home could lead to legal ramifications, if there is pollution getting into local creeks.
Weir estimates that one would need to spend a bare minimum $10,000 to set up an off-grid home.
“People need someplace to live,” said Weir, “something to have as their own for a little bit longer term.”
More options for the displaced
The State of North Carolina Shelter Program is offering temporary trailers to eligible storm victims for up to six months. More information can be found on the North Carolina Department of Public Safety NC Disaster Case Management page.
As the people living in the areas impacted by Helene work toward rebuilding their homes, businesses and towns, there are many options they have considered to put them closer to finding normalcy in their daily lives.