Living off grid in Ireland

Danny987 · 23-01-2022 11:18pm #1

I've been reaserching this topic and possibility but there seems to be many contradictions.

I would like to live off grid in Ireland and I have two main ideas and I was wondering legally... Well if its possible or even just enforced.

My first idea the one that I want to do mostly is to purchase a piece of land with many trees and forestry and set up a mobile home and live off grid not attached to the mains no water, electricity, septic tank nothing. Is this possible to do with no planning permission?

My second alternative option is to purchase a cheep relitevly run down house on land and renovate it so it's off grid though this is a longer process and more expensive so I'd rather not.

Does anyone have any experience with this or advice?

23-01-2022 11:27pm

Hello there - what's your motivation for the project and what are you trying to achieve? Do you already live here and are you a citizen?

It's grid, not gird though.

Danny987 · 23-01-2022 11:33pm

Yeah, I already live in Ireland and I'm a citizen. And this is just something I've always wanted to do, live off the land and with no financial burden. I've just been struggling with finding accurate information about it.

And thanks for letting me know about the mistake I didn't even realise 😅

24-01-2022 12:32am

Ah, that's okay. It's something I've thought about too from time to time. Trouble is that today a lorryload of 5G/Bitcoin/Elon Musk/Michael-D-Higgins-Is-A-Muslim/vaccine/paedophiles-in-the-basement-of-Washington-DC-pizzaria-and-Hilary-and-the-Queen-have-webbed-feet merchants have really shat the bed on Boards here.

As far as I know you can buy a field and put a mobile home on it. And that sounds like quite a nice life, really. Steer clear of preppers and libertarians though.

osarusan · 24-01-2022 12:38am

You'd be better off asking in either the Legal or Construction& Planning forums.

But I believe that a mobile home which functions as the sole/primary dwelling requires planning permission. There's only so long it'll be considered temporary.

tommybrees · 24-01-2022 12:42am

You want to live like a tinker basically?

Car99 · 24-01-2022 12:46am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118523659#Comment_118523659

No he wants to live like everybody did 200 years ago but with the assistance of the social welfare system I presume.

Esel · 24-01-2022 3:41am

"The guys on the Media and Research forum on Boards told me it was OK..."

Danny987 · 24-01-2022 8:44pm

No not really, I still want to work. Just live more with nature than in a town or city. Off the land and not struggling to pay a mortgage for 20-30 years.

Ubbquittious · 24-01-2022 8:58pm

I know people who have lived off the grid in Ireland and some who still do. The mobile home does need planning permission although if nobody complains and it's not visible you will likely not have bother.

You will need good equipment or it will be only hardship. If you are using **** inverters and your appliances are not the most efficient you can get you'll have a lot of trouble. Ideally you'd have a lot of your stuff running off DC without inverter. You need more than 1 source of electricity because there will be weeks with almost no solar.

The good news is batteries and other off grid stuff is a lot cheaper and more accessible than it used to be. If you plan it well you might never feel the need to go back to the grid

beertons · 24-01-2022 8:59pm

Best of luck if you do go ahead with it. I met an old friend recently who moved to rural Galway about 30 years ago and lives off grid. Has a mobile phone for emergency, but has no idea of her number, no email. Turf fire going 24/7. She went back to her parents for a few day, and thought the Bridget &Eamonn shows are hilarious.

riclad · 01-02-2022 4:53pm

My friend sold his house 3 years ago, he bought a caravan, in a caravan park, Dublin cost 30k, approx, he's connected to esb power, water, he has a small bathroom, shower, , he's very happy, no mortgage, he money in the bank, he works 3 days a week. He has to pay a fee, to stay there, power, water etc his caravan is 20x12 ft approx

He owns the caravan he has to pay a fee to stay there eg he does not own the land under the caravan

To get a mobile home is not very expensive, there's loads of videos on YouTube about it. Youd need to be very technical or hire an expert to install solar power panel ,dc invertor so you have power for TV, laptop, etc I don't know if it works re water supply, see broadsheet ie today there's an article about small log cabins being popular they need planning permission it's not simple

I think any alternative is popular as we are now at the point where gen z is being left behind , eg house prices rise every year, meanwhile the average worker gets maybe 3 per cent pay rise . An ordinary basic House in dublin is now 300k plus. Every month there's articles about i bought an old large van i converted it into a mobile home

backwards_man · 01-02-2022 5:04pm

Its a fine idea when you are young and able to provide just for yourself. If you ever intend on dating and having a family someday you will need to find a like minded partner as its a tough road having no running water or dependable electricity supply. While there are families that raise kids in such an environment, irish travellers come to mind, It will be very hard on the kids as they grow and space will be an issue. Even if you intend to live on your own, as you get older and potentially have health issues, it will be difficult to do the necessary upkeep and a cold wet December in a caravan is not a prospect I would relish in my 40s let alone my 60s. There is a reason people live in houses.

Shield · 11-05-2023 7:23am

Mod: Discussion closed after over a year of activity. Also, wrong forum for such a discussion.

-Shield

Living off grid in Ireland

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