Large vacant buildings offer an escape from the elements whether it be rain, wind, or cold. Finding the right building and being able to maintain occupancy for long periods of time can prove to be a difficult task. I assume most people on this site already know this but I figured Id lay out my experiences for anyone interested in the subject.
One of the most important things to be aware of when repurposing a building whether it be for a night, a week, or months, is the entrance. The entrance should be unsuspecting and free from any visible damage at all times. Many times youll find that in larger cities, security patrols the area periodically. Id suggest before even looking for an entrance, hang around the general area for awhile. Look for any patrol activity and write down the times they patrol in order to know when its best to give the building a closer look.
Fences. Many times buildings that have been sitting boarded up for years and are fenced off. The worst thing to do if youre looking for long term occupancy is cut the fence or unravel it during your first trip in the area. Jump it. Take a look around. Once you get a feel for the area, begin creating alternate paths "around" the fence.
If the building is boarded up, well that means there are windows behind those boards. Usually 4ft by 8 ft boards. A pry bar can come in handy to pop a few screws out. Theres no need to take the entire board off. ( you dont want to blow the spot up, leaving obvious signs of entry will get you not only booted but can put you in a fucked up legal position) That being said, 4x8 piece of plywood is flexible. If you do it right the plywood will serve as a flap that closes after you enter.
Before entering look for green or red lights in the corners on the inside of building. If you see any, well, those are most likely motions sensors. Dont go in. If you dont see any, well, looks like you most likely found a building that noone gives a fuck about anyway. Welcome home.
I strongly suggest not to fuck with the electricity components in or around the building unless you know what youre doing.
Example: There was no elec in one building I was in but there were floodlights from an external source on the roof to prevent people like me from wanting to go near. I went to the attic with a bunch of wire I ripped out of the walls. Got on the roof and found a box connecting the floodlights. Plugged em in and ran the wire to a lamp and power socket down below. Wrong voltage. The lightbulbs would explode after 30 min to an hour and we all fried our phones and laptops eventually. Lucky we didnt wake up to a fiery shitstorm. Dont fuck with electricity unless you know how it works heh
If you invite a bunch of people over during the course of your stay, bye bye building. Ive kept primo/untouched buildings the size of supermarkets for as long as 3 months. Telling the wrong people about it is what got us booted every time. All in all my personal experiences with squatting buildings has been great whether it be short term or long. Knowing what to look for and trying not to become careless has served me well.
In a sick society that hoards everything, even shade and shelter, doing what it takes to survive can become difficult. But its not impossible
One of the most important things to be aware of when repurposing a building whether it be for a night, a week, or months, is the entrance. The entrance should be unsuspecting and free from any visible damage at all times. Many times youll find that in larger cities, security patrols the area periodically. Id suggest before even looking for an entrance, hang around the general area for awhile. Look for any patrol activity and write down the times they patrol in order to know when its best to give the building a closer look.
Fences. Many times buildings that have been sitting boarded up for years and are fenced off. The worst thing to do if youre looking for long term occupancy is cut the fence or unravel it during your first trip in the area. Jump it. Take a look around. Once you get a feel for the area, begin creating alternate paths "around" the fence.
If the building is boarded up, well that means there are windows behind those boards. Usually 4ft by 8 ft boards. A pry bar can come in handy to pop a few screws out. Theres no need to take the entire board off. ( you dont want to blow the spot up, leaving obvious signs of entry will get you not only booted but can put you in a fucked up legal position) That being said, 4x8 piece of plywood is flexible. If you do it right the plywood will serve as a flap that closes after you enter.
Before entering look for green or red lights in the corners on the inside of building. If you see any, well, those are most likely motions sensors. Dont go in. If you dont see any, well, looks like you most likely found a building that noone gives a fuck about anyway. Welcome home.
I strongly suggest not to fuck with the electricity components in or around the building unless you know what youre doing.
Example: There was no elec in one building I was in but there were floodlights from an external source on the roof to prevent people like me from wanting to go near. I went to the attic with a bunch of wire I ripped out of the walls. Got on the roof and found a box connecting the floodlights. Plugged em in and ran the wire to a lamp and power socket down below. Wrong voltage. The lightbulbs would explode after 30 min to an hour and we all fried our phones and laptops eventually. Lucky we didnt wake up to a fiery shitstorm. Dont fuck with electricity unless you know how it works heh
If you invite a bunch of people over during the course of your stay, bye bye building. Ive kept primo/untouched buildings the size of supermarkets for as long as 3 months. Telling the wrong people about it is what got us booted every time. All in all my personal experiences with squatting buildings has been great whether it be short term or long. Knowing what to look for and trying not to become careless has served me well.
In a sick society that hoards everything, even shade and shelter, doing what it takes to survive can become difficult. But its not impossible
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