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Don't have time to read through the 5,100 + postings of questions and answers at the Small Home and Cabin Discussion Group? These have been included here because they answered a question that kept coming up, or because they also included sketches or details that might be of use to others in designing and building their own houses. | ![]() |
Diagram or link |
Overview |
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Gambrel or barn style roofs |
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Here is a set of progress photos of the 12 x 18 cabin. This plan is part of the Little House Plans kit, but most people build the largest of the three cabins in that set. This owner decided to get some practice for when he later builds a larger cabin in Canada. He built this plan as a storage shed for his current property. These photos clearly show the construction of the low-impact post and pier foundation and the framing sequence for a simple structure. |
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Here is a short movie on the building of the 14x24 Builder's cottage in Hawaii. This lockable cabin has used the easy to build Little House post and pier foundation. The owner's have used T1-11 siding and have closable panels to cover the windows and door openings. This is a movie (mov) file, you will need to have Quicktime or Window's Media Player to view it. Double click the image to download and play. |
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The Nicolaisen Cabin. Here is an innovative version of the Little House plans. The owner used double 2x4 framing, cotton insulation, reflective foil insulation and stawboard interior finish to build a snug and handsome 16' x 16' cabin in the mountains of eastern Washington state. |
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Jim Redic is building a unique gambrel roofed cottage with a modified framing system that will be left exposed. Click the photo or here for more information and photos. |
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The house at left was built for $10,000 using the 14' wide house from the Little House Plans Kit. The owners extended it to 36' for a downstairs bedroom with a large storage loft above. It was owner-built with family and friends and about $500 worth of professional help. Click here, for additional photos. |
Click here to view progress photos of The Wing Cabin a 14' x 24' Little House being built in central New York state. This cabin uses a modified post & pier foundation for colder climates. This foundation is further explained HERE. | |
Click here (or the image at left) to view progress photos of Troy Cleghorn's 14' x 24' cabin going up in a pristine area of Eastern Washington. | |
Click here to read the story of how the14 x 20 Creswell cabin was built. You will be amazed! | |
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Click here (or the image) for progress photos of Victoria's Cottage and the Builder's Cottage out behind that is used as a separate guest house. |
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Click on the image or Grandfather Cottage to see progress photos of this one-story shingle style retirement house. | |
Here is a 14x24 cabin that Stephan Mead built up in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. Click the photo or this link for more pictures and a 2 page description of the project. A Ah, we do love our tarpaper siding. Mine's been up for 4 years and doing fine. |
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Heather's House. Built by a 17 year old girl who saved her own money and worked alone and with friends. Her proud mother reports, "(Heather) is out working with a carpenter today....being paid to put up sheetrock for someone else. Thanks to her experience building her own house, she has gotten jobs from $10-$22/hour doing carpentry. Now she has been asked to talk about her experience building her house at a women in the trades conference. She will also teach folks how to build a picnic table at the conference. The house building has been a huge boost to Heather's self-esteem.....and it has been opening a bunch of doors." | |
The Velsko Cabin. A 16' wide by 24' long configuration with a beam and deck loft floor and a 10' wide dormer. Project is in process. This cabin could be built using the simple post and pier and decking layout of the Victoria Cottage plan's "simple 16' wide plan" inclulded with this kit. The owner of this cabin gives you a pretty good description of his construction system. You may be able to configure your own set of plans from his ideas. | |
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Raabe Retreat
Cabin (with "how-to" photos)
This is cabin that started these plans and a good example of the simplest of the three cabins in the Little House Plans Kit. Walk through these step-by-step photos of the10'x14' flat roofed cabin my two sons and I built for about $1400. For another example... This version of the smallest cabin in the Little House Plans Kit was built by a builder who now has a business building these as upscale playhouses and backyard workshop/studios for customers in his area. A house such as this can be built for less than $2,000 in materials using standard lumber and a simple "no-concrete" foundation. These sturdy little houses can sell for several times their cost. |
Click HERE for a list of links to small home
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Build for Yourself - Build for the fun of it. CountryPlans |