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KinAlberta
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# Posted: 29 Oct 2017 11:12am
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What do you wish your cabin or property had that you definitely or realistically could have had (given your options, budget, availability etc at the time)?
Eg bigger view window, larger/smaller property, different property, different heaters, stoves, different floor plan, foundation, insulation, kitchen...
I’m saying at the time because this is now, if you’ve paid off debt, kids have moved out, etc of course now you’d probably value something quit different.
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paulz
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# Posted: 29 Oct 2017 03:22pm
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Better foundation. I went into it just thinking of a simple shack to get out of the cold. Now it's almost a full fledged livable place with hot and cold water, electricity, insulation, pictures on the walls...sitting on pier blocks.
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 30 Oct 2017 10:55am
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Ditto on what Paulz said. My foundation (or lack thereof) is a problem that hasn't reared its ugly head yet, but I am sure one day it will.
But lets say, God forbid... That my cabin burned to the ground and I had to start over. I really think that I would:
A) get a prefab shell. A place by us has an extremely well built 16x40 shell they will set in place for around $13k. Now that's pretty much what I have total in my current cabin stick-building it myself, but the time that it took makes the pre-fab route look awful attractive.
B) stick to a single-level floor plan. Don't get me wrong, I love my 2 story cabin, but it comes with a couple issues that I didn't think about. Its very nearly impossible to keep a consistent temp from downstairs to upstairs. And to be completely honest, Me and the wife are getting older, and the stairs narrow and steep and can be a bit of a PITA when you are tired and sore and just a little tipsy.
C) put in more electric outlets. For example, I only put in an outlet on either side of the bed upstairs for a lamp and to charge our phones. I didnt think we would ever need more than that, but I really wish I would have run a couple outlets on the other side of the room. Those would have been really handy from time to time.
Tim
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rockies
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# Posted: 30 Oct 2017 06:36pm
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Not much. The one thing I would change for others is to advise them to go out and buy some computer architectural design software (you can get a good program on a cd for about $60-90) and use that to design your cabin rather than sketching it out on graph paper.
The program will prevent you from making serious structural mistakes, allow you to instantly make changes and will also update all the other drawings at the same time (like sections and elevations) and even generate a materials list to take to the lumber yard.
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Atlincabin
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# Posted: 30 Oct 2017 08:07pm
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I would increase the size of the cabin. Our floor plan was 20x24 feet and the logs ended up being about 16-18 inches diameter (way bigger than we expected, although we really like them), so we effectively lost a couple feet in each dimension inside. If doing it over with the same logs, I would have added 4 feet in length and made the plan 20x28 feet.
I agree with rockies in using a design program as it will allow you to account for wall thicknesses etc.
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naturelover66
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# Posted: 30 Oct 2017 08:27pm
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Mine needs a closet!!!
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bobrok
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# Posted: 30 Oct 2017 09:20pm - Edited by: bobrok
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I've wanted a small cabin deep in the woods my entire life.
My only regret is that I didn't do this 25 years earlier.
Everything else is perfect as is.
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Borrego
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# Posted: 30 Oct 2017 09:43pm
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Quoting: bobrok I've wanted a small cabin deep in the woods my entire life. My only regret is that I didn't do this 25 years earlier. Everything else is perfect as is.
Yep.....
Other than that , maybe a wee tad larger.....
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Nate R
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# Posted: 30 Oct 2017 10:05pm
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Rockies, can you recommend a program that spits out elevations, material lists, etc like that? I've seen $200+ programs, not $60-90.
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frankpaige
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# Posted: 30 Oct 2017 10:27pm
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Would take more time considering the wants of electrical lines in the cabin. Running them underneath is OK, but, it would be cleaner if more thought was given.
It's a smaller cabin. 12x18. I can use the excuse that I just wanted to get it framed in and usable. But, pre planning is a must.
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deercula
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# Posted: 31 Oct 2017 01:07am
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Quoting: frankpaige But, pre planning is a must.
I would take more time to plan the location of windows, doors and steps. They are not easy to relocate. Remember sunlight, wind, overhangs, interior traffic pattern, loading and unloading of gear, sight lines to road and nature, etc........ A lot to consider when your cabin is just a concept on paper.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 31 Oct 2017 08:47am
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Quoting: bobrok I've wanted a small cabin deep in the woods my entire life. My only regret is that I didn't do this 25 years earlier. Everything else is perfect as is.
Ditto. Mine is perfect! And I started with a full foundation/stemwall with interior access only. Great for secure storage, never a varmint inside either.
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beachman
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# Posted: 31 Oct 2017 12:44pm
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The general theme here seems to be bigger. I would have to agree. While I am generally happy with the way it turned out (about 500sf with about 100sf loft) I would provide for a bigger front porch and a second bedroom on the ground floor. I could do the other bedroom but would take a few bucks which I do not have at the moment. I am lucky as we have block piers and no movement for going on 6 years - sandy soil. I would also do the wiring while building - not after. A real PITA! Took a year for my shoulder to heal.
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Wilbour
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# Posted: 31 Oct 2017 02:36pm - Edited by: Wilbour
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Quoting: KinAlberta kids have moved out
Still waiting for that.
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rockies
Member
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# Posted: 31 Oct 2017 05:52pm
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These are some good options for design software.
http://www.toptenreviews.com/software/home/best-home-design-software/
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fiftyfifty
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# Posted: 31 Oct 2017 06:50pm
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I had the cathedral ceiling spray foamed but then used fiberglass in the walls to save $. Wished I would have spray foamed the whole thing.
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naturelover66
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# Posted: 31 Oct 2017 08:49pm
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Bob is right. The cabin is perfect.
Its a place to run away to and a place i truely love. There are always projects to be done and improvements to make.
My cabin wish list is long but im grateful for every single minute spent there.
Lisa
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Gary O
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# Posted: 31 Oct 2017 11:07pm
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Quoting: bobrok I've wanted a small cabin deep in the woods my entire life.My only regret is that I didn't do this 25 years earlier.Everything else is perfect as is.
Yep
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Invictus
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# Posted: 1 Nov 2017 02:16am
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I have no regrets and wouldn't change anything about my new cabin or the land that I bought...I will be building more structures on my property though...Hobbit house in a hillside is my next project.
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creeky
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# Posted: 1 Nov 2017 09:59am
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Quoting: naturelover66 im grateful for every single.minute spent there
I would have built a barn first. And it might have been good to know I was going to transition from 3 season to 4 earlier.
But I would not trade one moment of this past 7 years. Mistakes, wrong directions, hesitations and all.
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Atlincabin
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# Posted: 1 Nov 2017 12:16pm
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I've used Home Designer Suite for a few years. The version I got was ~$100 a few years ago. There are some non-intuitive bits but overall I'm happy with it.
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NorthRick
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# Posted: 1 Nov 2017 08:03pm
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Pay attention to how the cabin is situated. The one side of our cabin that does not have windows is facing south. Consequently, it is darker inside than it should be and we use the interior lights more because of it.
Also, take a good look at the trees surrounding your cabin site. If you have a big one that leans in towards your future cabin, it's much easier to cut it down before the cabin exists than after.
Oh, and think carefully about the "we'll build something cheap and easy now to stay in while we build the 'real' cabin," mentality. You might find yourself in the small one a lot longer than originally planned.
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ICC
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# Posted: 2 Nov 2017 02:15am - Edited by: ICC
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Rockies, you recommended using design / floor plan software. have you actually looked at the software, used it, to see what it can and what it can not do? Last time I looked they are all big on touting how well they draw rooms, how well they draw exterior wall and roof finishes, but a hard look fails to find much mention of structural details. I have bought and played around with two of the bigger names, bigger dollars ($100) offerings. That was a few years ago, maybe things have changed recently. I dunno.
They do offer the ability to draw lots of pretty floor plans, complete with elevations and landscaped views. They make it easy to see what an extra few feet this way or that way will do. They even can produce suggested materials lists. What none of them can do is actually verify the structural values or sizes. At least that was my experience and that was validated by a friend, who is a licensed architect and licensed structural engineer. The software can help visualize the design but the software offered for mass consumption prices is deficient on structural, on the code compliance.
It's the same issue we have with sketchup. It can produce framing designs with all the studs, etc. one wants to place. But it does not actually calculate whether or not the design meets code or is a strong design.
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Steve_S
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# Posted: 2 Nov 2017 05:36am
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I used Chief Architect Suite & upgraded to Pro and between the two I dropped over 1K. I upgraded to Pro for a few reasons but one being that it allows for custom wall definitions which when I originally started planning I was intending on a Cordwood / StackWall type of build.
It does the Material Lists, Cut Lists (with great caution !) is very precise.... Very High Learning Curve ! I have years of 3-Dimensional Design software experience as well as extensive graphics exp and this was still a rough curve to learn.
Pro has Plan Checks and tools to verify the build structure, missed items and issues as well as full out 3D visualizations so you can walk through & simulate the build. The version also allows for much customization and inclusion of alternate materials AND when it comes time to print plans & designs it will produce the full on Blueprints as any building inspector would like to see... You will have to dump them to a USB Key and go to Staples and have the large format printing done when your ready but that's easy enough and not expensive... I think it cost me $15 to make 3 full sized copies of all my plans...
Would I recommend this to anyone ? YES ~BUT~ they would have to be of Stout Heart and able to absorb the huge learning curve. It IS an AutoCAD software and not a toy. The Video Tutorials and free courses are GREAT but it takes time... lot's & lot's of time to go through & learn.
Would I recommend it for a small cabin or Bunkie project ? NO... This is the 20 Megaton Bomb when a small hand grenade will do just fine. The newest Sketchup has many good features, easier to learn, cheap and now has architecture addins apparently... I tried several of the freebies and cheapo shareware types... Most are floorplan designers which try to sound like more but fall short of the mark.
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snobdds
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# Posted: 2 Nov 2017 06:10pm - Edited by: snobdds
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Quoting: ICC But it does not actually calculate whether or not the design meets code or is a strong design.
That is by design. Can you imagine the liability if the program says this is a strong design, but the actual cabin is going in central Wyoming where we have snow loads of 15 feet plus? No program can be one size fits all type approach.
My dad is a general contractor and has done plenty of building in Wyoming and is use to snow loads. Our cabin though, is in the snowy range mountains where we have had 20 feet of snow some years. We had an engineer look at the plans before we started and he suggested we increase our wood dimensions by the next size up. We now have 2x12 rafters, 2x12 floor joist and three massive laminated beams holding a simple 24x20 cabin.
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RiverCabin
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# Posted: 3 Nov 2017 12:51pm
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With some caveats, I wouldn't have gone the prebuilt route.
In my defense, at the time I had two very small children (infant and five year old) and I didn't have the time to erect a shell or the money to pay for a shell to be erected. It allowed us to have a usable shell immediately and then to finish the interior at our leisure.
Now however, nine years hence, I am left with the limitations of the design. Although I've built onto it and many people don't recognize it as a prebuilt, I still have to deal with the limitations of the original construction. I also deal with the feeling that although it is attached to a slab, it is somehow not "permanent".
As I've said I have no regrets and have certainly gotten my money's worth out of it over the years. Prebuilt may be the answer to many people and it was the correct answer for me at the time.
All that being said over the years I've been able to purchase more water frontage and as soon as the two money leeches are out of the house, my wife and I will begin construction on what we refer to as "Cabin 2". That will be the ultimate cabin right up until I build "Cabin 3".
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hattie
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# Posted: 3 Nov 2017 01:30pm - Edited by: hattie
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I wish I had paid more attention to energy conservation. While I love our baseboard heaters (they are quiet, clean and thermostats can control temps. in various rooms), the electricity charges are killing us. A trombe wall would have been nice to help.
I would also use the cement hardieboard for siding. We have wood siding and it is proving to be more work than expected. I believe hardieboard is fire resistant too which is an added bonus.
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ICC
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# Posted: 3 Nov 2017 02:23pm
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hattie, when you get to where the wood siding is too much upkeep or the energy bills get to be too high buy XPS or Polyiso foam sheet insulation and apply it on the existing exterior. Fur it with vertical 1x3 screwed to the studs with headlok type screws, and then apply Hardiplank lap siding. If you use foil faced polyiso the foil face plus the air space with the furring adds to the effective R-value increases.
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hattie
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# Posted: 3 Nov 2017 02:27pm
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Thanks for this suggestion ICC! I'm going to save this for the future. I really appreciate it.
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rockies
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# Posted: 3 Nov 2017 07:23pm - Edited by: rockies
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The software I use now is Chief Architect, but the trial version. They design the trial version so that you can't save the drawings (they just want you to try out the features) but I just leave the program open and do "screen grabs whenever I want to keep an image. Once you close the program or turn off your computer all your work is lost and you have to start over.
While Chief Architect will also do all the framing design you should still check it using the 3D framing button to make sure you have all the posts and studs in the right places (sometimes interior walls will "overlap" the corners) but you'll get a pretty accurate materials list to use at Home Despot.
Since most cabins are usually small and not too complicated the main advantage to using a computer program is being able to make changes to the floor plans quickly and generate elevations and sections at the same time. Another great feature is if you're not sure whether two windows are right for the living room wall you can just add another window and then click on the 3D view to instantly see the difference. You can even activate a "camera" and see a photo of the interior from different angles.
As for framing, you can specify 2x4 or 2x6 walls, change the floor and roof framing member sizes, header sizes, add extra layers of exterior wall insulation, change claddings - all instantly updated in every drawing for the cabin.
In my architectural practice I found that the main difficulty clients had with traditional drawings was that they had trouble imagining what a 2 dimensional drawing would look like as a 3 dimensional room. Everything looks great on paper but you don't see the problems until after it's built. CAD software eliminates a lot of questions because it lets you see the building before construction even starts.
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