(another) Eastern Washington little building started

Yonderosa · October 20, 2008, 12:31:29 PM

I've enjoyed reading the posts and following the progress of others on this forum so I figured it was time to contribute. We purchased 20 acres in Eastern Washington and have just begun building our little retreat to make enjoying the property more comfortable and convenient. Photos of the progress can be seen at:

https://s448.photobucket.com/albums/qq202/Yonderosa_photos/

Time and budget constraints factored into the design. We wanted to be able to build it quickly with the time we had to be there and give us as much space as we could reasonably afford. So far it appears we have met those goals. My wife and I have ten days into the project not counting drawing the plans and getting the permit.

Details.

12' x 16' main floor
12' x 12' Loft
8' x 12' Covered Porch

12' x 24' overall building envelope.

Simple design for speed and ease of building yet still has a little style to it. It is also very efficient with materials which makes it easy to do lumber take-offs and mitigates cost.

The windows - gable end loft, front porch and west side - have been framed in but I have sheathed through the openings until I can install the windows.

HomesteadGuy · October 20, 2008, 03:24:23 PM

I like it. Keep up with the updated, I am interested to see how it comes out when it is all done. What plans did you go with?

October 20, 2008, 04:01:23 PM

Good bit done in 10 days. Want a job? Wished mine would have went this fast. Are you going to be on or off grid? What is going to be your primary heat source? Considerations is out there some place in that state but I think she is to the east coast also. With the onset of winter what to do project to have completed before then? Just being nosey. Anyway

.

John

Yonderosa · October 20, 2008, 04:02:18 PM

HG: I did the plans myself.

Originally I was going to do a smaller version - under 200 sf - but anything over 120 sf required a building permit anyway so I decided to add some size to the porch and to the interior of the building but not so much that it would add a lot of time or cost to the project.

Redoverfarm: It'll be off the grid. My neighbor heats his bigger place with a "Big Buddy" propane heater so I'm considering some sort of propane heat when it is needed. Right now we're building as we can. Like another forum member I was racing to get mine closed in before the winter kicks in. We did the floor in August and planned to just tarp the floor. A gap in my employment and my wife's need to utilize some vacation time allowed us spend a week over there busting our tails putting up the walls, loft floor, framing the roof and roofing it. Difficult but we got'r done.

SkagitDrifter · October 20, 2008, 04:20:40 PM

Great progress in a short amount of time, nice spot.
Where are you in E WA?
How far away do you live from the site?
Well done- Keep us posted.

Tom

October 20, 2008, 04:29:20 PM

Skagitdrifter, I'm a wetsider too - Camano Island. The property is 26 miles out of Omak. It looks like we're sort of "neighbors" on both sides of the mountains assuming you're in Skagit County and your new place is in Okanogan County.

SkagitDrifter · October 20, 2008, 04:53:11 PM

Quote from: Yonderosa on October 20, 2008, 04:29:20 PM
Skagitdrifter, I'm a wetsider too - Camano Island. The property is 26 miles out of Omak. It looks like we're sort of "neighbors" on both sides of the mountains assuming you're in Skagit County and your new place is in Okanogan County.

We're Anacortes on the wet side and our cabin is about 12 miles SW of Tonasket.
Do you do the SR 20 pass or SR 2?
Good to meet you neighbor.
Keep up the good work and may the good weather continue.

Tom

StinkerBell · October 20, 2008, 05:26:22 PM

I am a neighbor too! Live in Bothell, have property and the start of a cabin up near Orient.....

I am a club member!

SkagitDrifter · October 20, 2008, 06:05:05 PM

SBell-
What is it about us wet-siders?
I think we all like the fact that we can go east and dry out.
Orient is beautiful country.

October 20, 2008, 08:33:49 PM

Yup, drying out is one of the reasons. Elbow room is another. I sure enjoy the quiet and lack of traffic on the dry side.

SkagitDrifter it sounds like our properties are pretty close on the East Side. I usually go 20 if it's open. Ten days ago we had snow on the road between Rainy and Washington Pass but on the way back a week later it was all gone. Without pushing we do the trip in 5-1/2 hours which usually includes ice cream in Winthrop and a stop in Omak for groceries.

MountainDon · October 20, 2008, 09:17:56 PM

Here's a few images from the album..

soomb · October 20, 2008, 09:28:11 PM

looks wonderful. If I can ever get the deal to close I will be east about 3 hours in Colville. ahhh the economy.

soomb · October 20, 2008, 09:34:53 PM

Nice blueprints, do you do it for a living?

StinkerBell · October 20, 2008, 10:17:21 PM

Cabin look wonderful.

Yes, the drying out is wonderful.

October 21, 2008, 08:43:30 AM

Quote from: soomb on October 20, 2008, 09:34:53 PM
Nice blueprints, do you do it for a living?

Thanks Soomb. Some of my income is derived from drawing plans, mostly remodels. Until recently a bulk of it has been project management/consulting on residential construction projects. I still wear the nail bags on occasion too. My last project was a BIG custom project - nearly four years in design-permits-teardown and construction. It tied me up so much that I had to turn down other work. That was bad for business... especially now that the economy has slowed down. Hopefully I can get it ramped up again or I may be looking for another line of work. The gap in my employment does let me catch up on my own projects though...

soomb · October 21, 2008, 08:49:07 AM

I wish you the best. I look forward to watching your progress

glenn kangiser · October 21, 2008, 09:42:36 AM

Nice little project - well designed.

to the forum.

Woodswalker · October 21, 2008, 10:43:19 AM

Great progress on a nice, little cabin. Could tell right away you've had some building experience. Thanks to Don for posting some of your pics here from Photobucket. Am curious about details of the footings used.

My place is further east, near Republic, which turns out to be a 6+ hour drive. Good thing I'm retired and can stay for a week at a time.

Keep on building!

Steve

Yonderosa · October 21, 2008, 01:13:18 PM

Thanks to all for your replies and encouragement.

Steve, we were really lucky to have some easy digging soil in the area. We hand dug the holes, or more accurately my (AWESOME) wife had most of them dug before I returned with the concrete. Once the piers were set I used string and batter boards to layout the PT 4x4's and built the floor. After they were inspected I buried them. I tried to make the bottom of the hole around 30" deep but some were less.

I've enjoyed following your project on this forum. I've done some design on some eastside cabins but had not run any projects so your posts and others helped me work out the logistics on mine. It is cool to see there are a number of us in the same general area. Hopefully Soomb can get his project off the ground soon too.

TROYL · November 07, 2008, 01:56:29 PM

I'm in Mount vernon and 10 miles north of winthrop. cabin won't start untill next spring. there is big stump pile were the cabin will be sitting right now. its going to be burned this winter. I'm going to build a 14 by 18. i'll proabaly build most of it in my shop this winter.

November 07, 2008, 09:56:33 PM

Sounds like we have the makings of a convoy with all these wetsiders heading east.

How are the skeeters in your area TroyL?

I spent one of the most miserable nights of my life at a campground north of Winthrop. I love the country but I use a tent with screens when I visit now...

Have you had the property long? I was amazed at how much property was going for in that area.

TROYL · February 05, 2009, 10:42:03 AM

the sketters are terrible in the july. its not to bad in june and they they are pretty well gone in august. but july, WOW felt like has in alaska, maybe worse than alaska. i screened porch is gonna be a must. i have only owned it a year. but got a pretty fair price on it.

deertracks · February 06, 2009, 02:40:05 AM

My husband and I are west-siders moving east. He just finished our house last year just south of Colville. We will be full timers so already have our snow shovel purchased!!! This website has been a great resource and inspiration throughout our project. Good luck to all you currently building and may you have safe travel over the passes!!

considerations · February 06, 2009, 09:40:16 AM

I like the loft over the porch, great design.

soomb · February 06, 2009, 08:13:17 PM

Quote from: deertracks on February 06, 2009, 02:40:05 AM
My husband and I are west-siders moving east. He just finished our house last year just south of Colville. We will be full timers so already have our snow shovel purchased!!! This website has been a great resource and inspiration throughout our project. Good luck to all you currently building and may you have safe travel over the passes!!

Deer, where south of Colville? My wife and I have a hold on land in Addy (we keep the holding on in this market)