14 x 24 Olympic Peninsula

[pmichelsen]

Pretty crazy that it almost laid completely flat. Good catch!

[considerations]

Catching it was dumb luck, I heard it start to go and the camera was within reach.

It was built in the 70's over a place that floods every winter and over the years various persons had broken every window in it, including the ones in the roof, so it was a wet and leaky mess, with every upright rotten at the base. 

However.....it had been shored up multiple times over the years and there is sound lumber out there.  And yes, it is a scavenger's heaven (mine mine....all mine!) 

I won't be building in the "seasonal pond" where it is now.

[OlJarhead]

I hate to see old buildings go but when they were built in a pond they kinda have to

But pretty cool vid though! 

[considerations]

Ok, so I can be a little slow to make a decision sometimes....but for better or worse, I just hired myself full time to get this place civilized by winter. The economy may be better for some, but not out here.   For the last 12 months contracts have been few - small - and lots of time in between them.  I finally bit the bullet and am taking a chunk from the IRA to finish this place. I figure its just transferring an asset from one form of investment to another.   

[OlJarhead]

Ok, so I can be a little slow to make a decision sometimes....but for better or worse, I just hired myself full time to get this place civilized by winter. The economy may be better for some, but not out here.   For the last 12 months contracts have been few - small - and lots of time in between them.  I finally bit the bullet and am taking a chunk from the IRA to finish this place. I figure its just transferring an asset from one form of investment to another.   

When I was laid off last year I cashed in my 401k and put it into the cabin   My feeling was that since the federal government was looking at taking them over anyway, that I might as well put it where I wanted it to go.  Besides, with a little calculating I could see that my property and cabin would increase in value to a greater degree then my 401k -- I was right

So cheers to you!  You won't regret doing it and in the end will have a nice place to live and who knows what might come up down the road when you're done.

[considerations]

Thanks for the encouragement...after all these years of drilling myself about not touching that fund, I feel like a horse that's lived in the same pasture for years....and suddenly the gate is open..

[OlJarhead]

Thanks for the encouragement...after all these years of drilling myself about not touching that fund, I feel like a horse that's lived in the same pasture for years....and suddenly the gate is open..

I know the feeling!

My wife had an annuity that we looked at.  After a little math we discovered that cashing it in, paying the penalties and taxes etc and then paying off bills with it put us in a position to recover ALL of the loss of the annuity in just 3 1/2 years (which was about the time it matured in) and in the end we not only recovered from the loss but increased our position because of the lower amount of debt and the increased value in our property etc.

Today we're ahead of the game because of making that move (and my 401k) and look at retirement quite differently

[Squirl]

I think there is a primary residence exception in the IRA rules.  You may be able to do that without penalties or taxes.

[considerations]

Well, I'm knee deep in it now.  My old laptop screen went kerflewy and I'm running on a new one while its being repaired...but no photo program yet installed, so pics will come, but I've not spent any time installing programs because the weather is good and don't want a half  roof rained on.  Gat part of the osb on the roof of the sunporch yesterday.  The metal should be here tomorrow, so I'm working to get the osb and felt paper finished up today.

The sunporch is my solution to "what to do" when one wants to finish the interior of a cabin that one is already living in. I'll move stuff from 1/2 the downstairs onto the sunporch, finish off the now empty part of the cabin, move the stuff back in and do the same thing 3 more times with the rest of the cabin.  When its all done, the sunporch will be my weaving and sewing room.  And, I'll have running water, propane heat and an indoor toilet to enjoy when winter comes. 

Getting rid of the rented honey bucket and a storage unit will drop my monthly expenses even more.... The dream continues.

[OlJarhead]

Well, I'm knee deep in it now.  My old laptop screen went kerflewy and I'm running on a new one while its being repaired...but no photo program yet installed, so pics will come, but I've not spent any time installing programs because the weather is good and don't want a half  roof rained on.  Gat part of the osb on the roof of the sunporch yesterday.  The metal should be here tomorrow, so I'm working to get the osb and felt paper finished up today.

The sunporch is my solution to "what to do" when one wants to finish the interior of a cabin that one is already living in. I'll move stuff from 1/2 the downstairs onto the sunporch, finish off the now empty part of the cabin, move the stuff back in and do the same thing 3 more times with the rest of the cabin.  When its all done, the sunporch will be my weaving and sewing room.  And, I'll have running water, propane heat and an indoor toilet to enjoy when winter comes. 

Getting rid of the rented honey bucket and a storage unit will drop my monthly expenses even more.... The dream continues.

Awesome!  I'm happy to hear your progress and plans

I often think about adding chickens, goats and a greenhouse because of the added reduction in overall costs (by raising your own food, and growing it).  I garden now but increase my production each year in certain areas that seem to benefit us the most.

Anyway, keep it up and worry about the pics later

[Redoverfarm]

Glad to hear from you CF .  All things come to those who wait. 

[Sassy]

It's great that you are getting lots done, especially the IMPORTANT things like running water, heat & a real flushing toilet!   

I will officially be retiring in July & trying to figure out what to do w/my Thriftplan (federal gov't version of 401K)  I'd rather pay off bills & have less stress than keep in locked up in an uncertain economy...  just hoping that I still have it.   

[considerations]

Got the metal on the roof by noon! 

Anyhow took a soak today in my new hillbilly hot tub.  I got an old steel bathtub, put it on concrete blocks, lined and surrounded it with black plastic, and covered it with two sheets of clear plastic, all neatly tied down with bungie cords, and filled it partway with water...at the end of an even partially sunny day, I get a good warm soak and the trees get watered. 

Clearly refinements would yield a better result, but it'll do for now.

As for the retirement fund....seems that watching the stock market is like sitting in the front row of a yo-yo tournament...only they're playing with my money.  I'm not regretting the the decision, and am not taking it down any worse than the 2008 fiasco did.  We'll see how I feel when I'm done with this part of the project.

I know some of the forum folk have completely cashed in...I have mixed feelings about making such a decisive move....I have time to think about it.

Glad to be back Redoverfarm.

[considerations]

OK, pics
I love shovels, I love shovels, I love shovels....


The Job super


concrete


posts


beam


rafters


metal on ....we beat the rain! 


more to do but at least we do it dry.

[PEG688]

 

The Job super



rafters

I was thinking wow she's cat like when I saw the ramp !!  The photo under "rafter" shows it IS a cat  / pet ramp, whew!!  The super appears to be a real  pecker head !!, But then most are 

[considerations]

You made me laugh PEG, twice.

Cat like....if you saw me on the roof sticking screws in you would not say so.  Something smarmy about getting close to the edges.

As for the job super, I never thought of that...but you both "nailed it". 

[considerations]

Underfloor is done...and because the roof went on first, all the insulating and hardware cloth under the floor joists is installed as well. Framing starts Monday. 

[PEG688]

Underfloor is done...and because the roof went on first, all the insulating and hardware cloth under the floor joists is installed as well. Framing starts Monday. 

So this is living space? I was thinking it was a cover porch/ deck area. 

[considerations]

Its a "sun porch".  Every time I try to reply fully, this d--- machine wigs out and fries the reply.  So short and sweet;

I finish this "room" off, interior included.  Move things from a section of the cabin into it.  Finish that section of the cabin.  Move things back in.

When its over before winter hits again  I have propane heat as well as wood, endless showers if I want, a real kitchen, and a warm "sit down" facility rather than the port-a-potty. 

This eliminates about $200/month in rental costs....which will mitigate the cost of more propane usage for the stove, furnace, and water heater.

Then the "sun porch" becomes a place for my loom/sewing machines and textile projects....and maybe a cot for those rare hot summer nights.

[considerations]

So has anybody had recent/good experience with vinyl floor tiles?  I'm considering them for this "sun porch".

Everything I've looked for on this forum is several years old and less than encouraging.

[MountainDon]

For vinyl I much prefer sheet vinyl. However I did our laundry/utility room in 12x12" commercial grade floor tiles. The color goes through solid. Those have stood up fine over 25 years. But all the other vinyl tile that came with the house was less satisfactory. Of course it was cheap.

[Redoverfarm]

So has anybody had recent/good experience with vinyl floor tiles?  I'm considering them for this "sun porch".

Everything I've looked for on this forum is several years old and less than encouraging.

You might consider vinyl flooring.  Basicly like a heavy solid vinyl sheet goods but now in managable strips that is laid similar to laminate flooring.  http://www.nextag.com/vinyl-strip-flooring/shop-html

[dug]

You might consider vinyl flooring.  Basicly like a heavy solid vinyl sheet goods but now in managable strips that is laid similar to laminate flooring.  http://www.nextag.com/vinyl-strip-flooring/shop-html

I'm not sure if it's the same stuff but my brother just put down something that sounds like that at my mom's place. Goes down like a floating laminate floor, no glue- and works well on less than perfect sub floors. Looked real nice!

[Sassy]

Nice job on the porch! 

[considerations]

Nice job on the porch! 

Thanks...I don't do much of it alone.  I'm in the unique position of being a combination project manager and job site flunky.  So I do the the "grunt work", ask too many questions, set unreasonable goals, run for and hand up materials, learn lots, get dirty and tired, and get what I want esthetically because poor ol' Parker manages to translate my "vision" into something structurally sound.

I think 1/2 of what I pay him for is instruction time, and I'm lucky enough to have someone willing to put up with me.

Warning: Cute attack




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