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Maine Cabin / Modular Home

SpiderMA

SpiderMA

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I just purchased a large tract in Maine. I am interested in building a structure approx. 1,100 or so Sft (enough for 3 small bedrooms) and a decent size living room etc. I intend to drain the water/lines after each use as I don't want to pay to heat it year round. There are utilities at the frontage, (home will be back 1,000ft or so) and I am intending to install OHW along the drive.

I am leaning toward a small modular home. Looking for ideas of anyone that may have done this recently. Heating options, modular company recommendations (oxford co area), propane vs oil etc.
 
I don't have experience other than a few tours threw them but some of the modular homes are real nice. And seem to be cheaper compared to having one built.
 
My father built a kit log cabin house in Maine on a lake. It has 3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. The only heat source is a propane stove that looks like a wood burning stove. The water is pumped from the lake and run through a series of filters. The hot water is heated by an instant-on propane heater. There is a good sized diesel generator with backup battery system so the generator doesn't need to run to have power.


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JWPaolilliJr said:
Being in the woods wouldn't it be better to bury them? That way you don't have problems with limbs from trees pulling down the wires. I don't think that it would be any more expensive than having poles installed.
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I would have to agree. If the geography allowed it.


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Location is Fryeburg area.

BostonFJ40 said:
My father built a kit log cabin house in Maine on a lake. It has 3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. The only heat source is a propane stove that looks like a wood burning stove. The water is pumped from the lake and run through a series of filters. The hot water is heated by an instant-on propane heater. There is a good sized diesel generator with backup battery system so the generator doesn't need to run to have power.


Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkView attachment 151492View attachment 151493
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Any idea what the cost was? I am told there is the cost for the kit, then for installation, but HVAC, plumbing, electrical may be extra. Also, how did they do the insulation in a kit home?
 
SpiderMA said:
Location is Fryeburg area.



Any idea what the cost was? I am told there is the cost for the kit, then for installation, but HVAC, plumbing, electrical may be extra.
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Not sure, I know it was not cheap. He installed a very expensive custom kitchen and nice bathrooms. The home is located on one side of a damn without any access roads to it. The damn has a weight limit so everything had to be loaded on to small trucks to drive over the damn. That raised the cost quite a bit. That's also the reason we get water from the lake instead of from a well. The drilling rig was too heavy to drive over the damn. Whatever the cost it wouldn't be comparable to yours I don't think. I will find out the brand of the kit. I know it was a Maine company.

As far as installing the utilities (I think that's what your asking) it's a log cabin so all the wiring had to be drilled into the logs as the built it. Same with the pipes.

Fryeberg is nice. This place is in Middle Damn, ME but we have a ski house at Sunday River and we drive through Fryeberg whenever we go to North Conway from Bethel. Great area, right in the middle of a lot.


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I will be interested in what you do since I own land not too far from there that needs a cabin soon.

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The cost for Over head wire is roughly $15/lft. The cost for under ground is roughly $17/lft but, you need to have if trenched and conduits installed first that will add considerable cost. (1,000lin ft)

The property was logged recently and ther are already paths cut throughout the entire property which I love. I could easily cut any additional tree within say 30ft of the lines.
 
I did this 25 yrs ago in the next town over (Lovell). Although I did a small log cabin instead of modular. Realize that many of the costs associated with a project like this are the same whether modular or cabin (excavation, electric, plumbing, water).

PM me if you're interested in hearing about the lessons I learned. Doing this in ME is different than doing it in MA. Not necessarily worse, just different. Good luck. Very nice area. [grin]
 
BostonFJ40 said:
Not sure, I know it was not cheap. He installed a very expensive custom kitchen and nice bathrooms. The home is located on one side of a damn without any access roads to it. The damn has a weight limit so everything had to be loaded on to small trucks to drive over the damn. That raised the cost quite a bit. That's also the reason we get water from the lake instead of from a well. The drilling rig was too heavy to drive over the damn. Whatever the cost it wouldn't be comparable to yours I don't think. I will find out the brand of the kit. I know it was a Maine company.

As far as installing the utilities (I think that's what your asking) it's a log cabin so all the wiring had to be drilled into the logs as the built it. Same with the pipes.

Fryeberg is nice. This place is in Middle Damn, ME but we have a ski house at Sunday River and we drive through Fryeberg whenever we go to North Conway from Bethel. Great area, right in the middle of a lot.


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Dam it. ;)
 
are outdoor wood burners allowed in Maine, here in Mich tons of people heat with out door burners that heat water that is pumped through the house heating it along with hot water for showers
 
Stee said:
are outdoor wood burners allowed in Maine, here in Mich tons of people heat with out door burners that heat water that is pumped through the house heating it along with hot water for showers
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LOL absolutely. You might almost think it is a requirement.

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Here is what I have done so far:
1) Completed a boundary survey of lot
2) Had wetlands flagged by a certified botanist as it abuts river and pond
3) Performed a utility walk with Central Maine Power (CMP) and received the costs for connection to service. Since part of the service at the street was paid for by an abutter, there is a cost share I need to pay into. Any additional OHW are $15 per linear foot and that includes everything but ledge removal (if encountered).
4) Completed a topographic survey in the vicinity of the home site and septic.

I am leaning toward:
1) Modular home or a cabin kit for the speed.
2) Propane tank (1,500gals) for heat, on demand water
3) Wood stove will hopefully heat the cabin/home most of the time but I want the secondary heat source just in case and to bring the cabin to temp quicker. Since this will not be my permanent address, I am not intending to install an outdoor wood burner.
4) I have fresh water sources, but I am intending to install well.
5) I have a quote to perform perc test and septic design from local surveyor

The gravity water line comment is a good one, I have not considered that issue with a modular home. I guess I could install a high spot on the plumbing to connect an air compressor (and leave it there all the time) that I could easily blow out the network each time. My goal is that if family or friends use the cabin without me the process to close the cabin would be easy.

My thought on the OHW vs U/G is the chain is only as strong as its weakest link concept. There is s a mile of OHW from the nearest major roadway, so even if I do go U/G the last 1,000ft I don't think I am increasing my likelihood of power staying on by a large %. I intended to clear around the poles say 10-15ft on each side and keep it that way using a brush hog. I will get a quote to install the u/g conduits just to be thorough.
 
I have a pretty good ideal of typical construction cost in MA but not up in Maine. For example, I need a 12ft gravel access drive/road installed for approx. 1,100ft. I am curious if anyone has had something similar installed.

Edit: I also want to focus on insulation as well. I am curious what the cost is in this area for ICF (insulated concrete forms). I want to see if its cost effective for a part time home.
 
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One more thought -- factor in delivery charges for modular from factory. Is driveway going to be level & wide enough for trucks ? Will you need a crane to install to foundation ?
 
Quiggy said:
One more thought -- factor in delivery charges for modular from factory. Is driveway going to be level & wide enough for trucks ? Will you need a crane to install to foundation ?
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Many of the modular/cabin manufacturers will offer an installation service for a flat fee. Many include the cost of a crane if one is needed. It's best to inquire with the manufacturer.
 
We have a 10 acre lot in nearby Naples with a barn and a cabin on site. Central Maine Power ran the service up an appx. 600' graded driveway with three poles and charged us about $1,500, 12 or so years ago. CMP is pretty good about trimming back the growth from the wires on the main roads around here, and they go right up our driveway to the service drop as well. I happened to be on-site when they did it this year and it took a three man crew and a bucket truck about half a day to do just our driveway, so they really do try to minimize the chance of downed lines.

Even so, the power up this way is much less reliable than back home NE of Boston. We do have a generator and end up using it once or twice each year, but it's never been because of an issue on our driveway. I guess to sum it up, yes, the power isn't as reliable as it is 'back home' but CMP does pay attention to the potential trouble areas as a preventative measure.
 
SpiderMA said:
2) Propane tank (1,500gals) for heat, on demand water
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Purchase the propane tank. Don't get it from the propane company. They may give you a good price on year one but you are stuck with the vendor that owns the tanks. It's against the law for a company to fill another company's tanks.

I own my own tanks and I was able to pre-purchase 1,700 gallons for the year and be locked in at $1.499 a gallon. (I could have done a little better but I wasn't sure when the market would be the best.

Af for UG feed if you can do it you are much better off (IMO). Your electronics are much better protected from lightning strikes. My house has overhead and I just had to take down 30 trees that were going to become an issue.

I hope that you end up with the house that you want!
 
I am in the process of finalizing becoming a dealer for Timberblock. For a small cabin you could easily assemble it yourself its very simple.

Check out www.timberblock.com The floorplans can get as small or large as you would like.

If you are interested shoot me a PM.
 
I have lived and worked in CT for a lifetime and owned a small cabin in VT used for hunting and skiing for over 50 years.

The cabin has a steel roof made with a somewhat fast pitch so that the winters snow and ice will slide off!

Then I built a addition in the 60's to add a water well and plumbing that also has a steel roof to repel snow and branches for that matter.

The heat (propane) is on right now because it might freeze.

Propane was chosen because it will run without electricity. There are power failures.
 
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Expect things to go "missing" on a regular basis.

Edit: Not so much if you reside there.
 
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