Finishing a cabin

[HilltopDaisy]

I'm no carpenter but I've dreamed of buying an Amish shed one day and turning it into a comfortable living space.

I understand that it would be nearly impossible to insulated it well enough for NY winters, due to the fact that the walls are made with 2x4's.

This building can be purchased with house windows and door installed, and an insulated floor. It would have a sawdust toilet and water brought in, so no real plumbing necessary. Minimal power requirements, possibly even just extension cord run from the existing home.

If you were to do a project like this, how would you start? I'm interested in your ideas. Thanks.

[English Oliver]

I am having the logs sawn for a building like this only will be 24'X36'.



The logs will be 4"X6". It will a bathroom but not have electric. The water for bathroom will come from a raised tank that will catch the water from the eaves troughs and will gravity feed into the piping. The loft above the porch will be sleeping quarters. I estimate having less that $8500. in it when finished.

"O"

[HilltopDaisy]

That's really beautiful!

[English Oliver]

I stopped awhile back at a sawmill down the road from me to see if they would saw the logs for me. I was surprised to find out that all they do is saw logs for log cabins. They ship all over the country. They will bundle and both horizontal and vertical strip then band the bundle so they will stay straight while curing. Not bad for .50 bd ft.

"O"

[Windy in Kansas]

My local high quality shed company was quite willing to make specified modifications for additional cost of course.

I had my shed/cabin built with 2 X 6s so extra insulation could be added. Also made with full 8 foot sidewalls for additional ceiling height to accommodate a hugger ceiling fan.

I furnished an opening skylight so that it could be built into the roof as construction progressed.

While the shed comes with one door I had framing added for a second, in alignment with the other for good cross ventilation.

I used a forced air natural gas wall furnace for heat. I installed a thru the wall A/C unit above the refrigerator for cooling.

Windows were Pella units of high quality and for energy efficiency. All had between the glass mini blinds.

The front door was oak with an oval leaded glass insert. Just because a home is small that doesn't mean it shouldn't be nice.

I wired the living room area for a ceiling fan/light as well as three circuits for cove lighting with each on a dimmer switch. With red, blue, and green bulbs any mood lighting color can be achieved.

The kitchen area was designed just large enough to accommodate an 18 inch wide dishwasher, small full sized refrigerator, conventional range, corner sink to conserve usable counter space, and an over the range microwave/vent unit.

The gambrel roof angles are almost ideal for solar uses at my latitude. Each section is basically 4 feet wide which would accommodate smaller PV solar arrays or water heating.

I didn't live in it long as a larger house with an "opportunity" price came along that I couldn't pass up.

Shown here before completion, i.e. window and door trim, steps, etc.

[Maura]

If you used blown in cellulose insulation, would that be warm enough with the 2 x 4's?

How would you heat it? In-floor heat is the most economical and warmest feeling type of heat; it is what we have. You would need to be able to heat the water and a pump to push it through. It is doable if they don't put the finish floor on. You can put the tubing in yourself then put the finish floor on.

Would you really live in this house, or use it as an office/work space?

[Joshie]

Originally Posted by Windy in Kansas

My local high quality shed company was quite willing to make specified modifications for additional cost of course.

How much would such a finished cabin cost?

[Common Tator]

That log cabin is really cute! Will you get enoughwater from rain alone?

[Windy in Kansas]

Originally Posted by Joshie

How much would such a finished cabin cost?

It was over 20 years ago when I did the work on it and I simply don't remember. I do remember some of the costs. The basic building with the modification I had made was right at $3,000. Windows, opening skylight, and front door $1,500 to $2,000. Wall furnace and A/C about $1,000. Kohler elongated stool, 36 inch neo-angle one piece molded fiberglass shower, narrow but extra deep lavatory, kitchen corner sink, copper plumbing, cabinet material, oak trim, pocket door, an extra layer of sub flooring to take bounce out, anchors and tie down straps, extra caulking and canned foam, 6 inch roll insulation, an extra ordinary number of phone jacks, cable TV outlets, plug-ins, extra lighting, etc. all add up quickly. I'm thinking that I might have had around $10,000 in it.

Dropping the fancy front door, going to lower priced windows, less wiring, etc would drop the price considerable if one were to convert a building today. What surprised me for cost was the electrical service box and the cost of each breaker and ground-fault circuit interrupters. You do pay some extra in order to take advantage of making smaller spaces usable.

Another surprise was that I could not buy material and erect the building myself as cheaply as I could buy it fully constructed. The builders buy everything in very large quantities to keep their costs down, something I couldn't do. Added--now that big box stores are in town lumber pricing is competitive and not at premium prices. Same for finish materials, light fixtures, etc. Competition lowers prices.

Not sure if I could remember enough about the building to come up with a floor or not. Send me a PM if interested further and I'll see what I can come up with.

[Terri]

How cold are your winters?

I insulated a small shed that was ALSO made with 2x4's, and a space heater from Home Depot kept it above freezing when it was in the single digits. I started my garden seedlings in it.

[Jolly]

Another surprise was that I could not buy material and erect the building myself as cheaply as I could buy it fully constructed. The builders buy everything in very large quantities to keep their costs down, something I couldn't do. Added--now that big box stores are in town lumber pricing is competitive and not at premium prices. Same for finish materials, light fixtures, etc. Competition lowers prices.

I've got a friend in the business...some of the stuff he buys for utility sheds are seconds...plywood a bit out of square, etc. He's got jigs in the shop to square stuff like that up, cut multiple 2x in one pass, etc.

And he buys his material by the boxcar load.

Lots of little things add up...

[HilltopDaisy]

Where I am here in NY, we often see below zero. Normal temps in Jan and Feb are single digits and teens.

Here are some prices I've come up with ~ a 12 x 30' A frame shed is $4700.00 and comes standard with 2 small windows and a set of barn doors. You can upgrade the windows to insulated house windows for an additional $140 each, and add 2 more for $265 each, for a total of 4 windows. Upgrade the barn door to a regular house door (steel with a screen door, heavy duty), and add a second door for around $425. The floor can come insulated for an additional $250. If my addition is right that's $5925.00 plus tax.

Now you need to insulate and finish, and depending on how many extras you want, such as electricity and plumbing, will determine how much more it will cost.

I'd need a concrete slab, and I'd put up a 12' loft.

[roadless]

Our cabin is built on cement footings. That could save you some money.
We heat with propane and have been very comfortable in NY winters.
The propane lights throw off heat also.

I have seen some Amish built sheds and they seem very well made. I believe the prices you quoted are accurate.

[Terri]

Here, a 10' by 12' with 4 insulated windows came to $3,200. I spent perhaps $500? on insulation and an interior plywood liner. I would rather the company had insulated it, but that was not an option with Tuff-shed. I had to insulate it myself.


If I wanted to keep it above freezing in below zero temps, I would need a second space heater: I only got about 30-35 degrees of raise in temps.

[Cabin Fever]

Our cabin is 16' x 24' and is 2x4" frame construction. It is built on posts to keep the walls (and doorway) from being buried in snow. The floor has 2x12" joists insultated with double 6" batts. The entire cabin is insulated.

Water is from an outdoor deep well hand pump (which works all winter). The outhouse is behind the cabin. The cabin is lighted with Aladdin lamps and a PetroMax lantern. Heat is from a woodburning stove. No electricity, no septic, no running water...we love the simplicity of it.

I would not let 2x4" construction worry you. A small area like this cabin or an Amish shed is very easy to heat. During the winter, even when it's -25ºF, we have to crack the windows because it gets too hot in there.

Unless you plan on heating your cabin 24/7, you're gonna hate that slab floor it takes days for one to warm up in the winter.

]

[AngieM2]

Cabin - did the snow mounds make for insulation for the floor in the small cabin you show the photo of?

[Cabin Fever]

Originally Posted by AngieM2

Cabin - did the snow mounds make for insulation for the floor in the small cabin you show the photo of?

No, most of the floor is above the snow depth. The 12" of fiberglass insulation below the floor is all that is needed.

[HilltopDaisy]

Cabin Fever, thanks for your thoughts about the slab. I'm in a mobile home now and it sets about 30" off the ground. I hadn't taken the aspect of winter/deep snow into consideration. I know I struggle to keep the doorways of the animal sheds open.

[crtreedude]

Cabin Fever, great looking cabin!

Am I to assume you live in it year round?

[Cabin Fever]

Originally Posted by crtreedude

Cabin Fever, great looking cabin!

Am I to assume you live in it year round?

Not any more.

When we got married six years ago, we had the place next door built....it has all the modern conveniences.

Now the one-room cabin serves as a guest cabin.