Lost my home and shop, need hobby outlet

[Janderso]

Eric,
We have lived in our Paradise home for 32 years. We have been evacuated 4 times. This last evacuation was the last time.
We had a beautiful home in a park like setting with a large lot.
I had a shop of my dreams, it's all gone.
My new inspiration is to buy a house in Chico.
As far as living in rural California, I loved our life in the pines.
The recent fires have been getting larger and are consuming more and more homes.
This fire was the perfect storm. Extremely dry conditions with 50+ mile winds.
Anything that could burn, did.
Choose your community wisely and enjoy rural California.

 

[Janderso]

We just got the pictures of our home.
I have lots of tool steel, stainless stock, 123-246 blocks? Salvageable?
Check out the Bridgeport.
I can't find the South Bend Lathe.Oh, there it is

 

[MrWhoopee]

We just got the pictures of our home.
I have lots of tool steel, stainless stock, 123-246 blocks? Salvageable?
Check out the Bridgeport.

I almost vomited. That's just too painful to look at. The raw stock is probably usable, fully annealed.
Reminds me of when I burned down our bunkhouse when I was a freshman. I dug out my Browning Belgium .22 auto thinking it could be salvaged.

 

[vtcnc]

Wow. Words can't express what you must be feeling. As they say, "a picture speaks a thousand words". Terribly sorry about what you and your wife are going through.

One thing I've never fully understood is just how many trees are still standing in such close proximity to all of the destruction.

 

[bill70j]

Just curious, this is my biggest concern when we decide to rebuild in another town close by. Who will be available to help us build?
Thanks for all your encouragement and kind words.
Jeff

Jeff:

If some reason you guys decide to relocate -- like near San Luis Obispo -- which is right next door to us, I will definitely be available to help. Lots and lots of rural settings to choose from around here, and none too far from San Luis Obispo, which is a wonderful small town.

Bill

 

[hotrats]

Jeff, we're so very sorry for your, and everyones loss. But you do have your lives. Happy you seem to have a plan started. If there is something we can do from here in NC, I hope we can help. Just ask. I keep looking here too. We were near you last year, in Santa Rosa, when the fires broke out. A google alarm on my phone woke us up to the Police evacuating the town. A new un-nerving experience for this tarheel. Within 30 minutes, it was very very smoky, almost black. We got lost, and listening to radio reports of the fire jumping the #101, not sure of our location, was terrifying to me. we finally found the road east, and didn't look back

 

[westerner]

That's just too painful to look at.

My hat is off to you, sir. My attitude after suffering such a loss would be FAR darker! Good on ya, and best of luck in your rebuild. May your insurance agent be diligent, tireless, and bucking for promotion !

 

[Janderso]

All is well, it was cold last night. I was warm and toasty with my wife next to me.
I went by the Fair grounds on the way to the bank. There are elderly folks living in tents with no where to go.
We leased an apartment today.
In the morning we are putting in an offer on a home in downtown Chico. My wife is beside herself.
It has a basement that “is all yours”, my wife told me.
There is room on the property for a pad and a 20x30 shop.
This may just work out.
Thanks to our insurance company, we can do this.
If it doesn’t work out, it wasn’t meant to be.
I’m going to bed.
Long day, but a good one.

 

[Janderso]

That’s my 2002 Ford F 150. It was clean as a pin, it had 250,000 miles on it. It did not burn a drop of oil.
It’s the little things.

 

[Bob Korves]

All is well, it was cold last night. I was warm and toasty with my wife next to me.
I went by the Fair grounds on the way to the bank. There are elderly folks living in tents with no where to go.
We leased an apartment today.
In the morning we are putting in an offer on a home in downtown Chico. My wife is beside herself.
It has a basement that “is all yours”, my wife told me.
There is room on the property for a pad and a 20x30 shop.
This may just work out.
Thanks to our insurance company, we can do this.
If it doesn’t work out, it wasn’t meant to be.
I’m going to bed.
Long day, but a good one.

Check with the local building department to see what kind of a building you will be able to add to an existing property. There are lots of surprises lurking in how the rules are written, and they are different in every jurisdiction. It is quite possible that you could have a quarter acre back yard and would not be able to add a 12x12' simple building. You must have permission to do it, or it will be fined, and then torn down. Ask a lot of questions at the county or city building and planning departments BEFORE committing to buy anything. Real estate agents are the very LAST people you should ask about codes and permits. Caveat Emptor! Get it in writing from the horse's mouth!