Cabin Kits?

[Sailortom]

Greetings all!

I wanted to ask if anyone has experience with cabin kits? I've found a couple companies that have pre-cut/measured stuff with all the fixtures or assembled options (though I gather there's still "some assembly required")

My fiancee and I are both handy and while I don't doubt we "could" build from plans, the idea of having some of the headache removed is appealing. This would also let us build one small building from a kit as practice for future buildings.

Here are two of the companies we're looking at:

http://www.summerwood.com/cdn/plans/cabins/cheyenne/520.html

And

http://www.cabinkit.com/ckdeerfern.htm


I'm also quite familiar with pacific yurts (fantastic!) as my parents lived in one for years in rural Hawaii but I feel that they're not insulated well enough for the PNW winters.

We're also both familiar with living in small spaces as we currently live on a sailboat. ;D

Any opinions on these, other kits, or other easy-build ideas are welcome!


Best Regards,

Sailortom

[cinok]

If you are ahndy this site will be a good place to check my family and I are doing a pay as you go cabin the basics came from this site

http://www.countryplans.com/

[patriotchick]

My husband builds log cabin kits for people. Although alot of companies say you can build it yourself, unless you have above basic carpentry skills, its harder than a person might think in alot of instances. Plus always make sure your kit includes all the things you need, for example alot dont come with connectors, interior finish products, insulation, etc etc. Always do your homework and ask alot of questions, basically I would ask "what am I going to have to purchase that you dont provide" type questions.

[cinok]

PC you are so right those kits dont say nothing about site prep and that could cost thousands.

[johnaydan]

Well said PC,

It is very much important to gain basic knowledge before starting of these kits.

[patriotchick]

hubby has been called in at the point that the do it yourselfer has gotten stuck, alot of times this meant tearing down what the people started as the basic layout was off, or the foundation was off by an inch or more....something a do it yourselfer wouldnt know how to adjust for in the building process.
Also twice since he has been doing kits, the architectual drawings especially for roof spans were not feasible...while it looked good on paper, for snow load it would of been a no-no and would of collapsed under a heavy snow or ice build up.
Typical and basic building supplies are often not included, for example all the decking material(what sits on the foundation that the kit is placed on), ice and water guard, glue for the deck, nails etc etc etc. He has even run into people who spent most every penny on the kit only to find out that the picture of the finished kit with windows and doors was misleading as the actual kit contained no doors or windows not even any interior doors.
Read all the small print. If you have someone build it for you, a rule of thumb is to take the kit price and times it by three to get an idea of what it will cost...for the ground work, plumbing, heating, electrical, and the contractor to build and oversee the subs to the point of turnkey.
One way to save yourself money is to pay someone to build it tight to weather, and finish it yourself. But then again, if you dont have the right tools or know how, you are better off paying someone to finish it turnkey. But even talking with a builder is a must, hubby has helped some people with cost by letting them stain or finish floors and interior walls, but that too has to be on a schedule and often its easier to just let the contractor handle it.
If you do hire a contractor make sure they are INSURED and that you sign a contract, never give more $ up front then what your state recommends, if you do a search for the attorney generals office of your state you should be able to see a sample construction contract which meets the minimal standards for your state. If your state doesnt have a sample contract on line, it wouldnt hurt to call the AG and ask what is minimum for a contractual agreement in your state.
In our contract we recommend a few things above and beyond what the state requires, for example....get homeowners insurance before you start your house, just show the insurance company your plans. Contractors have insurance (or at least the above board ones do) but if there was a fire, theft, etc it would not be covered under the contractors insurance. Contractor insurance only covers his work and not materials that may be damaged by a lightening strike for example.
Well sorry to be so long winded, but there are alot of things to consider when building or having a home built, even if its just a cabin, you want it done correctly its a big investment.

[farmboy]

These are like big lincoln logs.
http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/main/LogCabin.aspx?k=cabins

[MissouriFree]

PC, how much can you save by just having it closed in and doing the rest your self ?

[patriotchick]

Having it closed in and doing the rest yourself would depend on what your contractor would include in a tight to weather package. Some will do all your interior roughing out for electrical boxes and plumbing and some dont, if it were me I would want that stuff done. Some will do only load baring interior walls and some do all walls. You would have to hang the doors inside, build interior non bearing walls if they arent included, do all your finish and staining or polly, do your bathrooms and kitchen etc. For me to give you an accurate pricing on that is hard without knowing the size of the building, and of course prices vary I am sure state to state but two rough measures to use is to either times your square footage by 20 to 25 if you wanted a price just for the actual carpenter work phase and then add about 5000 to that OR sub work included rough estimate 1.5 to 2 times(two times is high though) the price of your kit . So a 1500 square kit footage price which would not include service trades, 20x1500=30,000 add 5000 = 35000. Using the other formula you can do the math based on kit price. Of course non of these estimates include the actual price of your land. But that said you can save alot if you can do all the interior finish yourself. The actual structure though in my opinion should be left to proffesionals.
If a person is looking at kits and money is an issue I wouldnt opt for fancy roof lines or lots of decks/porches, decks and porches can be added later and arent essential to a good cabin/home. But decks, railings and fancy finish can add up. Roof lines with lots of different pitches and valleys can add up too. Lots to consider and a person should definately do their homework. If you are good at organizing things and can organize all your service trades and have a good understanding of construction and all the tools a person can do it themselves, but if you are lacking in any of these areas I wouldnt recommend it.
Alot of kits require special tools, saws and drill bits just to name a few that to buy are expensive and to rent can be costly. My husband has a huge skill saw that will cut logs it cost 700 bucks, he uses it alot though, but for a do it yourselfer what would you do with it afterwards?? Like I said do your homework, and if nothing else at least talk to a builder and get their imput even if it cost a small fee.

[cinok]

These are like big lincoln logs.
http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/main/LogCabin.aspx?k=cabins



The important word here is BIG these require cranes to set and they are not cheap.PC your brought upa point about weathering it in, the finish work is what is seen the most and can get very pricey very quickly. With the price of materails these days most lumber yards will only hold a qoute for 14 days. At the same time with the housing slump you may be able to find a good contracter to work at lower at rate so he can keep his/her crews busy. With that said don't insult them by looking for free work. You get what you pay for.

d
Depending on where you live you maybe restricted on what you can do yourself.

[LeatherneckPA]

My Cozy Cabins (http://tinyurl.com/4c57ds) has a wide variety of smaller floor plans for your consideration. I see no reason why a minimally talented person could not build one of these.

In fact, they are making me reconsider what I want. I am really considering downsizing to less than 1200 sq ft, maybe even less than 1000 sq ft. 24' x 32' is only 768 sq ft, but I think it's enough for a couple of old farts who don't really like to chase each other around the house naked anymore.

(At least, not for more than one lap!)

[Anon001]

One that I looked at was Conestoga cabins. They seem solid and Cabela's (I hate that place! overpriced.) sells them as well. but you can buy it for less from Conestoga. They do go into what all you need to do for site prep and such.
Paul NKS

[Sailortom]

Great info! Thanks for the replies so far.

The cozy cabins look interesting but I do hate websites that don't have prices. >:(

I appreciate the warnings about getting in over my head with regards to building. That's why I think the partially built even unbuilt kits are more suitable for me than building just from plans. I have quite a bit of experience hurting myself with tools ;D and I think I would be able to do my bit in the "some assembly required" part. Though the warnings are well headed and I know that $ite prep is an issue.

Any suggestions on how to view a potential site as either easy to build or costly?

Sailortom