small cabin worth building on top of?

[duncanco88]

Hi all, I am new here.  Question for anyone who can give me some ideas or opinions.
We are looking at purchasing an affordable lake cabin, and it is only affordable because the cabin is very, very small for what we want to use it for.  The lot is level and treed and great.  Cabin has 512 sf with one small bedroom (8X10) and small 3/4 bath.  The remaining 23' by 15' is open kitchen/living.  Also has a 5' deck along the front of the cabin, so 21' long.  The size is fine for our small family of 4, but we would want to entertain and have friends with us up there, and therefore would want to add on eventually (2 years down the road or so).  Problem begins with the city who has a freeze on all lots in that area, because they are planning on bringing city sewer and water down the street eventually (no timeline stated, could be 2-8 years).  So we could only build up.  Could you even come up with something with 2 levels that would fit on a 21' by 15' or even 21' by 20' (if we could count the deck) footprint?  If we could, we would maybe start from scratch and put a basement under the 2 level structure.  And would the cost be worth it?  Even with the addition, the cabin would still be the cheapest/smallest in the neighbor hood.  Do we buy it, use it as it is, wait and see in the two years we planned if the city has changed their mind or set a date, then figure out what to do with our insanely small cabin that no one else would touch??  Afterall we want it because it is affordable! Any thought would be appreciated.  

[glenn kangiser]

Depends on a lot of things but if it is what you want, and is at least useable within your budget you may want to consider it.  

How is the city to work with in terms of allowing the remodel?

Welcome to the forum.

[duncanco88]

Thanks.  I hear the city is quite strict, so who knows what we could even do as far as going up.  We have until tonight to decide if we want it or not.  I could see us using it and altough it is tight, loving it.  My husband on the other hand doesn't want to be stuck with a tiny cabin in 3 years that no one wants.  We liked it initially assuming we could add a 12 X 20 addition on the back for a reasonable price.  But if we are digging a new basement and started all over (who knows if we even could), would we be better offf waiting the two years and spending all that money on a cabin that doesn't need a remodel? !Now I am emotionally attached to the lot, and unreasonably don't want to let the idea go.  Thanks for your reponse!

[glenn kangiser]

If you have until tonight, I'd go down to the city building department and ask them what is possible -- ask for an inspectors or plan reviewers help.  They love to exercise their power.

[Amanda_931]

Pop-up trailers are getting better? And the old ones are quite inexpensive--I had friends who thought even the old ones were wonderful, after vacationing in a really spartan truck topper for years..  



Can you put in a carport?  (to park the pup-up under!)

That would make guests feel at home, with some privacy.

But not encouraging them, as the proverb/saying goes, to stink like fish after three days.  (I'd thought that that was Twain, but a search showed a handful of possible sources--Ben Franklin, from the German, from the Danish, etc.)  

[Sassy]

That was a favorite saying of my grandmother, who was Norwegian...

[benevolance]

I would plan on putting 2 decks on the cabin...Say 8 feet deep each and 22 wide...Assuming the cabin is 22x24.. for 512 sq ft on the first level.

Okay so the dimensions of the first floor with the deck are now 38 x 24...and I would have beams along the decks..say 6x6 and put an upstairs on the whole thing....38 feet long...24 foot wide at the base of the second story...

A lot of stuff needs to be checked out...Like what is in the walls for studs and how are they spaced...If it was not built heavy duty adding a second story may not be structurally feasible...Without major renovations.

But adding a 4 foot header wall all the way around the second floor and then adding the Rafters....With a 4/12 pitch.. 14 foot rafter would give you lots of overhang..And you would have 8 foot ceiling at the peak.

You would have at least 22x 36 upstairs....Which would allow you to demolish the bedroom downstairs to make it another family or entertainment room...And the bedrooms could be upstairs

You could always look into raising it up and putting a basement under it as well...

Although more space per dollar can be achieved with a second story...

I would just get improvement permits for the porches and then add the second story....Play dumb as if you really believed the improvement permits allowed for the second story...

Usually the trick is to get it done before someone complains or the inspector specifically gives you an order to stop work....

Might get a fine, but once it is done it rarely comes back down.

I say go for it and worry about the consequences later