Small cabin 500-1200sq ft

Our 1008 square foot house is on a partial basement but we didn't build it.

One word about passive solar, watch out for Low E and argon in your south facing windows. You will not get the heat benefits from Low E glass and argon gas filled double or triple panes. We made the mistake of replacing our windows with that junk and it has made a huge difference in the heat gathering capacity. Much better to get the regular glass and use insulated curtains or some other shade in the summer.

If you were to build a load bearing strawbale cabin with a rubble trench foundation and an earthen floor you could do it for next to nothing. The beauty of load bearing strawbale is that the straw is the structure and your insulation. Our 2000 sq' home used about 400 bales and for a minor $2 a bale we had our insulation and walls for $800!

I do believe those are square foot garden beds in the foreground of the picture....

23 years ago I had a log home built that was 25 by 30 with an 8 foot wide porch, full basement with concrete floor and a half loft. Construction loan then was 40,000..I had somewhat more in it by the time well and septic went in and the 5.25 acres cost me 4,500. Currently insured replacement value is over 100,000.

I did none of the work,had I been able a lot could have been saved, I believe the log package was 28,000. I have one bedroom down stairs and the loft can sleep several children if needed. Great room that is set up for dining on one end and living room on the other and a hearth with wood stove centrally located by the stairs to the loft. Kitchen and full bath with clawfoot tub. Tiny but gets the job done. Had an extra course of block in the basement walls intending someday to finish off the basement..could be several more bedrooms or a work shop etc.
If you are going to look at "systems" for log walls look into the system that runs a huge bolt thru the wall and tightens down in the basement..as the logs dry and settle you tighten up the bolts..wonderful system that I wish I had known of! Of course you have to make allowances for this settling in the inside walls and trim...don't ask me how I found out what idiots my contractor and crew were!

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" As needs-MUST!!"--- in other words..a gal does what a gal has too!

The link:

About a decade ago, we built a 20x30 camp.

We tried to save money every way we could, but still make it look decent. All of the framing was done with 2x4s cut from my logs...8' studs in the walls, 5 on 12 trusses up top. Roof was 5/8 OSB decking with 20 year shingles. Outside sheathing was some T-111 seconds. Windows were second hand gimmees, as were the doors. We did use treated stuff for the front porch decking...front porch was 8' wide, 30' long. Cabinets were pre-fab and we used a cheap, pre-fab countertop. Appliances, lavatories, and commode were used. We had to buy the shower, new. Floor was peel&stick vinyl, throughout.

Floorplan was two small bedrooms, one small bathroom, a small L kitchen open to the rest of the building. Cost to build was $7K, not counting sewer.

Today.....If you pounded every nail yourself, did your own wiring, etc...I'm thinking less than $15K, less sewer system...

If I did go for something like this, I would have a plan that could easily be added on to, with minimal fuss and money...

wy white wolf, lovely picture! Anyway we can get you to post more pics? maybe inside and out?

We're in the process of building a 20x16 addition to a travel trailer, it will hold a full bath, small bedroom and living area, we built a small like entry way into the trailer that has my side by side fridge, washer and dryer and a will have a closet. At this time we will not put in a full kitchen since we have use of the trailer kitchen but could sneak in a sink and stove if need be, if we move the trailer out, which is our plan eventually, we will add another couple of rooms and probably will end up with a 32x16. It's plenty big enough for DH and I. By the time we're done with it we'll have about $4500 in it. We have 3 different outbuildings all with power, one is a 12x12 DH built for my craft room and 2 portable we bought.

Building codes here will only allow 400 sq ft without a permit. We already have power and a 3 bedroom septic that we had installed when we moved the rv in.

ETA: We have one window on the front, one window on the side to be installed and on the other side, entrance, we have a wood framed, thermopaned, sliding glass door. I put it on the side to get the shade and breeze whereas if I had put everything on the front I would have solar, so to speak, it's very hot on the front but I was more concerned with cooling than heat. We will install a wood stove so we have heat taken care of, if we don't have power than cooling will be an issue, that's my reasoning for putting the door on the shaded side. Foundation is just post and joists.

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My Craft Forum

Yes please!! Maybe start a new thread? Which way is the house facing? Do you have a floor plan to share?

I don't need to say anything ... this post said it for me.

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I LOVE DONUT BALLS

i dont like to think tooo much before i speak ... heehee ... i like to be just as surprised as you are.

came across this today
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/h...me-tour-123518

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THE BEGINNING IS NEAR
5-star double-rated astronavagatrix earth girl

That's neato, Wyld Thang!

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I LOVE DONUT BALLS

i dont like to think tooo much before i speak ... heehee ... i like to be just as surprised as you are.

This link should get all those tinterested into the Photobucket album of my cabin

http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...te_wolf/Cabin/

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If the grass looks greener it is probably over the septic tank. - troy n sarah tx

Our existance here is soley for the expoitation of CMG

Awesome!! Thank you! What is the square footage of the main floor? How long are the roof boards? Did you use a plan?

Base is 20' by 20'. Longest boards readily available. Same with the rafters, 20'. That made everything pretty simple as all the cuts are 30, 60 or 120 degrees. They where all precut at home before hauling to the ranch for ease of assembly. We were able to stand all the A-frames in one weekend.

No plan as we knew what we wanted. Weird I never made a set of plans because I am a draftsman. Just made a few sketches to help calculate materials. Maybe when it's done I'll draw up a set of plans.

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If the grass looks greener it is probably over the septic tank. - troy n sarah tx

Our existance here is soley for the expoitation of CMG