Construction is possible in areas that are far removed from cities, but building any kind of strong centralized base with hordes enabled usually turns out badly, because of how easy it is to make a noise loud enough to draw a horde, and vehicles, even with a muffler, can still draw a horde.
My rule for base building with hordes on has always been to either build underground, or one level up, in a two-story house, a two-story motel, or some other structure that will allow you to stay off ground level when hordes are passing through your base area, as they eventually will.
Other than that, never use firearms or explosives around your base, and never use unsuppressed firearms or explosives in general without a very quick exit.
Bows, melee weapons, and molotov cocktails are the most useful weapons, and I have found some suppressed firearms (especially those of smaller caliber) to be useable without attracting a horde.
Cars will always draw a horde without a muffler, and a muffler only lessens the problem, it doesn’t negate it. The best forms of transportation are the quiet ones: bikes, rollerblades, and electric vehicles. If you have fleet footed or indefatigable, running away from hordes is an option, just make sure not to run into a greater danger.
Basically, always plan before you act, always have a backup plan, always have an escape route planned for supply runs, and stay away from cities as much as you can. Hiding is an option before the hordes get close enough to your character to spawn zombies in your reality bubble, especially in basements, but once the horde spawns, you either run away or you get trapped and killed in your hiding spot.
IMO, other than the intentionally more difficult mods and settings, this is one of the most difficult and brutal ways to play this game. It makes everything more difficult, and everything more dangerous, and even characters that you’ve had for an in-game year can die from a dog stepping on a landmine near your hideout.
Best of luck
