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Rickant
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# Posted: 20 May 2016 07:20am
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Good day! Just starting to investigate options. We are looking for a couple acres of waterfront and would like to put a quick and easy cabin on it to get us by for a while (years). We are contemplating a bit of solar, composting toilet, and propane for stove and fridge. We have found some prefab cabins at northcountrysheds. For 15k plus a bit they have a 14x44 cabin that meets box for seasonal dwelling. They put them on slabs or gravel beds . Any thoughts on this as a quick and cost effective way to get going? We want to focus on the outdoors and lake, so a basic cabin is on our mind. Appreciate any thoughts.
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buckybuck
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# Posted: 20 May 2016 08:12am
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If it works for you, it works for you. Thirty years ago, I built a cabin. This year, I can't begin to describe the satisfaction and pride I took in watching my latest cabin being dropped off the back of a truck.
I went with a prefab this time because I'm getting older and don't like climbing around on roofs, seem to be having a harder time bribing friends to help me have a fun day of playing with sharp tools, and got weary of driving 50 miles round-trip to the closest hardware store. It's a trade-off of cost versus time, and where you are at this particular time in your life.
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Rickant
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# Posted: 20 May 2016 08:14am
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Who did you deal with?
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PA_Bound
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# Posted: 20 May 2016 08:31am - Edited by: PA_Bound
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Rickant... The question you are asking here, or certainly ones very close to it, have been asked in the past and the responses you will get will cover the spectrum. For what's it worth, I'm in the middle of project very similar to what you are proposing, finishing out a 14x40 shed. For me, that's what made the most sense (based on skills, available time to work on it, who was available to help, budget and land restrictions).
But others will question points like the lack of permanent foundation, the quality of the pre-built and how much less you could build that cabin for than what the pre-built will cost. After reading all of these posts over the last 5-ish years I've come to the conclusion that everyone's needs, capabilities, priorities and resources are different, so you have to figure out what works best for you- and just go with it.
Like I said, what you are thinking about has worked out well for me (although it's taking me longer to finish out than I had hoped, but that has less to do about the cabin and more to do with the challenges life threw at me after starting). So if a pre-built makes the most sense to you, do it, enjoy it, and feel free to post questions and pictures along the way.
Does that answer your question?
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Rickant
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# Posted: 20 May 2016 09:02am
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Yes basically. Do you have pics posted and such? I'm a bit concerned about the longevity of putting something on a slab or gravel and if it is with it to have it wires for electrical and such. With four little ones I have negative time for building or managing a build so this or something similar seems to be a quick and cost effective start.
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buckybuck
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# Posted: 20 May 2016 09:18am
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I went with Oldhickorybuildings, a company out of Tennessee. In Canada, that company has a dealer in Ontario, which may not work for you.
I'm reasonably satisfied with the build quality but honestly went with that company because it had a nearby dealer, and no delivery cost, nothing more complicated than that.
Can't help you with electricity, since I did an inventory of my needs and realized at my cabin that I didn't use anything that required household current, needed a small 12-volt battery only for the water pump, and used 5-volt USB power banks for everything else. Make sure you raise the cabin high enough to have room for drain pipes if you have indoor sinks or shower!
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Mzmizery
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# Posted: 20 May 2016 10:10am
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We opted with a 16x32 lofted barn from Graceland. We raised the loft for standing room, added heat barrier and insulation board under the roof. We poured piers and built on block above the flood easement. We purchased without windows and added Pella windows. Just finished building two porches and a utility room addition also framed up the bed and bath. Will run plumbing and wiring next.
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PA_Bound
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# Posted: 20 May 2016 10:33am
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I need to update this entry, but here is where it started. I'm actually further along than where this thread ends.
http://www.small-cabin.com/forum/6_1536_0.html
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Rickant
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# Posted: 20 May 2016 03:50pm
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Awesome pics. Pa_bound - did you end up doing plumbing? Wonder how that will work ? Were you able to insure your cabin? What you've done is exactly what we are looking at. Need to find a decent lot now.
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Rickant
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# Posted: 20 May 2016 03:59pm
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PA_Bound where did you source yours from?
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PA_Bound
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# Posted: 20 May 2016 05:19pm - Edited by: PA_Bound
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Quoting: Rickant PA_Bound where did you source yours from?
I sourced my shed locally in the south-central Pennsylvania area, from a shed building company. This made sense for several reasons:
1. Instead of just buying what they had to offer, I was able to customize it to fit my needs (like not installing all the windows until I finalized the layout).
2. Because they knew the local area, they knew how to best get the cabin to my site- very important when moving a 14'x40' shed by trailer over country roads and bridges.
3. I actually paid one of the employees $1K on the side to do all my site prep before hand (money well spent, by the way). He owned a Bobcat so was able to level, and had access to his buddy that hauled in the truckloads of material required to level the area under the cabin. We used road millings from a re-pavement job on the local Interstate highway as the base under the cabin. The locals knew how to get that (very cheap), and that stuff packs like concrete. After five years, I have no settling at all- and it's 2 feet thick in some places!
4. I thought spending the money in the local (at the time, depressed) economy may garner additional favor with the locals. I'm not sure that really worked, but (knock on wood) nobody has messed with it yet.
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PA_Bound
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# Posted: 20 May 2016 05:25pm
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Quoting: Rickant Were you able to insure your cabin?
Nope, at least not yet- and I've tried. I added liability for the land to my home owners policy, but can't get insurance on the cabin itself. If she burns, I start over from scratch (but whole lot smarter  .
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PA_Bound
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# Posted: 20 May 2016 05:55pm - Edited by: PA_Bound
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Quoting: Rickant did you end up doing plumbing? Wonder how that will work ?
That's a good question. And this is where your needs may deviate from mine.
I haven't plumbed my cabin yet, but I plan to- at least for grey water. During the construction phase I have been using a self-contained camping toilet. That is working so well I may actually continue to use for inside the cabin even after I work out my final outside solution. One design criteria is that I do not want to open any holes in the floor (no openings for pests), so all pipes will go out through the walls. For sinks that not a big deal. To accommodate a shower what I have done is installed a raised floor around the shower and over the subfloor using 2x10's, that allows me about 8" between for pipes and wall exit. With the vaulted ceilings in my cabin, you don't really even notice the elevation.
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Mzmizery
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# Posted: 20 May 2016 06:39pm
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I added insurance to existing home owner policy as an additional dwelling. Listed it as a storage barn for now. Will deal with insuring on its own when complete and homesteaded
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Mzmizery
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# Posted: 20 May 2016 07:01pm
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We also have a grinder pump similar to this one, which runs directly to the city sewer lines, but haven't run the plumbing to our cabin yet
http://eone.com/sewer-systems/regions/us/product-catalog/grinder-pumps/d/d-series-dh1 51.html
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Rickant
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# Posted: 21 May 2016 05:28am
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I know that we have different insurance criteria between Canada and the US. What is the hang up? Is it because it is a seasonal dwelling? For me the structure iwould be 20k, plus any custmizations, plumbing, electrical. It would be a substantial loss if something happened...hmmm I wondered...
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Mzmizery
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# Posted: 21 May 2016 08:36am
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I'm not sure, but would think you should be able to get some kind of insurance..ours was like $20 a year for 30k. Guess it depends on how its structured and if built to code.
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Mzmizery
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# Posted: 21 May 2016 09:04am
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Maybe this will help
https://www.intact.ca/cottage-insurance
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Rickant
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# Posted: 21 May 2016 09:17am
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It would be to code required for a seasonal dwelling... Something to look into.
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