This spring, we need to have some housing in place on the new property (35 acres, eastern Ontario, Canada). My son will live in the small cabin (19' x 12'). He's excited about it, but it's too small for us.
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| Our current cabin. |
I would like to build a small cabin, say about 600 square feet: 1 bedroom, open concept living room and kitchen, and a mud room. Simple, rustic, nothing fancy.
My dear husband would like to put a small trailer on the property to live in, i.e. a winterized mobile home. Bear in mind that we are an older couple (68 and 58), and hubby has been having health problems. He has severe allergies, too. He doesn't want to wait to build something, even if we have help. Hubby has the "git 'er done" mentality, lol. Just plop the trailer there and we're good to go! But when I think of all the man-made materials, glues, etc. in a trailer, I am afraid that it will bother hubby's allergies. Plus, they deteriorate pretty quickly and soon look not-so-nice. Please don't be offended, because I used to live in a trailer when my boys were little and I loved it! So, I'm not against trailers, per se. I think that a wooden cabin will blend better into our woodsy environment and they only gain character as they age.
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| Something like this, perhaps? |
Now here is where I would love to have some feedback from YOU! Do you have any idea how much it would cost to build a small cabin? My husband thinks that it will cost a lot of money, but I have read about people, online, that have built their own simple cabins for as low as $14,000. I would like to keep the cost under $30,000. Is that a reasonable expectation? I know that there are a lot of variables, depending on what materials are used. We already have spare kitchen counters and cupboards that have been stored in our basement for years! My eldest stepson is an electrician and he said that he would put in the electrical for us! Hubby already got a quote on the framing and figures it would cost about $3,500 to frame the cabin. We have access to a Habitat For Humanity Re-Store, which carries second-had windows, doors, fixtures, etc. We would also need to factor in the insulation because of our cold winters.
In Canada, trailers/mobile homes are more expensive than in the U.S. My husband has looked at some that are $50,000 - $60,000. That price is for the trailer only, not including a lot. I'm pretty sure that we can build something for less than that. Paul is currently interested in one that is $29,000 with delivery and installation included. That's not bad, but as I mentioned there are the potential allergy issues and depreciation values.
I really, really, want a cabin, can't you tell?
If you know of any other helpful links or videos, please let me know, thanks.
SMALL CABIN LINKS:
Small-Cabin.com forum: http://www.small-cabin.com/small-cabin-build-cost-bom.html
Simple Solar Homesteading: (scroll to bottom for videos) http://www.simplesolarhomesteading.com/
Simple, basic cabin: http://countryplans.com/nash.html
10 comments:
My husband would love a cabin!! I will be interested to see what you do so I can learn. If you google "cabins to build" and "cabins to build kits" you will find alot of links. Good luck!
Keep in mind, most of those sites are likely American. I'm sure supply prices are much higher up here (especially up here in the boondocks). Colin always figures the cost he thinks and then doubles it. Usually that is close.
Have a look at Guildcrest Homes (http://www.guildcrest.com/). They are modular homes and are made just down the highway (in a Renfrew county way). The company is owned by the employees and has a great reputation. We had planned to put an addition on the house just before 'swine flu' and found their prices really reasonable for the quality you were getting. They have recently changed things and now provide everything you need (cement work, plumber, electrical, etc). Basically they come in, plunk the house down and you move in. I'm not sure how small of a house they would offer, but you can do a lot of customizing.
Might be a good compromise.
Quick look at the website and this caught my eye
http://www.guildcrest.com/homes/sugarbush.php
Andrea, thank you for the search suggestions. I'll keep you informed as we go along. Some people have very grand cabins, but we want to keep our costs down. Plus, a small cabin is less to clean! Thanks for commenting!
Paula, thanks so much for the info about Guildcrest Homes! I'll check them out. The "Sugarbush" is a cute design. I appreciate your input, thanks.
Are you familiar with Yurts?
http://www.nomadshelter.com/
http://www.yurts.com/
Yes, I love yurts! I had put them out of my mind, but I'll take a look at your links. Not sure if hubby will go for it, but I love alternative housing. I watched a documentary on wolves, and the scientist spent the winter in a yurt in Yellowstone.
Hi there,
I live in a Tiny Home, I am happy with my dog living in 7x9' though will be happier when I change the inside and use the full 14' so 7x14
In the spring I will be building my own Yurt, there are a lot of guides online, google yurt plans, or ask and I will send you some by email.
The following are some Tiny House plan sites as well as re-purposed site ideas, hopefully you will see the post as helpful and not as spam.
https://twitter.com/tumbleweedhouse
http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/
http://www.fourlightshouses.com/
https://www.facebook.com/GrowFoodNotLawns?ref=stream
http://thehomesteadsurvival.com/build-ultimate-compost-bin-diy-project/#.UPG_QOTAeSp
http://www.tinypallethouse.com/2009/08/pallet-house-construction-illustrations/#more-507
http://www.byexample.com/projects/current/dome_construction
http://padtinyhouses.com/
so there are a lot of link to help you out, I will repost them on my blog for others as well. Good luck and have fun.
ps. the last link uses trailers, building the house on top of the trailer.
Thank you for the links! I will check them out. We did some research on the yurts, but read that the exterior only lasts 15 years, then has to be replaced. Right now, we're considering living in a travel trailer and waiting for a year or two before putting permanent housing in place. It's still up in the air.
It's good to hear from you. I have been following your blog for awhile, and I'm a friend of anitapreciouspearl. Thanks for stopping by!
It sounds like a constant holiday, but I'm sure that any farming can't be. God bless you.
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