Howdy all, I got me a blog!
I wanted to share how my cabin building is shaping up. I have gotten tons of help from friends, both real and imagined, plus lots of help from loads of web sites; this is my returning the favor, as it were. You may be someone like me who is thinking of building their own small cabin; I thought I would share my adventures and maybe you can learn from my mistakes!

A number of years ago I bought some property in upstate New York; it is 11 acres of young trees, having once been pasture. I am a Forest Steward and enjoy being on the property and planting trees. Staying in a tent is charming for awhile, but a cabin - something that my wife and I can be dry and comfortable in - needed to happen.

Over the past year I have been developing a plan for a small cabin; partly to avoid having to get a permit, and partly because I wanted something small and easy to manage. As a teacher I read and write a lot, so a small cabin with a bed and a chair would be perfect.

After having too much fun with Sketch-up, here is the plan.





Cool, huh! I love Sketch Up!
So here are the details:
12 by 12 with 2 by 6 framing; still not sure if I am going to do 16"OC or 24"OC; I will be speaking with an engineer before I begin.
2 stories - by the time I drew up the design with a loft area, it just seemed like it would make just as much sense to bump it up to 2 full floors.
Windows and doors: Hooray Ebay and good friends! All are double pane and each cost under $100.00. Great value plus keeping the landfill a little more empty!
They consist of a casement picture window (6' by 5&1/2') 2 smaller casement windows, and a pair of glass doors.
The door on the second floor is to reach the 15 gallon black plastic hot water tank.

The site is off road - way off road - so I will be carrying in the lumber - will see how that goes!

The piers have been installed into the rocky ground on a slope overlooking the property; it's a private place with a small view of the mountains. There is no way to say this nicely - digging 4' deep holes stinks - I finally hired someone to do it!

As I continue, I will post pictures and missives from the field.