??? Can It Be Done???

[BiggKidd]

  Before anyone asks Yes I'm crazy.

Ok here goes. I am wondering if we can build a 16X24 one room cabin for under $5K. We are talking bare bones here. Just to get it framed and roofed, dried in for this price. We went looking at materials today its amazing just how high some things have gotten.

Doing this means building twice and having two living spaces when we are done.  Lots more work.

What this would get us is out of the city soon (before september) and out of a $900 a month morgage. Not to mention the other utilties we pay here. Taxes and insurance are also a lot cheaper there. That would give us more money faster to build our dream home. Just cutting out the weekly trips out to the land would save us $100 - $125 a week in gas. Its looking like spending $7500.00 turn key would save us that back in just a few months. Can we survive in 384 Sq. Ft.? It would probably be for less than two years. Which is a lot faster then we could end up in our dream home if we keep going like we are now. The biggest plus to doing this is it gets Kyrstin out of the city schools now not later.

$5000 would get a roof over our heads and $7500 would even allow for insulation and sheetrock if we get our materials before prices go up again.

So what do you guys think?

Larry

[ScottA]

Yes it can be done if you buy smart and limit the glass.

[n74tg]

Go to building-cost.net and put in all the particulars about your house.  It will give you a cost estimate for your area of the country.

[TheWire]

I'll have my 20x32 1.5 story http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=4640.0 dried in with a fair amount of windows for about $8000. http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=4495.msg55441#msg55441

Like Scott said, buy smart, look for sales, clearances, returns, etc. and you should be able to meet your $5000 goal.

Jerry

[NM_Shooter]

I don't think so...unless no plumbing, electrical, or heat.  If this is really just a shell, then maybe.  It is amazing how the little things add up.  Where would you shower and toilet?

I would be tempted to borrow another $5k or even credit card some of the supplies to get plumbing and electrical in.  Make it a little more livable than just dried in.  Watch your local Craigslist like a hawk and pick up cheap materials when possible.  I don't think I would skimp on exterior door / windows.  Lowe's has a house brand that is actually a nice window and is well priced.

Good luck!

[muldoon]

Not exactly what your asking for, but I found a 16x24 gambrel style tuffshed on skids on craigslist for 2800.  The cost to have it moved still places it under the 5k number.  It is insulted with R13 walls and R19 ceiling batts and has a 110v air conditioner window unit.  3 windows, 2 double swingout doors and a double floor with 2 layers of 5/8s plywood on top of joists.  It has 2 gable vents and a circular vent on the top.  It has 10 feet of loft and an attic pull down door for access.  Its siliconed up tight and holds temps decently with the small AC unit.  Sheeting is duratemp plywood - 30 year stamped.  I am going to the country this weekend as it is being delivered on Saturday, I am pretty excited about it.  I'll post some pictures next week.  No plumbing, no finish, walls, floorings, no electrical (just an extension cord, power strip and the AC box),

So yes, you can get a structure for under 5k.  I did it on the cheap and labor light, but for me the cost of materials + cost of gas to do the work over the summer would far outweigh the cost of building.  Even if you had close proximity to hardware and property, it still would be close if not over 5k - and still not be livable.  Do consider moving an existing building, there are some deals out there.  Especially the sheds from homes that are being foreclosed, they are selling them cheap. 

If you do build, find habitat for humanity stores, use reclaimed scrap materials if you can, have to do some smart buying indeed. 

[lockman]

I spent 6500 on a 14x56 with 2x6 walls. That included 26 gauge metal roofing. The roofing wasn't the plain galvanized either, it is the factory painted, with 40 year warranty. Also, I just spent 3500 for the lumber to frame a two story 16x46 with 2x6 walls.

I've saved a lot by taking advantage of Home Depots policy where they meet any price plus take an additional 10% off. One of the lumber stores here beat Home Depot usually by 2-4 dollars a board. I take a material list and get an estimate from them showing their price, then take it to Home Depot, where they will match the low price, then take 10% off that. It saves quite a bit. On the lumber I just bought, Home Depots price was originally close to 5,000.00. After matching and the 10% it was 3500.00.

ETA- the first figure also included a 6' double in-swing, wood framed, aluminum clad patio door. Regular price was 1300.00, but I caught it on clearance for 300.00.

[BiggKidd]

Wow Thanks for all the positive replies.


  We are planning on windows and doors either from habitat for humanity stores or scratch & dent from Lowes & Home Depot. Plumbing is more or less out. Due to septic costs. Least far as the county is concerned. Outhouse for the toilet and a holding tank for other needs. My understanding here is that long as water is not piped in septic is not required. Actually thought of adding on a leento type addition on the back wall as a wet wall with shower and wash area. If we put in a small holding tank under 500 gallons they don't need to know we have pumped water up from the creek. Later down the road this could either be used as guest quarters or storage area. I have built the 16X24 as a storage building many times and have the plans in hand. Usually a two man crew with all their ducks in a row can build this in less than a week. But thats just framing it in only a shell. This will only work if it will get us by the county codes. So looks like the next step is to see about getting a building permit and see how it goes. Got to get to work now and going to the farm tonight or in the Am. Still have to rebuild my generator too so we probably wont leave until tomorrow.

Have any of you seen the counter tops made out of portland and glass. I think we might try that for Kitcken counters. You use broken colored glass mixed in the cement instead of rock then grind it down smooth after its cured. Makes for a neat looking counter top pretty durable too.

The plans I have come from Heartland Yard Barns the 16X24 A frame I have plans for the 2 story barn too but frankly heights scare me. One fall to many from over 30 Ft. + that adds a bit to the time frame and cost but would double the living space. Thats what Nickole would like us to do. I would love the extra space too but not sure I can handle the heights needed when working.  

Thanks
Larry

[eric]

I'm hoping to do something very similar very soon, so I think you should go for it, but I'm crazy too.

As far as living in a small space, I think that is entirely a personality/mentality issue. I would guess that the vast majority of humanity currently and throughout history has lived in spaces smaller than what you're talking about. But I suppose those cultures spend/spent a lot more time outdoors than ours does.

Walden is my favorite book.

I just spent two months on the road in a 15' trailer with my wife and our two young daughters. It was a bit rough at times but well worth it. We were closer as a family in several ways because of it. I think I learned a lot on that trip about the excesses of our culture and what is really needed for human happiness. I saw all of these retired folks who had spent decades working many hours to pay for multiple vehicles and possessions and utilitities and mortgages on large homes, and they were now having the time of their lives in well under 300 square feet that was their vehicle that often didn't have utilities and left no space for more than a few possessions.

I'm 30. I figure why not just cut to the chase.

If your plan allows for loft space you might consider adding that, or building 10 foot walls to allow for it. Right now my plan is a 10' x 18' with a shed roof and 10' walls on one side and 12' on the other. I will put two 6' wide lofts on both ends at 6'6" up off the "main floor" (I'm 6'3" so that leaves a few inches to spare). These will be "bedrooms" for the girls. Under one of them will be our bed nook and a "bathroom", under the other will be the kitchen, and in the middle will be a small woodstove and not much else. I'm thinking of putting something like 80 gallon water tanks in the lofts above both the kitchen and bathroom for gravity feed. (We also learned that we need a lot less water than we thought.) But getting the water into those tanks is something I haven't quite figured out logistically speaking. I also need to do the math on the loft joists those tanks will require.

This 10'x18' would be temporary (hopefully less than 3 years.) until we can build our 14' by something 24' or over.

Two of my great grandfathers were literal homesteaders in my area (North Idaho). When they were my age they drank spring water, traveled by horse or train or boat, got their fuel from the logging they did with horses and crosscut saws and axes, ate way better food than I do, and lived in small or one room homes. One of them was killed young by industrial technology, the other made it to right around the time I was born. I wish I could talk to them now. They'd probably think I was crazy too, but they'd know how to do everything I want to do.

The one room cabin that one of them built is still standing and in decent shape about 10 miles south of the land I'm supposed to close on next month. He built it himself without any help from inspectors. It's been unused for 60+ years and it's still got the cookstove inside. I think about that cookstove sometimes. I've never stolen anything in my life, but I think I should steal that cookstove.

[eric]

Jeez, I just reread all of that I just wrote, I really am crazy. 10'x18'? 4 people? Theft?

[NM_Shooter]

Consider buying a yurt....it would provide living space asap, and you could sell it later when your other structure is complete. 

[glenn kangiser]

Your 10 x 18 was going to be full time, Eric?  If so seems to me you may want to splurge a little and go a bit larger for four people.

A 12/12 gable roof could give you a lot more room in the loft as well as extending the sidewalls a bit.

It's a lot easier to do it first than to wish you did later -- but just throwing out ideas -- you know what you want.

[eric]

I think yurts are really neat. But once you outfit one to be more cold weather friendly and build a deck to put it on you can quickly spend as much or way more than the numbers talked about in this thread.

See here: http://www.yurts.com/products/price-quote.aspx for a high end example of what you can spend without the deck.

Though you end up with a really neat more-than-a-tent, the r-value still has to be pretty dismal. I think the cost to value ratio for yurts is pretty bad if you have or are willing to learn basic standard construction skills. This is just my low and humble opinion.

[NM_Shooter]

I've seen them locally on Craigslist (used) for $4k to $8k.  The insulation value is not much worse than a dried in structure with no insulation, and a yurt has the added advantage of resale value.  Goes together fast for someone who is in a hurry to dump a mortgage. 

Either that or buy a used trailerhome.  You can pull that away when your build is complete. 

[eric]

You might be right, Glenn. I plan to build a similar sized storage shed before building the tiny house. Maybe spending time in that will change my mind about size. But we did just spend all that time in a much smaller space and it got me thinking that a little more space and it would be doable.

I keep weighing all the options and keep coming back to tiny house then bigger tiny house.

And Glenn, as far as I'm concerned, your thrown out ideas are always welcome

[glenn kangiser]

Since the underground complex roof is supported by post and beam framing 8x8 in square sections, it is easy to see what size you are talking about. Our studio apartment area is 16x28, no upstairs-  for 2 of us it is comfortable.  You would be less than half of that.

[Willy]

Well I got $14,500.00 into materials alone in my cabin to dry it in, electrical, rear deck, a few interior doors and stairs. I went first class on stuff and over built and did not cut any corners. You cannot go back and make the framing part of the building better but you can add all the expencive stuff to pretty it up later. Do the first part right. My design was expencive also you could build the same sq footage cheaper changing the design. No split roofs, cut out the cedar, forget the deck, no maintance free  material, leave off the trim, cheap door handles, smaller to code beams and posts, open stairs, max load design on all wood, ect. These things save costs but do show in the end product. I would live on plywood for years before cutting all the corners to build something cheaply/cheaper/less money how ever you want to call it.

   Point to remember I have a little over $2,000.00 into fuel alone just building the cabin and that was before the price jumped again!! Driving around looking for good deals to save a few bucks eats up fuel fast. More trips you make the more money not spent on materials. $2,000.00 buys a lot of wood! I have close to $2,000.00 into the deck/porch
boards, railing and another $1,000.00 into the posts, joists, beams brackets, concrete ect. The treated 4x6 posts are $22.00 each and I used 10 on the back deck alone.
Mark

[mvk]

I have thought about solid wood yurts for awhile, my wife has no interest and we now have codes/inspectors to worry about. I used to think about a yurt compound, kitchen/ baths/ laundry in one, living dinning in another then bedrooms in however many. I like the Idea of tension structures, a steel ring of sorts on the ground to screw through, a cable at top with cable clamps through vertical boards. You could also use plywood for the ring and bend and glue multiple layers.
Mike

[Willy]

You got me thinking and I built this barn a few years back on my place for $6,000.00 and it has a concrete slab under the main 2 story section and footings under the rest. The complete foot print is around 28X32 and if enclosed would have made a fair sized cabin. Wood prices have gone up since but the design was cheaper to build also. I was also a glutton for punishment and built it during the end of winter. Had to cover the concrete with straw and plactic while it cured. Mark




I had this 48X60 Pole barn built for me and it ran $29,000.00 I did the inside stuff, power, water and prepaired/graded all the dirt work with my farm tractor to save costs. The small barn was outgrown by my Daughters animals!


Never give up on your dream home! It took me 12 years to get all this together morgage free and a lot of hard work! I started out with bare land and kept building as I could afford. One day I will get my trim boards up inside the house.

[eric]

On the wooden yurt front, here's a cool site I found a while back that offers kits, including metal roof kits.

http://www.smilingwoodsyurts.com/

I like the look of that small barn, Mark. It really is encouraging to see that nice buildings can be built at these prices.

[Willy]

On the wooden yurt front, here's a cool site I found a while back that offers kits, including metal roof kits.

http://www.smilingwoodsyurts.com/

I like the look of that small barn, Mark. It really is encouraging to see that nice buildings can be built at these prices.

Thanks for the nice comment!
That place is near me where I live, about 30 miles away. I am sure I have drove by that house on the home page going to twisp many times. Mark

[eric]

I thought you might be close by those yurt builders, I didn't realize you'd be that close. It's a small world after all.

You know, when I went to Disneyland with my daughters earlier this year for the first time, the "It's a small world after all" ride was closed. Now I may never know what that song is really about.

Later that day I broke my toe.

[Willy]

I thought you might be close by those yurt builders, I didn't realize you'd be that close. It's a small world after all.

You know, when I went to Disneyland with my daughters earlier this year for the first time, the "It's a small world after all" ride was closed. Now I may never know what that song is really about.

Later that day I broke my toe.

That is a great ride! You float around in a boat going by lots of different animated small people from different countrys singing the song. I used to live near disney land back in the 50s-70s but it has changed a lot since then. Mark

[Sassy]

Never give up on your dream home! It took me 12 years to get all this together morgage free and a lot of hard work! I started out with bare land and kept building as I could afford. One day I will get my trim boards up inside the house.      why is that?  You've done a tremendous job on your place & just a few trim boards gettin ya?   

[Willy]

Never give up on your dream home! It took me 12 years to get all this together morgage free and a lot of hard work! I started out with bare land and kept building as I could afford. One day I will get my trim boards up inside the house.      why is that?  You've done a tremendous job on your place & just a few trim boards gettin ya?   

I am now getting ready to paint the house and the 24x48 work shop behind it again. Yes the trim boards are a pain. They will get done as we paint the insides one more time. Hard part is moving all the stuff to trim out the carpet, doors and paint at the same time. I should have done it before we moved in all the stuff but it was winter and we had no choise. The wife keeps reminding me about it! Mark