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Small Cabin Forum / General Forum / Let me hear SUCCESS Stories - Can the cabin be better than the dream of one?
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Borrego
Member
# Posted: 29 Apr 2014 10:33pm
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We got our place after a near-death brush for me, figured the 'life is too short' thang.....I worked like a man possessed for the first 4 years. Me alone on 3 day weekends (some good friends stopped by of course, bless all you guys!) I am now 60 and the place is purty much done at least inside. I need to add decks and porches and general property up-keep. And as was said, I finish a days work, sit on the deck and pop open a cold one and look around...what do I see? Well, the recent work of course, then my eagle eye starts going to all the mistakes and need-to-do's......it's said the cabin is never done and with good reason.... And that's what will keep us young, eh? Working on our beloved properties and cabins!

toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 30 Apr 2014 10:29am
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Mine is essentially all done. I have no do overs. So now I'm somewhat lost when I go over there. So what do I do besides relax. I find stuff to do or create more work. I am working on a full solar well, livestock style, just to draw water when needed (well is already in place, just never trimmed out) buttoning up the fence around the entire perimiter. Nice ranch style entrance (log arch over entrance with hanging sign) small man gate to get inside and open driveway gate, maybe an electric fernce wire over top of barbed wire. Solar powered of course) trim some more tree branches. Maybe a container hidden further back for larger storage items. Maybe a permananet ham radio antenna. I have a 50 foot tower at home, it could also act as a platform for a wind generator, or sola panel mounts???

As you can see, I have no end is sight for projects if I think hard enough. But one at a time and not to overwhelm myself. Just slow and easy, one day at a time. No deadlines etc.

I do have a concern. I have found signs of wester bark beetle (confirmed on the states DNR site) in the area and a cluster of small trees on my place have been attacked. I'm hoping its limited. Otherwise, that could be a huge task to deal with by itself, ie cleanup of dead trees etc.

cabingal3
Member
# Posted: 30 Apr 2014 12:56pm
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TheCabinCalls -know the feeling.
dad got a slave cabin hauled to our property on the lake in louisiana.i love that place so much.
running wild chasing wild pigs,me and brother.
me and brother on the lake rowing and fishing and fighting and our paddles fell in the water.we had to shout to the neighbor on land to help us.
the watermelon man coming down the road at dusk hauling his load of melons he had grown himself.a big old wagon pulled by horses and him yelling at the top of his voice -"watermelons for sale"
we would buy one and dad would slice it up and we would sit in the early evening eating our watermelon and the lightening bugs started to come out.
we lost the cabin when dad died to back taxes.
i have been trying to get a cabin ever since i left it.i have been trying to get a cabin again for 55 yrs.finally me and the mister built one.
the old ways are gone but i do have a cabin again.
i feel so blessed to go out there.it is different.i am not a kid anymore but we have a cabin in the woods.
every board u nail on is getting there.

cbright
Member
# Posted: 30 Apr 2014 02:12pm
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I'm almost exactly 1 year in on my build .... and 95% complete. Just ceiling, flooring and baseboard to do inside and some siding (just the back) and painting trim outside... the end is thankfully in sight!

Kudzu
Member
# Posted: 30 Apr 2014 10:07pm
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Someone asked me about my cabin and I started telling her about it, when her husband chimed in and told me about his "Man Cave", his wife was embarrassed.

rugercpl
Member
# Posted: 23 Jul 2014 11:59pm
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Before/after pics.
Before
Before
After
After
Before
Before
After
After


rugercpl
Member
# Posted: 24 Jul 2014 12:07am
Reply 


No plumbing previously and an obnoxiously loud gas generator. In added my touch and now have a kitchen, bath, solar power, and gravity fed cistern.
Glamping?
Glamping?
Off grid zombie palace?
Off grid zombie palace?
Bachelor pad in the woods
Bachelor pad in the woods
Rustic sheik?
Rustic sheik?


rugercpl
Member
# Posted: 24 Jul 2014 12:12am
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Man cave!
Love
Love
Love
Love
Love
Love
Love
Love


Wilbour
Member
# Posted: 24 Jul 2014 06:39am
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Sometimes it feels like one of those shots from a movie where as the camera focuses in on the actor the background keeps getting farther away. In other words our dream of sunny days to build have many rainy days inbetween. Trips to the local supply store is peppered with "out of stock - on back order" signs. Trips to town doubled in time thanks to road construction.

All these setbacks can frustrate the most optomistic person. The odd thing is we like our place because it's on a quiet island with a small village where time has stood still for decades.

Realisticaly you cannot have it both ways. You can't expect to "get er done" quickly and be in a laid back environment. I have to learn to enjoy the quiet time during the rain and be content with the limited build time we have.

Life is what happens while you build your dream.

toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 24 Jul 2014 09:02am
Reply 


Another ad on note. I have picked up the 20 bordering my existing 20's east boundary, so doubled my land to manage. But its going to be simple, outside of fencing it, no plans except to just increase my elbow room. Its staying natural as is my original 20 for the post part.

Brettski
Member
# Posted: 24 Jul 2014 03:12pm - Edited by: Brettski
Reply 


Just past 5 years in June....of non-stop weekends and vacation days from work. Hoping for a shot at a final inspection from the county inspector for an occupancy permit with the next month or two. Sadly, the unrelenting pace of construction left little time and energy to update our website. That will prolly take another 5 years

Jim in NB
Member
# Posted: 25 Jul 2014 06:40am
Reply 


I am at about five years into my place .... had a good buddy who is a carpenter do most of the important work with me as a strong back or silent observer. I am hoping to have running water and the solar hooked up. It has been a wonderful adventure and I have been fortunate enough never to let the frustration get the upper hand .... go with the flow ..... as for the first post ... comparing the current place to others now or in the past .... every camp, cabin, cottage has it's own unique charms and you should feel good about yours and not compare it to others .... as for stuff to do once the build is over .... there is no shortage of stuff to do and I am looking forward to doing new and different things ... learning the guitar, will pick up the watercolours again, maybe even the bagpipes! Of anything will be interspersed with plenty of cold beer on hot days just sitting back and enjoying life!

turkeyhunter
Member
# Posted: 25 Jul 2014 08:00am
Reply 


Rugercpl..your Glamping pad is awesome....love it!!!

TheCabinCalls
Member
# Posted: 25 Jul 2014 08:05am
Reply 


There are some great stories (and hope) here. We are two years past our final inspection and it is almost hard to remember those feelings that were keeping the cabin from being a great escape. It seems that the worst parts of building the cabin have turned into the greatest stories - even the horror stories have turned comical!

For those that are stressing finding time to get away, running into roadblocks or wondering how it will get done the way you thought it would - Deep breathe - it will work out and be great!

One thing we learned and we still use now. Make a list and pick one or two things on the list that you will get done during your next visit. Don't try to do too much or you'll just stand there looking at your property wondering where to start every time.

neb
Member
# Posted: 25 Jul 2014 05:27pm
Reply 


My cabin (shack) as I call it is more of a survival cabin. I could live there 3 seasons and could survive in winter if I had to. My cabin is close and spend a night or two from now and then. I will never be done with mine. LOL I continue to do improvements and make it better. I enjoy the outdoors and don't worry about getting it all done. That would take the fun out of it.

It's the journey not the destination. I'm not looking for the end but living it and enjoying as I go. I'm in no hurry!! Today I went up early and just sat around and hiked. Then I decided to do some work on more bracing under cabin where I have installed my wood stove. I just took my time and enjoyed the work.

It's all about the journey not the destination for me.

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