So . . . purely hypothetically . . . . let's say you built a barn building on some land you owned.

[Jamastiene]

6. Other and Live in it. I voted other, though.

The way you describe the building in your post is actually very close to what I have been dreaming about doing in the future.

I wanted to make a basement to be a tornado shelter/fun place to hoard Beanie Weenies* and Dr Pepper. I wanted to make the loft a place to sleep and have a sky window in the roof to look out at the moon and stars before bed. The first level would be split into 2 rooms. One would be a sitting room/tv room/kitchenette combo. The other room would be a music/computer room. I would insulate it and add electricity, then hire a good plumber to make a small bathroom and call it home. I've actually been dreaming of doing that for a while.

My land slopes pretty steeply too. I would love to find someone who knows how to make it happen. Everyone locally that I have talked to about it so far said I would have to make the area where I want to put the barn level first. I wanted to make it a natural looking "built into the hill" barn type structure. That is actually an energy efficient way to build, according to some of the web sites I have visited. It provides more shelter on the side that is "into" the hill. It also closes up any drafty areas that would normally be there if that side was exposed.

I'm still trying to pay off my little hovel in the jungle here. As soon as I get it paid off, I plan on starting my new savings for the barn with a basement and see what I can do with it once the shell is built. If I can get someone to build the shell and the basement part like I want, I can do the interior insulation and drywall, and electrical, but not the plumbing. Someone else would have to do the plumbing.

*My family picks on me about the Beanie Weenies. It was because my step dad was looking for a can of something in the bottom of his cabinet when I was staying with them a short time a few years ago, and found several cans of Beanie Weenies that I had put back there in case of a hurricane or some other weather that might cut the power off. I tend to stock up on Beanie Weenies and pintos, because Beanie Weenies can be eaten right out of the can and pinto beans can be warmed up on the Kerosene stove if we have to use it when the power is out several days during heavy storms here. So, now, my family says I am a Beanie Weenie hoarder, lol.