Sizes and a basement... I know, I'm crazy.

Started by seedspreader, February 24, 2011, 09:38:57 PM

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seedspreader

Ok, short introduction, been a reader for a while, registered recently and will be building an off-grid cabin in the back yard (I've got a couple of acres).

Current house is smaller, paid off completely (as well as the land), we garden, homestead, etc. The kids bedrooms are currently lofts 2 boys and 2 girls, loft on each side and open in the middle. about 28 x 30 footprint.

I want something that is off-grid, because I don't always anticipate that the grid is all that dependable and think it will degrade as it becomes harder to come by investment dollars for infrastructure and usage/demand go up.

So I'll be building everything on the back of the property (current house is within 50 feet of the front of the property). I want to build 10 foot walls with the floors/ceiling for the .5 story above taking up a couple feet of the side wall and a steep roof line for a nice loft/upstairs.

I'm thinking of a 16x20 or a 14x20.  First question, any sizes that are better for standard building materials between the two? I know typically I've been told to deal with multiples of 8 for layout, but this isn't typical building. I know it will be opinions, but let me hear yours.

Second thing... I want to put a basement under it. (That's sort of the crazy part I guess). My current house has a very crude, partially hand dug basement with a portion that is stone foundation and then some footers and pad in other parts of the house. I want something that we can go into and store our food, supplies, pantry etc that is well lit and dry. I know poured forms are popular for many good reasons but I won't be able to get a concrete truck back to where I want, and I am thinking of doing the dry stack method.  So second question is: Has anyone here done a basement (I know there are some earth-berm houses here) under their cabin? If so, what are your thoughts? I know that dry stacking my change my footprint size a bit because the difference in block/mortar sizes.

Anyway, I look forward to participating here and thank everyone for your input.

Alan Gage

Depending on your soil and water table you could look at a wood basement (PWF - Permanent Wood Foundation). Traditionally they're done with a concrete floor but you can do a wood floor too. I was planning on doing one on my build this spring but decided to go with a slab instead of basement. Did lots of research and it sounds like as long as it's done right (drainage) they work fine.

Alan