Apollo

I’m looking to build a house inspired by the earth ship concept and something that’s semi-off-the-grid, but I’d like to be considerate of building laws within doing so. Earthships are a new cheaper eco-friendly concept which came out, but I hear a lot about how the US laws make it harder to live off the grid and build houses like these. I’m not really familiar with building codes at all, so I was hoping to get a more clear explanation from someone more knowledgeable about how not only are Earthships hard to legally live in in the US but also living off of the grid?

I’m in search of the best way to research architectural building codes mainly in the US. But is it best to look up the codes by state, county, or city? Can any state versus county for example laws contradict? If they do, which one gets the ultimate authority? Any other building tips and recommendations are appreciated too! Thank you!

I want to buy a property and build whatever I want and experiment, but everywhere I research talks about certain codes that you have to follow and build permits you have to obtain. I’m sure not everyone follows these codes. Is it easy to get away with it? Any tips?

My fiancee works at Panda Express, and her boss there speaks to the employees, including her, about their physical appearance. She tells the girls to wear more makeup and the boys to cut their hair/beard. She threatened to fire my fiancee because of her accepting a fake $100 bill of which she tested through a machine multiple times to make sure it was legitimate. Her boss/manager, Cherie, proceeded to tell her that she helps my fiancee, but my fiancee doesn't help her. To me, that looks like a tactic of guilt tripping.

In addition to this, the company under pays her for the position she works.

We are poor and cannot afford a lawyer. Anyone who can give me some guidance will be greatly appreciated.

Is this enough for a legal case? What advise do you have for our situation?