Should I build on site, or move it later?

[Beat-in-bama]

Hi all,  after convincing my wife to move into a 10x20 nestled somewhere in the woods of Alabama, I've found myself pondering something. Should I build it on skids, then have it moved onto land once I buy it (August probably)? Or should I build it on site, on concrete pillars? I'm thinking it would be great to build it at my current house, easy to work a little after work, on weekends. But can I get the thing moved by someone? Anyone have any experience along this realm?
Thanks - Eddie

[John_M]

That seems like an awfully big structure to move!  How far are we talking?  Down the street or down the highway?

[glenn kangiser]

Hi Beat.  How about taking that time you have, making yourself a cut list and a quick assembly kit that you can haul in by yourself with a pickup or trailer.  Any savings you make pre-building it will likely be eaten up paying a house mover, road fees , permits, foundation labor and set up - lost time.

A good kit made by you could go together quit fast.  Probably no more time than all of the other stuff put together would take.

I moved an 8 x 16 for a customer - even that was heavy and quite a problem and we only went about 100 feet.

[Chuckca]

http://www.omick.net/shelter/shelter.htm

[Beat-in-bama]

I'm glad I posted on this site. You guys are the best. And Chuckca, You've got me thinking smaller and with wheels! I'll probably have to move this thing at least 30 miles, and I have no desire to fork over a chunk of change to have it moved. So it's back to the drawing board. If no wheels, then a kit made by myself is definetly the way to go (thanks Glenn). It would be much easier to get it all sorted out in my sideyard, then assemble it on site.

[glenn kangiser]

Our pleasure.  If we can't get you an answer we guarantee we can totally confuse you.

Please keep us posted.

[desdawg]

Anything over 8' wide would require an oversize load permit. I like Glenns prefab idea the best.

[John_C]

.... smaller and with wheels! I'll probably have to move this thing at least 30 miles, and I have no desire to fork over a chunk of change to have it moved. .

If you want it to be it's own trailer and not self destruct en route it will need a FAR stronger longitudinal spine than a house on a foundation requires.  I don't see the saving in this for a one time move.  You should be able to beg, borrow, rent a suitable stout trailer if you really want to move it.  

I think with prefab walls etc. it could go up and be dried in within a couple weeks on site if the foundation was ready.  I have also had a couple problems with assembling prefab structures on foundations built by a different sub.  In one case the crawlspace foundation was 3" or so out of square. It wouldn't have been hard to adjust a stick house to the foundation, but the prefab SIP house was a real headache.  So if you go the prefab route make sure everything is built very accurately. It would be easy for just a few errors to eat up all your anticipated time savings and some money as well.

[MountainDon]

Eddie, I see the word "prefab" being used in the last few posts. To me prefab conjures up images of walls panel sections; studs, sheathing, etc. all nailed together. Those tend to be heavy and awkward unless you have a crew to help handle and install them.

I may be wrong, but I don't think that's what Glenn was advocating. He called it a "a cut list and a quick assembly kit " which to me is to take or make a detailed plan and cut all the pieces to exact length. Label everything. If you have access to a banding tool that would be great; if not buy a few black permanent markers and mark the pieces. Then transport the lumber in stick form to the building site. Sort it out there and start building in a conventional style, without having to cut pieces while you're doing the assembly.

Doing this you will become very intimate with all the details as to how everything fits together. I have used this method extensively in the design and construction of post and beam playground equipment. I'd go as far as marking a beam to post joint with an alphanumeric numbering system I devised.

On site I'd erect the cabin on piers and girders (beams), but there are other choices.

G/L,  Don

[glenn kangiser]

That's the way I'd do it Don.  Assembled panels get heavy especially for one guy.  Today I had a stick with nails as a helper.  I was doing handrails alone so cut a 4x4 to length for under the rail.  I set one end on the 4x4 then went to the other end and with tools nearby drilled a hole, ran a screw in the top the went down the rail and put the rest in.  

Sticks don't complain.  You don't have to feed them.  They don't talk back or call you names. You don't have to pay them unless they get together and form a union --  :-?  (This can be prevented by monitoring who they are talking to.)

[MountainDon]

I like those stick helpers a lot for all your listed reasons. And if in the end they get out of line they're ever so easy to cut down to size; much easier than unionized labor.    

[fourx]

Eddie, one aspect that I don't think has been mentioned is siting the structure to take every possible advantage of prevailing winds and sunlight, and using the method Glenn has advocated will mean you can visit the home-site as many times as you wish to examine drainage, window placement, and shade from trees during different seasons.
A little foresight in this regard will save you thousands in heating and cooling costs and in maintance in the future- I know it did for me..in fact, I lived in a trailer on-site for six months before starting to build.

[glenn kangiser]

Good point, Pete.  I think everyone should get intimate with their land,  Get to know it's slopes, it's rocks, it's trees.  Caress it's soil, listen to it's wind, run your fingers through its grass.

Before I studied , got to know and experimented with my land I wasn't aware that one of the best sources of building materials was right beneath my feet.  Maybe yours holds surprises for you.

Boy --was that hokey or what :-?

[John_C]

Good point, Pete.  I think everyone should get intimate with their land...

I'm moved      Wishing you the best always       [smiley=beer.gif]

[glenn kangiser]

Hey, Thanks John.  

I'm just eating now.  

Give me a bit.

Haven't moved yet. :-/

[J.T.]

Beat,
First and foremost, don't forget what August is in Alabama. We're talking 90+ degrees F (I'm thinking upper 90's this time around) along with a pleasant 90+ % humidity at any latitude. Sweat doesn't evaporate to cool you, you just stew in your own juices. Prevailing winds (unless your on the Gulf Coast. And we're talking a few blocks from water) might be something to pray for if you have an inclination to. I would, however, carry a sign similar to the one in the previous post- it will come in handy warding off yellow flies in the day and mosquitos at night.  Thats pretty much our constant, yet still, we remain- it is beautiful. If your somewhat familiar w/ basic carpentry skills and have the tools, a 10' x 20' w/a simple (gable) roof should provide a nice and realistic challenge for you and your bride whether or not you build it partially or all on site. If your site is remote, you'll likely need a generator. If that's the case, I would pre-build/cut at home as much as and as large you feel you can(preferably, in front of a large fan) and haul and erect it given your resources (friends, relatives, wife, health, knowledge). Since it will be an after work/weekend project, I think you'll see (and it will definitely seem like) more/faster progress doing it this way. Do your due-diligence and research in the planning stages especially w/ your foundation work as errors at this early stage can be expensive/frustrating in terms of both material and time, and, a constant nag if not remedied. Tell you what, if you are anywhere on the map close to a route between Mobile and Tuscaloosa/Birmingham, I'd be willing to spare a day, possibly a weekend- gratis. I travel to Winfield from Mobile to visit my dad during the summer and could extend help in the way of tools/skills if needed. I promise I won't even mention how hot it is...much.

[Amanda_931]

Maybe we won't have a July like that of 1980, when Nashville Tennessee was at or over 100 degrees F for the official high every day in July, and there was NO RAIN AT ALL.

(And I was driving a lot in a car with the heater on permanently--screaming pain to put the official heater control valve in it, so I didn't)

[glenn kangiser]

A pair of vice grips squeezed over the heater hose might have stopped the hot water circulation, Amanda.  Don't ask me how I know. :-/

[Amanda_931]

Probably would have.  It was a new piece of heater hose.  Still nice and flexible.