The Sloane's East TX 20x30 1 1/2 Story Cabin

[BADB0Y]

My name is Michael, and I am a cabinholic. I'm a long time lurker, first time poster.

First I'd like to thank John for giving us this place to share our projects, bounce ideas of one another, and so on. Not to mention a great set of plans for the price! His customer service has been amazing, even checking measurements for me over the phone when I forgot my plans!

Last April my wife and I purchased a little over 10 acres in east Texas. Its about 65-70% wooded, with a large clearing in the middle and two ponds. The original plan was to stay in our 5th wheel until I but our home, but hings are too tight in the RV, and as every married man knows, "If mama ain't happy, nobody's happy!" So now the plan is to build this cabin as a residence, which will become my wife's craft studio later.

***BACK STORY***

The property we purchased has sat vacant since 2002 when the previous owner passed away. It was left to his estranged brother by default, and he didn't want anything to do with it, so he never paid taxes or anything on it. The state came through and bought almost 5 acres out of the frontage to widen the highway we are on, so when that happened, the taxes were paid up as part of the transaction. He put it on the market and it sat with little to know interest due to a VERY dilapidated doublewide (kid and druggie party pad) and chest high weeds and grass. We put in a low bid, and he took it just to get out from under it, so I got my little piece of TX for a song (around $27k), while there are several 10ish acre lots on the other side of the highway from me that are around $200k. I think I did OK!

The property has 4 decent small out buildings (roughly 10x15 shed/coop types), 1 Small barn (20x30), and 1 Large barn (40x40). At the time there was also a portable shed type building, but I've since torn it down and scrapped it. There are two ponds, and a creek.

Here is the big barn:


Here is the small barn, which was nicknamed the Turkey Vulture Barn for the family of them living in it when we bought it:


And here are 2 pictures of the one I tore down:

[Redoverfarm]

 .  Best site on the Web IMO.  As the sayings go " better than sliced bread".  Keep us in the loop.  Never know when one of us has probably crossed that bridge before.

[duncanshannon]

 

Looking forward to the build! 

[CjAl]

where at in east tx? there is a few of us around here

[BADB0Y]

Between Mabank and Athens... Just south of Canton too.

[BADB0Y]

Spent today punching 15 holes for piers and general clean up. One of my co-workers used to be a custom home builder and has a JD 317 skid loader, so for what it would have cost me to rent one, I got his and experienced operator for 8 hours.



I wish I had got the larger bit, but I will make it work. We did 12" holes (I was using the fencepost logic of dig twice the size of you post). I'm doing 3 full rows with beams simply because I tend to over build everything I do.



I will start posting up photos when I can get on wifi with my laptop... I also will go back to tge first post and edit it to provide some more back story on the property I bought.

[AdironDoc]

Glad you went from lurker to poster. Looking forward to seeing your photos and progress. The one thing I wish I had a year back when my own project started is the $99 camera I just bought. It's a time-elapsed outdoor camera that takes one photo each day. Strap it to a tree, and when it's all over, it will automatically convert all those photos to a short movie format that shows your whole project in fast motion and provide a great visual history of your build and the season passing.

http://www.amazon.com/Wingscapes-WSCT01-00114-TimelapseCam-Weatherproof-Digital/dp/B005LGTK7M/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1335445210&sr=1-1

[BADB0Y]

Wow, that thing is pretty cool. If I had known about it, I would have had it up yesterday!

[BADB0Y]

Here is a pic of the run down doublewide:

[AdironDoc]

Here is a pic of the run down doublewide:

Can o' paint and an area rug or two, she'll look right as rain! Heck, looks better than some motels I've spent a night in. 

[BADB0Y]

And we have lumber! Well, the Critical Structure posts and footers plus the plywood and 2x12s for the beams. Once I have them set, then I'll get the rest.

[dablack]

Lookin good.  Off and running!