When buying your own property, there are endless possibilities. You can build a house, start a farm, create a campground, it’s all up to you. But there are some amenities that you just can’t live without. Whether you want to build your house from the ground up or live in an off-grid cabin, you must figure out how to get electricity to your land. When selling you a property, Community Lands wants to be sure that you understand all that you are legally responsible for and entitled to. In this quick guide, we will explain access to electricity and other ways you can power your property off-grid!

Figuring out amenities is not as difficult as it might initially seem. The first and easiest thing you can do is look around you! If there’s a main road with utility poles leading to your property or other houses surrounding you, the answer will most likely be yes, there is easy access to electricity. Most of the time the seller of the property will already know the answer to utility questions and have figured out access themselves. But, this process may be a little more confusing for vacant and rural land.

Electricity is still available even to secluded properties

Vacant and rural land can often be more secluded from the road. Luckily, this does not mean you can’t use electricity poles to power your property. The first step in powering your property is talking to your utility provider. When contacting them be sure to have the basics down, such as the location of your property, how far you are from the road, and the amperage you’ll need to power your property. Costs will vary depending on a series of factors. For one, if you want underground lines, those will cost more. The good news is that many companies will install overhead lines for free depending on your property’s distance to the road.

Once you are sure power lines connect to your property, you will now need an electrician. Working with an electrician is the best, safest way to guarantee that your property will be powered safely and up to code. You can have many issues down the line with a botched electrical installation. The electrician will bring the power from the utility service point right to your property. Note that if your property is already on a main road with utility poles, you can talk directly with an electrician and skip the utility company.

Don’t forget to get an inspection!

Before you can draw up plans to power your home or any structures and facilities built within your property, an inspector must confirm that the electrician has properly connected your property to the service pole. Once approved, your electrician can begin working on your power plans. These must all be done up to code and regulations in order for utilities to energize your service.

Luckily, you have other options when it comes to getting electricity to your property. If you do not want to be dealing with utility providers, inspectors, electricians, you can always get yourself a generator. You power your home and property with a generator. However, first you will also need to work on power plans with an electrician and have it all be done up to code. However, you get to skip a few steps and save some bucks instead of installing utility lines. Generators are a favorite for off-grid homeowners who do not wish to be hooked to utility lines. Since vacant land can be often remote, we recommend having a generator even if just as a backup!

There’s also always the option to go green. Green energy sources are also favorable among off-grid homes and homesteads. We often think only of solar and wind power when it comes to renewable energy. But there are several options to pick from! If you would like to learn more about all of the recommended options, check out our detailed article on renewable energy!