If you enjoy the forum please consider supporting it by signing up for a NES Membership The benefits pay for the membership many times over.
Be sure to enter the NES/MFS May Giveaway ***Canik METE SFX***
Specifically, I would look at the Bobcat "Toolcat", prices on used ones in Maine can be reasonable, and you can add attachments to do just about anything.Buy a 4wd tractor with a backhoe attachment, a bucket/forks up front, and a set of chains. It will pay for itself on road (driveway) maintenance alone.
Another option is to install a propane-fired "gravity wall furnace" with millivolt thermostat, this will keep the pipes from freezing even if power goes out, so long as there is propane and the pilot light stays lit.I would love if if the Minis could handle the 1100sft enough to not have to drain the water if I was coming back in a few days/week. If I want it over say 68 on a very cold day I would be fine using the stove as I do intend to use that as much as possible.
Here is a cabin with a steep steel roof so snow will slide off.
I can't tell from the picture, those might be snow breakers rather than snow guards?And snow guards, so it won't.
Snow sheds off a pitched metal roof like a mofo, so you don't want anything in the way when it turns loose. In this case, there's no reason to have snow guards, because there's nothing to damage when it hits the ground.
$170/sq.ft for a log kit, compared to national average new construction cost of $125-$150?What is the cost of these cabins? A small log kit (say 1100sft) appears that it will cost in the $185k range installed after everything.
I can't tell from the picture, those might be snow breakers rather than snow guards?
And here's what happens when you don't have snow breakers:
$170/sq.ft for a log kit, compared to national average new construction cost of $125-$150?
We have snowverhang like that on our metal roof. Up north, gutters just get torn off on stuff like that. If a log cabin is $170 a foot, I would get something stick built, with 2x6 walls and spray foam and a steel roof, becuase the cost will be on parity or lower, and it will be much easier to heat and maintain.
If it was me - I would find out who the person is before causing too much of a stink.
Sometimes having "friends" helps. It's a concern having somebody obviously using the property, but making enemies of the "locals" is a concern too. Sometimes situations like this can work out for both people's benefit - just something to think about.
You're probably right... but not being a lawyer as I understand it he could still get some form of title by way of a prescriptive easement, IE legally enforceable permission to use the land every year to set up his hunting lodge and access to and from, and to hunt on all the land he normally hunts on, and that is something that could effect the the title/the OPs ability to sell the property down the road, etc.
Better safe than sorry. ...
The attorney's who handled his closing should be able to give him advice on what to do.
Basic tent (Boy Scouts of America) with a tarp base. There is a small old wood stove and that's it. No food or any accessories. It's clear no one is living here. In fact it looks like it has not been used in quite some time.
... I have a cabin that is off the grid. Everything pretty much runs on propane. The lights, stove, fridge, hot water & generator. I also have a wood stove for heat. I may install a propane heater some time soon. I wish I had opted for a metal roof. Good luck.
As to the squatter: don't bother with a lawyer. A simple "beat it" will suffice.
Maybe said nicer than that, maybe not. Depends on the squatter.
Here is a cabin with a steep steel roof so snow will slide off.
We have snowverhang like that on our metal roof. Up north, gutters just get torn off on stuff like that. If a log cabin is $170 a foot, I would get something stick built, with 2x6 walls and spray foam and a steel roof, because the cost will be on parity or lower, and it will be much easier to heat and maintain.
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.
There experience sucks, but modular homes aren't just crappy glorified trailers anymore. The ones I am talking about are basically stick built houses done in a warehouse. Arguably they are better than a site built house.
I went to the links, but did not see what you were talking about. HOWEVER, I did see this: Major Surgery for a Failing Fat Wall | JLC Online | Moisture Barriers, Building Envelope, Building Science, Building Resources, Vermont
It does appear ICF is the way to go; a bit more expensive and kind of ugly, but goes up fast and makes for a tight house with great R-value. See: Living in a concrete bunkerDig into the site a little. There's a number of articles there about using the ICF's.
I couldn't see owning a log cabin as my primary residence. It's cool, retro, and romantic, but not practical.
I agree, log home kits may be reasonable but it is 4-5 times the labor of building one stick built. Not to mention you only get 1R per inch of wood for insulation. They do look nice but I would hate to have to heat one.
... The home is located on one side of a dam without any access roads to it. The dam has a weight limit so everything had to be loaded on to small trucks to drive over the dam. ...
I'm thinking of doing something cheap for a cabin... start with a new tool shed that looks reasonable, then put in insulation, knotty pine siding and other stuff myself at my leisure. ...
All of the log cabin "kit" homes I have seen use actual logs, which is the root cause of most of the drawbacks.Not to mention, they're not really log homes. They're milled lumber homes, only the lumber is milled into something resembling a landscape timber. Most aren't even that: they're just "log" siding tacked onto the outside of a stick built structure.
You definitely want somebody who has done this before to plan out and install your sonotubes, then attach PT 4x4 runners on top so the dealer can slide the pre-built shed on. It's not an uncommon way to place a shed on soft ground, see https://www.shedsusa.com/files/2113/3950/3061/Sonotubes-for-PreFab-Sheds-HD_011712.pdfThey'll put it on blocks on the ground to level it out, although I'm thinking I need it elevated enough that I can get under it to reach pipes. So, place on posts of some kind? (I've never poured sono tubes so not entirely sure what's best.) They won't do that kind of work, so I'd need to hire someone else to do it (ground is too rocky so it'll require equipment to dig out the post holes.) But, hopefully they can place a pre-built onto the posts... they have it on a flat-bed truck, and tilt it so it slides back off but normally onto the ground. (I was watching them load up a truck yesterday with a new building to be delivered.) So, I'm not entirely sure how they'd get it back up onto 3 foot high posts.
Propane vs oil is a tough decision. IMHO, oil really only has two advantages -- Oil is cheaper (Lower $/BTU, for now), and you can easily bring in diesel fuel to top off your tank if you run low. For a building that you are not planning to heat all winter long, I would go with propane. Less storage/leakage/theft concerns, more appliances available, lower maintenance, etc.Propane vs. oil. Years ago I was faced with this decision in NH. My plumber said I'd get more BTUs from oil, and save in the long run. I have. Since your tank will be outside, no basement, you'll pay a few pennies more for conditioned oil that won't gel in the winter.
This is exactly what i have been thinking of doing. Seems like a great way to get started for a cabin. It would be easy to insulate and finish the interior. The metal roof is definitely a plus.I'm thinking of doing something cheap for a cabin... start with a new tool shed that looks reasonable, then put in insulation, knotty pine siding and other stuff myself at my leisure. For example, a new dealer for this is over in Keene:
https://oldhickorybuildings.com/products/side-porch-package-ohb/
That's a 10x20 with 4x6 porch, a loft on each end (only really suitable for storage since you can't stand up in it), real windows and door (not the typical Home Depot "door" which is plywood with hinges and a latch), metal roof. Total price $4800. They say I can make any design change imaginable, so I maybe loft height could be increased or something.
They'll put it on blocks on the ground to level it out, although I'm thinking I need it elevated enough that I can get under it to reach pipes. So, place on posts of some kind? (I've never poured sono tubes so not entirely sure what's best.) They won't do that kind of work, so I'd need to hire someone else to do it (ground is too rocky so it'll require equipment to dig out the post holes.) But, hopefully they can place a pre-built onto the posts... they have it on a flat-bed truck, and tilt it so it slides back off but normally onto the ground. (I was watching them load up a truck yesterday with a new building to be delivered.) So, I'm not entirely sure how they'd get it back up onto 3 foot high posts.
Bump,
Just starting this up again as I want to purchase/install a modular home in the spring. My wife talked me in to putting an addition on our primary home prior to building up in Maine. In the past year I helped my business partner install a 1,200 sft log home on the property. Its very nice, but definitely not what I want. I do now have a place to stay while I work up there which is nice. I am looking at a 1,250sft, 3 bed, 2 bath ranch with covered front and rear porches. Walkout basement with (2) car garage under one side (for toys). I received a turn key quote of $153k back in 2016. I just reached out to a few firms to dust off old quotes. I intend to tour a couple local ones in Maine and make my final decision fairly soon.
I ended up taking some advice and purchased a JBC 214 4x4 backhoe. Used it to clear miles of trails and start building a 200yd range on the property with a natural backstop (65ft hill). Soils in this area is loose sand, easy digging and septic. I intend to do all the site work myself now, including the septic. The price for the conventional foundation seemed reasonable, I am leaning away from ICF due to costs. I personally have waited for this longer than I wanted to and want to get going ASAP. I learned alot doing the cabin so that should help. Made some friends with neighbors so I feel more comfortable. Chased a few people off the property as well. Some were colorful to say the least. We have camera's everywhere. Some remote Spartan Gocams as well as more formal systems.
I ended up putting mini-splits in my addition at home and love them. When it was below zero recently they were still blowing hot air. It was pretty cool. I am still thinking of a propane heater/stove as a backup heat in the basement. We are close (1/2 mile) to a major route but still seem to loose power often. We installed mini-split in cabin as well, when it was -25 a week ago they stopped working. We have a remote monitor but did not catch in time. Nothing burst but by the time someone got there the toilet was solid!!!. I want to make sure I account for that possible event in my plans up front. Thinking of insulating the basement exterior walls well but not the ceiling. Placing the propane stove/heater down there set to say 50 degrees, if the mini's stop working I would think the basement system would kick in and keep the place from freezing.
Before you completely move away from the ICF solution for your foundation - check out this Youtube channel:
Pure Living for Life
They're building their own home out in Idaho - and did their own foundation using ICF's. If you go back to mid-August or so they have a bunch of videos on the work they did to build the foundation using ICF's. Might help you get a better idea of what is really involved.
When I built my barn starting back in 2007 - I ended up just having a standard foundation poured. I evaluated ICFs but decided there wasn't much benefit since most of the foundation is just buried and I don't have a basement under it. So insulating it wasn't going to be much help. The cost of the ICF's which potentially gave me the ability to do the concrete work - vs. hiring somebody to setup forms and do the concrete themselves I ended up deciding wasn't worth the tradeoffs. I ended up digging the foundation hole myself - hiring somebody to come in and setup the forms and handle the concrete pour - and then did all the backfilling and so forth myself. If I remember correctly the cost for the concrete guy and his formwork plus the concrete for a 28ft x 42ft x 6-7ft high foundation was something like $8500 back in 2007.
If you're going to have a basement though - in a house up in Maine - the ICF's might be worth evaluating closely since you've also got to factor in energy savings over time. Especially since you might be able to save some money too vs. paying a contractor to come in and setup forms.
Just my 2 cents..............
Seeare 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