Micro-Hydro is the best option, but only if the property has a year-round water flow. Of course, for some people this is a necessity if public services are not available in all areas, but for others, it is a conscious choice to live a more sustainable and self-sufficient lifestyle. If you've purchased land with an insurmountable or unwanted home, add the cost of demolition to your budget. The following graphic provides a rough estimate of what you'll need to set up your own self-sufficient off-grid farm, but keep in mind that there are a lot of ways to minimize these costs, from choosing a smaller, more energy efficient home to doing most of the work yourself whenever it's possible and use recovered or recycled materials as much as you can.
As in SIP construction, settlers who build with straw bales use compacted bales as the central core of their wall and then cover the outside with a form of plaster, stucco, clay or ear. The cost of building a self-sufficient house is slightly higher than that of building a traditional house, usually in the range of 10% to 25%. If you live in a place where it rains a lot and there are a lot of oak trees, build an oak house with a sloped roof. Employing an architectural firm is not a necessity, especially if it is built from a previously developed plan.
Architecture was born with the idea of becoming a place where sustainable architecture is explored, discussed and improved. Even if you can provide the resources they need to build the cabin, it will still cost you the labor. The advantage of them is that they are extremely cheap, although once you start modernizing them, the cost can increase quickly. This is a rough estimate and does not include the cost of electricity and water that you will have to pay for yourself.
Remember that it's much more cost-effective to start by making your home as energy efficient as possible before trying to disconnect it from the grid. However, in new buildings, many people wonder if solar panels can be used as a roof, and I can't. While leaving the power grid can save you many thousands of dollars in the long run, getting started can be an expensive task. From buying land to building a house, installing your own power generation system, waste disposal, and water supply, you can expect to have some pretty substantial upfront costs.
