Cabin Ideas Please. What would you build?

Started by lonelytree, January 01, 2008, 06:37:52 PM

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glenn kangiser

I messaged John - Maybe he can tell you better, maggie.
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.

John Raabe

Maggie:

The Grandfather Cottage could be easily extended to the left hand side of the plan. This could add a couple of extra rooms and another bath if desired.



All I did here was copy a section of the existing plan and move it over about 20' but you get the idea. I expect you could find a better layout than this for the rooms. :D

None of the interior walls are load bearing. I think the scale of the GC will probably work better for an extension of this size than the 14' Builder's Cottage would. It has a more family sized kitchen, dining and bath/utility room.

As far as shipping costs for the plans, they are the same to CA or HI (via Priority mail).
None of us are as smart as all of us.


maggiethecat

John thank you so much for the preview! :)  I really hope I'll have no problems with getting a building permit with those plans. Hawaii is more lax than CA but not as lax as AK...

We got this from a Hawaiian realtor who sounds really nice:

QuoteBuilding permits are very cheap and easy to get compared to CA.  However, some people have a wild west attitude and feel the county doesn't need to know what they are building on their land, or their unlicensed contractor buddy helped them build a house and it failed county inspection.  So it is "permited but not finaled."  Yes, unpermitted or unfinaled structures are about 25% cheaper.  But a bank won't touch it with loan, and it might be uninsurable as well.  You are generally better off starting with land and getting a construction loan than to take over someone's building mistakes.
I have to check which lot someone cleared and put in septic.  Usually someone starts a project thinking they can build real cheap and they run out of money and then try to sell it.

--maggie
Decorate your cabin/house/castle/compound/hellhole with original modern ART!

John Raabe

Let someone local help you with this permitting process. In many places you need the help and "heads up" from someone who knows the local particulars. See the "Taking your plans to the Building Dept." overview that comes with the plans.
None of us are as smart as all of us.

maggiethecat

Thanks again, John!! I wonder if the GC can be built for $10,000. I think the house itself might be possible...just not the plumbing, wiring, and interior cabinetry...thought??

--maggie
Decorate your cabin/house/castle/compound/hellhole with original modern ART!


glenn kangiser

I don't know lumber prices there, Maggie, but that is close to the cost some have listed on materials for a similar to larger shell.  Shop carefully and find bargains if possible
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.

ScottA

Maggie I doubt it (shell) can be done for less than $15k

lonelytree

#82
Been a while. Here are some updated pics.

Shed, 8X8. Storage and bunkhouse. It costs less than half to drive up without my cabover or trailer. Sleeps 3 comfortably. Fully insulated and OSBed interior. Lights, outlets, and coffee pot.


First beam.


Pier setup.


More beams.


Corner looking at lake.


More piers and beams.


I have 4 more piers and a cross beam at 8 foot to do this weekend. It is all still loose and requires squared, leveled and racked. As it sets it is only 1/4 inch out on diagonal measurement. I plan to use a water level for level. It will continue to move a bit until the pads seat and my diagonal bracing is done.

Random pic of the week.


Fish TV.... works!!

If anyone has ideas on diagonal bracing, I am open to them. Piers are 5-1/2 X 5-1/2 and the beams are 3-1/2 X 11. I have a nice supply of 3/16 X 4" strap. Thanks!

Mike


glenn kangiser

I'd probably 45 some of the 3x material and temp nail maybe lag or through bolt and strap it at both ends.  Depends on what is available for me.
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.


Redoverfarm

I was thinking of some salvaged galvanized utility pole crossarm bracing with lag screws.

TheWire

Lonelytree,

Looks like you have been busy.  I have a couple questions:

What are the footings made out of?  Is that cement the wooden pads are sitting on?

Are the wooden footing pads treated?

What is the span between your posts?

Sassy

Hmmm, I replied last night & I don't see it here...   [noidea'

Anyway, was commenting on the massive piers/foundation - had no idea it was so big until I saw the person standing next to it! 

Gorgeous country - nice lake & boat  8)
http://glennkathystroglodytecabin.blogspot.com/

You will know the truth & the truth will set you free

lonelytree

Quote from: TheWire on August 06, 2008, 12:53:09 AM
Lonelytree,

Looks like you have been busy.  I have a couple questions:

What are the footings made out of?  Is that cement the wooden pads are sitting on?

Are the wooden footing pads treated?

What is the span between your posts?

Sorry to respond so late. Busy summer with work and weekends at the lake.

The pads sit on a sand/gravel mix. Straight from the beach. I was told be the old timers that pouring cement was a fools mission.

The pads are treated. I believe they are known as direct ground contact, .4.

Mike

glenn kangiser

I have thought about that quite a few times.  The cement is only as strong as the ground around it.  That's why I do so much of setting anchors into the rocks in the ground and setting the post here on rocks.  Not everyone has the same conditions though.
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.


lonelytree

#89
Progress is slow.....

I started putting slab and grab siding on the shed.


The old cabin is almost gone. 2 days of burning and one to go. BCIs and flooring stored for the winter. First 8 feet decked with 2X6 PT.


Piers. Front and 8 foot back. The front wall will sit on the 8 foot back one. Back wall on back one. BCIs on 12" centers. Actual cabin is 20 wide X 24 long.


Old floor in the cabin. What a pain to clean up. 2 days..... I still have a big pile to burn.


The area looks a lot better. The view will be pretty good. I will need to clear a few more trees, but want to wait until I get a better idea of which ones to drop.

Fishing has been very slow... 12 pounder. Yes, that is a digital scale. I really want to break 20 pounds this year.


Before winter:

3 more piers.

Beams for arctic entry.

Steps.

Burn the rest of the old cabin.

Carry in more insulation and the lower BCI plywood.

Dig a hole for the outhouse.

Then I can spend all winter getting ready to raise walls and designing the actual cabin.

Mike

P.S. Suggestions always welcome.




clake4341

Hi  I am in a somewhat similar situation. No power and no road to my site, so I have to carry all my materials down. its not that far about 75 yards, but a couple hundred bags of cement gets heavy. Anyway I am bldg a 20x 24 foot cabin with 2nd floor. I used cement piers with 3 ( 6x6x26) girders. I was planning a balloon construction wall, but the bldg store talked me out of it saying that the bldg code/ (inspectors) didn't like the balloon method because of the snow load. I am bldg this in northern Ontario, Canada, so they were worried about the walls spreading with the weight  of the snow. They talked me into Trusses which included a second floor( sort of) the upstairs is about 12-13W x 24L x 8'H which is plenty of room (enough for 2 small bedrms.). 

glenn kangiser

Balloon is stronger than platform but does not remove the outward forces like trusses.  You can use the semi-balloon with trusses.
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.

John Raabe

Thanks for the photos and project updates. Quite an inspiring story. I'm sure if it were easy to do we could put together a great weekend of volunteers from the forum to help you get the place buttoned up for the winter. :D
None of us are as smart as all of us.

apaknad

unless we recognize who's really in charge, things aren't going to get better.

lonelytree

I am still a bit concerned about trusses. I like the ones in Johns plans and they appear to be fine for my use. Since I shortened the plan to 24 feet and I plan to have a 12' loft I don't see too much push out on the walls. That is a question that I was planning to ask this winter as I get further along.

Fun? It appears that they expect snow by mid next week. I may lose another weekend out there. Good thing that I gave up on specific goals and just try to get what I can done. Last year the BEST fishing was end of Sept.... Maybe this weekend will repeat.

I would bet that even a couple of the people here could build faster than I could freight the materials in.

I still have to get my boat back, winterize it and haul it to storage.


John Raabe

#95
The site built trusses in the 1-1/2 story plans you have will take care of the outward forces on the walls, especially if they are balloon framed as suggested. In the open cathedral section you could do the timber cross tie cathedral ceiling option in the booklet. Those ties every 4' stabilize the forces when the ceiling is open. If you have a specific plan question you can ask it in the Plan Support section.
None of us are as smart as all of us.

tjm73

I would consider a propane powered generator to go along with your propane stove and refridgerator. Propane can be stored indefinitly without "going bad". And you will need to transport only one form of fuel. You could also install a back up propane heater or two in case you needed them in a bind.

lonelytree

I plan to use a wood burning stove for heat, a propane system with 2 grill bottles for the cook stove and possibly an on demand water heater (or a RV tank type), and my 1700W generator for a microwave, ceiling fans and lighting. I will have a small dorm type refridgerator, but it will only be used a couple times a year. A cooler will suffice for weekends. Basically a cabover camper or class C for utilities. 

The future will bring on a bank of 6V batteries that are charged with a generator.

The main objective of this cabin is to spend weekends in the woods and not spend alot of money doing it. I get almost 22 MPG without my camper on and 13 with it on. 9MPG is alot with diesel prices this high.

Cabins are going up all over the lake. The new airstrip is done. I just hope it is not going to become too popular and that people will catch and release the fish.

MountainDon

Quote from: lonelytree on October 19, 2008, 03:20:44 PM

  The future will bring on a bank of 6V batteries that are charged with a generator.


That works, sort of. The problems arise when you are away from the site for extended periods and the batteries slowly self discharge. That creates longevity problems. At the very least I'd recommend a small solar panel, sized to keep the batteries fully charged.

Even better would be a panel array large enough to recharge the batteries between uses. If the use is primarily on weekends, a couple days at a time, a small array could be enough to greatly reduce generator run times. We have not yet installed our PV array and equipment and I can tell you running the generator to replenish the batteries gets to be a bother after a while. Not to mention the fuel being used... remember to calculate that when figuring how much is saved by not dragging the camper around.

As for hot water check out the flow rate reuired before the unit kicks on. As well, size out the propane flow requirements; sometimes this is greater than small propane tanks can provide. Higher BTU appliances frequently require the use of a minimum size of a 100 gallon tank. High use with a small tank can lead to icing problems.  I like the use of an RV water heater. Left to sit there with the pilot light on (burner off, pilot only), with low to moderate use, we find we have enough hot water for the two of us. That's most of the year, when the ingoing water temp falls as it does this time of year the recovery time is much slower than in summer.
Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.

lonelytree

Thanks Don.

I figure for the first year or 2 I will have to run a generator at least 4-6 hours a day to finish out the cabin. After that I will look at the possibility of solar panels. Maybe the price will even come down a bit.

The guy I bought the land from has spent the last 20 years setting his place up and knows what works. He has backups to his backups. Him and his wife spend 6-7 months a year full time on the lake. I will try to get some pictures of his setup.

I really want to stick with propane for the stove and water heater. The cabin will have to be winterized like an RV in the winter. I hope to use drain lines on everything so I don't have to use antifreeze. It gets very cold up there. Propane will not work in the smaller bottles. I can heat water over the wood burning stove for washing etc.