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NorthBushman
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# Posted: 28 Aug 2015 01:54pm - Edited by: NorthBushman
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Last year my wife and I purchased 80 acres of never been touched land (40 minutes from town) with the plans of building a small off grid home/small farm. This year we were finaly able to get things moving on the project, and we're quite excited. This entire project is a big thanks to all the collective experience and ideas I've come across during my two year stay here on the forums, even if I have never been very vocal.
We will be building a small(ish) 16x20 cabin with loft on skids, and I really wanted to document the process and get feedback from people more experienced at this than me. As it stands now we have had about 1.5 acres cleared, lumber delivered and have just started on the perimeter drain. The rubble trench style drain will divert water from under the cabin just under frost level and direct it to a leach bed downhill from the site where it will (hopefully) percolate into the pond 10 feet from it (also downhill). Combined with the burried insulating skirt we should (according to the locals of the area) not have much issue with frost heave. I'm hoping to get a dried in structure down before winter hits hard and pick things up in the spring to complete it, and hopefully start living in it after that.
Standing in the road (preclearing)
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Lot cleared
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perimeter drain
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Downhill leach bed for drain
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leonk
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# Posted: 28 Aug 2015 01:57pm
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good luck, would be very interested in the costs if you're comfortable sharing...
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NorthBushman
Member
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# Posted: 28 Aug 2015 01:59pm
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So far we're about 40k in including land, clearing, and all lumber for the cabin, chicken coop, and trailer port. When we're done I'll do a cost breakdown for anyone interested.
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Just
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# Posted: 28 Aug 2015 02:59pm
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Are you off grid ? nice!!
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NorthBushman
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# Posted: 31 Aug 2015 10:48am
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Had a bit of a set back. After digging the perimeter drain and begining to fill it with gravel we had a sever storm roll in. Flooded out my trenches and caved in the walls...back to digging!
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Shadyacres
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# Posted: 31 Aug 2015 01:12pm
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Welcome to the forum and good luck on your build. I will enjoy watching your progress with pictures.
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countrygirl
Member
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# Posted: 2 Sep 2015 04:40pm
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cant wait to see you progress. being only 40 minutes from town is a plus.
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ColdFlame
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# Posted: 2 Sep 2015 05:46pm
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Unfortunate set back, but it looks like you have the equipment there to make short work of pulling the earth back out of your trenches. I look forward to following your progress!
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NorthRick
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# Posted: 2 Sep 2015 06:40pm
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If it is not too late, you might think about lining those drainage ditches with some sort of filter fabric before backfilling with drainage rock. It will help keep the fines out of the drainage rock and clogging it up.
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NorthBushman
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# Posted: 9 Sep 2015 06:19pm
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Update: We got the trenches pumped out, lined with fabric and put in the gravel and weeping tile. Backfilled it and now we have a completed perimeter drain. I'll be starting the skids and the floor tomorrow. Pictures to come!
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leonk
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# Posted: 10 Sep 2015 01:07pm
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good luck and thanks for the info.
In what area is it, if you don't mind?
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fitzpatt
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# Posted: 15 Sep 2015 11:23am
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Love the location. Look forward to seeing more photos of your progress.
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NorthBushman
Member
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# Posted: 16 Sep 2015 09:40pm
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We're near Thunder Bay, leonk. Just got back from being out on the property and after a tiring few days we have some real progress! 2x10 joists sitting on 6x8 PT skids with bracing. Now we just have to block, insulate, and sheath the floor and it's onto walls. Hopefully in a week I'll have four walls up.
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NorthBushman
Member
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# Posted: 8 Oct 2015 09:07am
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Just a bit of a build update. We were able to get all walls framed and put up (including interior walls for bathroom). Excited with the progress so far after planning for this lifestyle for so long  .
A few pictures of the progress (unfortunately none from after the interior walls) including one of the view from out our living space window.
Two walls standing up
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Cutting the pieces for the other walls
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All walls up!
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A view from our window
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NorthBushman
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# Posted: 19 Oct 2015 09:51pm
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Finaly started putting up the rafters, and having never done this before getting that ridge up, level, and plumb was a lot more time consuming than I thought it would be! Only managed to get three rafter sets and the ridge up today. But I should have someone else coming out to help tomorrow and we'll hopefully get the rest knocked out in one pass
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NorthBushman
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# Posted: 12 Nov 2015 01:39pm - Edited by: NorthBushman
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Finally got the roof on! And during the first snow storm of the year to boot (been nice since the day we were out there...go figure:P). Me and a friend are finishing the gable ends, blocking on the walls for the sheathing seams, and doing the building wrap and the little cabin will be all buttoned up for winter! Then I can work on wiring and insulating during bad weather. I can't tell you how much of a relief getting that roof done is though! Even if the guy I had installing it had to come back twice because of issues with the install.
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Jigger
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# Posted: 12 Nov 2015 06:40pm
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Looking good. Thunder Bay area. We have a camp at Polly Lake just north of Nipigon on Highway 11. Our main camp is quite old looking at doing a rebuild this spring/summer. We will be off grid as no option of electricity.
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Rowjr
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# Posted: 14 Nov 2015 03:02pm
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Looking good
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darren
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# Posted: 5 Feb 2016 11:24am
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How tall is this cabin?
Do you have plans, or is it all in your head?
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bc thunder
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# Posted: 5 Feb 2016 12:15pm
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Looking good neighbour, I'm south of ThunderBay...
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NorthBushman
Member
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# Posted: 5 Feb 2016 08:53pm
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Been a while since an update was made. Been a bit busy with work but seeing as how the weather has been locking us down from working on many more things figured I had some time to post some photos!
We've managed to get the front door installed (thank you youtube, those instructions I got with the door were garbage) and all the building wrapped up. Just waiting on weather to clear up a bit more to put the windows in and start on the exterior siding.
Been chipping away at it though as weather permits, working mostly on the wiring right now to get that inspected so I can get the insulation up. It's coming along nicely though and we're quite excited to start living out there this year!
Door is in place
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Wrap going up
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Finishing the wrap
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Inside view
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NorthBushman
Member
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# Posted: 5 Feb 2016 08:53pm
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And also just because, enjoy our view out towards the pond in winter!
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NorthBushman
Member
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# Posted: 20 Feb 2016 08:28am - Edited by: NorthBushman
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bc thunder I have plans drawn up that I did (mostly just a floor plan, everything else is in my head). Cabin's roof peak is at 16 feet. Standard 8 foot walls, 16 feet wide with a 12/12 pitch.
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NorthBushman
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# Posted: 20 May 2016 05:22pm
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Quick update. Been a busy beginning to the year. We took our trailer out to our property and set up our solar panel system and are now living out in the woods full time as we finish the cabin to finally move in to there. The preventative measures we did to mitigate frost heave seem to have worked well as there is no sign of any movement yet which has me quite happy it wasn't a waste of money (at least not at this point). We have all the insulation on site and are now working on the inside of the cabin before moving on to the exterior siding. All windows are now in place and it's finally starting to resemble something livable!
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