20x32 A frame cabin Central KY

[EaglesSJ]

On your 26' rafters how much of it did you leave as overhang? How tall is the roofline from the base of your house/angle of the A's?

Does your 2nd floor get excessively warm in the summer? Did you do anything special for ventilation?

I dont remember for sure but it seems like around 16 inches of overhang. Roofline is 20 ft. The second floor can get warmer than the rest of the house but this is negated now that we have A/C installed upstairs. It actually stays cooler up there than it does downstairs. Also with the window in the front and the screen door leading out onto the upstairs deck ventilation is no issue.

[EaglesSJ]

My latest addition to the homestead is a zero dollar wood shed. I cut and skinned the poles myself, and used some rough sawn poplar lumber for the floor. Had some left over 2x4s for the rafters and my dad gave me the nails and metal roofing. Thats my kind of project! It holds 9 rick of wood which conveniently is exactly what we will burn in 1 year. I split the storage in half so we can start using out of one side and refill it as soon as it is empty so that it has a full year to season before next years burning. What you see stacked in there now is seasoned red oak. There are few things I find more beauty in than stacked firewood. There is just something about knowing you will spend a warm cozy winter that is calming to the mind.

I am also in the process of converting over the compost bins to store firewood. Based on the measurements it should store another 3.5-4 rick of wood. There is a rick (face cord) shown in the picture. It is very green as it was cut just a few days ago. My grandpa, my son, and I went out and cut 2 loads. 90 degrees and 90% humidity makes for a miserable experience. I did manage to get an action shot of my grandpa in mid split. In other news our tomatoes are off to a slow start but are now producing a few here and there, especially the Romas. Chickens are up to full production. Getting 8-10 eggs per day out of 12 hens. Somehow we are managing to use them all.

[EaglesSJ]

So for the past few days we have been working on the guest bedroom upstairs. It is a 16x20 room that is quite spacious and were actually wishing it were the master bedroom now! We still need to put down some flooring in the section below the built in shelves and a bit more trim stain and door but its almost done.

[willomiller]

Looking great man! One thing tho... where is the Black Hawk helicopter!? We really like the room.

[Patrick]

Your wood shed is exactly how we did it at my dad's old place in MT cut and peeled logs built it big enough for a seasons worth of wood,They cooked with wood only for a few years also . We would spend the summer and it would need to be full before we went back home, I remember being so happy when he got a woodsplitter.

[Frank W]

Awesome build!!! I'm new to the forum but have the same mindset. You did a great job. I raise Silver Fox rabbits and Red Bourbon turkeys. Got a few chickens too. My land is in Rutledge but your build has gave me a few ideas. Thanks!
BTW, What kinda bike did you get? I've had a few dirt bikes too(XR650, KTM525, and DRZ400). They are great for getting around rough country.

[Maxed]

I read through this entire thread today. Its amazing what you have accomplished. I plan on building a home similar to yours in TN very soon. I recently purchased some land up there and will be moving from the Texas Hill Country to TN. Have you done anything else lately to your home?

[flokk]

All I can say is, wow. I stumbled on this thread because I'm interested in learning to get off the grid and have been looking into buying land and erecting an A-frame. Read this from front to back and am so impressed. Kudos to you for making a dream out of a bad situation. Best of luck and thanks for the inspiration!

[Headed out]

Thanks for all your work on this forum, you inspired me to get started while my son is small. Any thoughts now looking back that might help those of us starting out? Thanks for your service,Merry Christmas

[EaglesSJ]

There are lots of things I would have done different. One is to run my water pipes through the floor joist instead of under them. Doing so would allow me to insulate in between each joist and trap the heat from my house against the pipes. I would put my wood stove more in the center of the house instead of in a corner to make it easier to distribute the heat.

But if I ever build another home I will build it underground. This keeps you safe from storms and is a breeze to heat and cool. A lot cheaper as well. Were actually thinking of selling this place and starting over with an underground home. Lots and lots of work though. The thought of doing everything I have done all over again is enough to keep a man up at night.

[Buckeye]

Your build thread made it look like a piece of cake Eagles! I started my A frame after following your build on this forum. I thought it would be a piece of cake because you made it look so easy....boy was I wrong . You are one hard working dude! I need to get my pics and start a build thread, it's too cold for me to be out there working!

[Adam Roby]

Just had to let you know how inspiring your story is.  You could literally write a book about everything you went through.  Congratulations on an amazing build, a beautiful family, and the heart to conquer any challenge you are met with (both you and your better half).  All the excuses I have made over the years not to build seem like nothing but a cop out now... you have re-motivated me.  Thanks so much for sharing! 

[CjAl]

When I first started thinking about building myself I was working on plans for a diamond shaped house intended to be built into a hill. With the two long sides buried in the hill and the roof as well with the three faceted front walls exposed. Problem is hills are kind of hard to come by in TX. Would have been great in wi before I moved here. A lake lot came up for sale few weeks back and its a long gradual drop to the lake that would be great for it and I keep catching myself driving buy slowely looking at it. Lol. I should be kicked in yhe butt. I csnt seem to get this house done and I want to think about starting another.

[rawlingsonline]

Hi EaglesSJ just finished reading all 25 pages and almost a year on from the last post I was wonder how life is go? are you still living there Or are you building your undground house you spoke about?  Hope all is well with you all.

[GSPDOG]

Had not checked up on this as well. really came out nicely.

[Texas Tornado]

I love reading this story and wonder what all he has built since his last posting... 

[EaglesSJ]

Haven't posted in awhile and so I wanted to update on what we have been doing. My business has been keeping me very busy but I have made time for a few projects. We completed the deck and added railing all the way around as well as a built in grilling area in the corner. Built a new chicken coop. I also finished the master bedroom complete with glass closet doors, corner jacuzzi, and a built in wall 75 gallon aquarium. Also had a huge pond dug behind the house. It surrounds the house on 2 sides. No pond would be complete without a zipline so I also ran one of those. 200 ft of cable makes for a nice summer splash! More to come as time goes on. If money stays flowing we plan on digging a full basement under the house before this winter.

[Bob S.]

Shane, Thanks for the update I have fallowed your build from the start and I think you have done a great job of building your family a nice home.
Bob

[tommytebco]

shane said "we plan on digging a full basement under the house before this winter."
Now, that's a project I will watch with interest!!!

[rick91351]

WOW!!!  You guys never cease to amaze me.  Love the raised bed garden - and your house has turned out so nice.     

[dablack]

That pond build is icing on the cake.  That looks great!

[Bob S.]

d[d you enlarge the existing pond or did you make a new one?

[J23]

The place looks great Sir!!  Glad to hear that you are still going strong!

How did the 55 gallon drum septic hold up; it has been a few years, care to add a long term review?

[Rys]

Inspirational! Thanks for sharing.  : )

[EaglesSJ]

We added a new pond. . We have 2 now. One is about 300,000 gallons. The new one is almost a million. The septic tank is still working like new. Had a lot of naysayers but I haven't had a minutes trouble out of it. We had a couple batteries go bad out of our bank but God came through for us with a perfectly timed blessing and my uncle actually just replaced his bank and gave us all his old batteries that were the same type and age as ours so we now have a 690AH 48v bank or right around 36kw of storage. These are now 3.5 years old sams club batteries. I'm pretty convinced that for the money they are awesome off grid batteries. I have been hard on them the past year and a half with all the extra loads we have been adding.