What would be the best foundation plan for a 16 x 16 cabin? Does anyone know - off the top of their head - how deep I would need to dig to place the piers in Northeast/East Texas? Seems to me like a 16 x 16 cabin would make good use of standard building product sizes without much waste - do you agree?
16 by 16 would be good for materials, as long as your framing correctly you would have little waste. I'm from MN where my footings have to be 4 1/2 feet deep, but i would assume in TX you have a very miniscule frost problem. For something that small you could use a post and pier set up, or a footing with crushed rock or gravel sitting right on the ground. That would be the easiest, then if you had to move it sometime it would be easier 8)
One free method to get a 16x16 basic plan would be to begin with John's generously provided Free foundation plan for 16' wide Little House project (http://free%20foundation%20plan%20for%2016'%20wide%20Little%20House%20project) and shorten it.
You could also do a three beam on pier foundation with the two outside beams located under the sides of the building. When looking at a square building the sides would be the ones running in the same direction as the rood ridge.
As for foundation depth you could check this tool (http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=6424.msg83816#msg83816). Foundation pads should be below expected worst frost depth.
I would design the size to suit your needs. If something like 16 x 18 would provide more usable space there is not that much waste even though the dimensions may not work out to be "standard" lumber sizes. A 2 foot piece of 2x material can often be used as blocking. Sheathing for a 18 foot wall would have a half sheet used to make the 18, but the other half gets used on the other side of the building.
I built a 15.75 x 30 because it suited us best. Most of our waste came from the sizing the rafters. Some got used here and there and some made excellent kindling.
I like your user name, a bit of a play on words there. By homesick gypsy, you must mean you are stuck in one place and feel home is on the road?
When I'm on the road, I'm homesick for home. When I'm home, I'm homesick for the road. :)
And I seem to move a lot. Found out recently I do actually have some gypsy blood from my ancestors.
Sounds like truck driving to me. I long hauled for about 5 years.