Best Design for a Single Builder

[offthegridcortland]

The basic question:  I am looking at three designs, The 16' Victoria, the 20' 1-1/2 story, and the 20' 2 story; which would be the most achievable by a builder working alone?

Obviously the scope of the Victoria Cottage is smaller.  Additionally, the walls are smaller and would be easier to lift.  So why even ask?  Well, my experience with building leads me to believe that the six major costs in building are 1. land, 2. site prep, 3. well, 4. septic, 5. foundation, and 6. roof.  Those expenses don't change much between the different designs, so in effect, you are getting more for your money and effort.  And while I have no plans to sell the house, my experience with real estate is that you should always be thinking about resale.  The bigger designs will be easier to sell and worth more down the road.

I have been away from the forum for quite a while.  Years ago, I was a regular lurker and posted a little bit.  I built a very small cabin (120 sq. ft. main floor and 80 sq. ft. sleeping loft) in upstate New York by myself, drying in the structure over 10 days.  I always said that with another set of hands I could have built four times the structure in the same time.  Six times if I had had a framing nailer.  This time I'll have a framing nailer at least.  

This project will be in the Shenandoah mountains and the house/ cottage is for three people- a couple and my son- mostly for use in the summer and Christmas and Spring breaks.  Having said that, I'd still like it to be appropriate for a year or longer stay should that opportunity arise.  The 120 sq. ft. place was fun and a great exercise in what could be done in a limited amount of time, with limited resources, but it did get small fast.

I'll purchase the property, get the site work done, and have the foundation set before the summer, with the rest of the work starting next summer.

Thanks for your feedback,  Aaron

[offthegridcortland]

I should have noted that I have no disillusions that the cottage will be done in a summer, though my goal is to have it completely dried in, roof on, and secure in that time.

[rick91351]

Lifting walls is not really a problem by yourself with jacks either rented or homemade.  The VC is my favorite by a long ways but to me it is also harder to build.  A 20' foot one and one half story to me would be the easiest.  The two story is a lot more physical labor yet has more room of course and would come in second.

When selecting a building spot keep in mind you set your septic first.  It can be the hardest to locate properly then fit the cabin or cottage to the lot.  (Or you might locate it no problem.)  Everything has to be measured back so it seems from your septic and drain-field.  Well and foundation both.  Remember just because you think well the septic can go there does not mean the septic can go there until a perk test is done.  I have a ranch where it is dry with sage brush and dry grass there in the summer time.  You dig down three feet and it is like a river or a lake, in the spring time it is really worse yet.  We had to set the septic tank a long ways away and changed our building plans completely.

Dried in in a summer is pretty doable if it is a short commute or you have huge blocks of time to give.  The weather gods and other things are not as kind sometimes as we all wish.           



       

[Don_P]

8 or 9' walls and attic trusses frames a lot of space fast.  Easy to pop a couple of dormers out of. It starts to work well at 24' and wider IMO. My crane guy will bring a helper (one of his boys) if I ask ahead of time when setting trusses.

[John Raabe]

The Victoria is a more complex design than either of the 20' wide plans. It also has quite a few big beams to get into the air.

The Universal 2-story has a lot of space in an easy to build structure. You might want to consider the single story 20' wide as well. With a centerline beam supporting the floor joists it could be 24' wide with an attic truss as Don mentions.

[CjAl]

i would think the one story would be easiest to build alone. shorter walls and no need for the 12/12 pitch. i dont think i would want to build a 12/12 pitch alone with nobody there to call the paramedics to scrape up my remains when i take a swan dive off it

[John Raabe]

You may have seen it already but the Working Alone book is a great resource. See our booklist:  http://countryplans.com/books.html

[offthegridcortland]

Thanks all!  I do indeed have Working Alone and used it as a resource for my tiny cabin.  I built that cabin with a 12/12 roof and recall that I got the rafters and sheathing up on my own, then opted to put a tarp over the whole thing and bring my wife up the next weekend to hang around while I put up the felt and metal roof- just in case.    Every single time I climbed up to work on that roof, I said to myself, "Don't catch it," referring to the impulse to try and grab a falling tool- a stupid reason and easy way to fall.

Any other opinions would be welcomed and appreciated.  Having not previously built anything two stories high, do you think it would be of similar/ greater/ lesser difficulty than the 1 1/2? 

Thanks again!  Aaron

[John Raabe]

The 2-story Universal is much simpler construction than any 1-1/2 story. It has a full-sized stair connecting two platform framed floors with holes that line up (over a basement if desired). On top of the upper floor walls (all the same height) a simple frame roof or manufactured trusses are built. A 1-1/2 story is perhaps a more interesting space but it has more complexities.

[ColchesterCabin]

Personally the 1.5 story works for me, a lot has been done so far with my father who is disabled and not supposed to lift anything and the odd bit of help in raising a few walls so far so good. I went with a 10' wall with an approx 2' knee wall in the loft, parallel chord open rafters to free up a bunch of space. Simple design, lots of room and fairly simple to do (so to speak, and don't get me wrong)!

I wish I had the time and resources to dry in 10 days even a month, but looking back a whole lot can be done in a little over a month now. Looking forward to following your build from here.

[Squirl]

Great to see you back.  A few times over the years I have recommended the ladder design you built for installing your roofing on a 12:12 pitch.

I'd think the two story would be a little easier building alone.  The roofing pitch would be one reason.  The fact that you would need trusses or a structural ridge beam would be another.  Not as easy to do completely alone.  I am currently building a one story.  Last week I tilted up a 30 ft long 2x10 wall with the sheathing on.  I used a high lift jack, but they make special jacks just for the job.  I have not had a chance to post the pictures yet. 

[rick91351]

I think the two story is harder to build just because of the physical labor of packing things to that second story.  However that said whether it be a second story or a loft in one and a half story.  No matter what you do - what you need is nine chances out of ten either forgotten above you or below you.  So back up the stairs you go, or back down the stairs you go to climb back up......However I also agree with John Raabe as far as the framing and dry in.....the two story would be the easiest.  And heck you can build some real leg muscles ....    

[offthegridcortland]

Thanks all for the feedback.  I certainly welcome any more ideas should anyone care to offer them.  I really do think the Victoria Cottage is as lovely as I've seen- perfect in so many ways, but I can see the difficulties one might encounter trying to frame her alone and so I am thinking long and hard about the two story and one and a half story cottages.  I like the openness of the one and the flexibility/ real-house feel of the other.  I have more questions, but think I'll post them on separate threads so others with similar questions can more easily benefit from the collective wisdom here.  Thanks again to all,  Aaron