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Small Cabin Forum / Cabin Construction / Eplans advise for small a-frame...
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chris22104
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# Posted: 18 Jul 2012 18:54 - Edited by: chris22104
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Hi!
I'm considering building this a-frame URL
Anyone build this plan? Assuming not, does anyone have any experience with eplans? How are they? If I'm building it myself, is there any need for more than one plan?
BPS961FRRECOLG.j.jpg
BPS961FRRECOLG.j.jpg


Sustainusfarm
Member
# Posted: 18 Jul 2012 23:34 - Edited by: Sustainusfarm
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The A Frames look cool, however they are such a waste of floor space...everyone I know that has one wishes they had bought something else. It appears they all get sick of the same thing..head room and weird layout options....IMO and what others have told me...

chris22104
Member
# Posted: 18 Jul 2012 23:53 - Edited by: chris22104
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I'm bent on it though and it's small (535 sq ft.) which is perfect for a one bedroom get away. I've been in A's before, so I know the drawbacks. I do like the steep roof, as we are known for a lot of snow up here in the Buffalo, N.Y. region! I'd do an all metal roof....

jbos333
Member
# Posted: 19 Jul 2012 07:19
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It does look cool. One thing I see, especially with a metal roof, is the chimney location in the picture. It's just asking to be torn off by a snow slide. I, too, am in the Buffalo, NY area. Whereabouts are you building, if you don't mind?

chris22104
Member
# Posted: 19 Jul 2012 12:43 - Edited by: chris22104
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Would there really be a snow slide with a steep roof? Would it even accumulate?

Anonymous
# Posted: 19 Jul 2012 20:23
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better check on building codes... most towns in niagara county require 1000 sq ft minimum...fyi.

chris22104
Member
# Posted: 19 Jul 2012 21:09 - Edited by: chris22104
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I already have, and that's not an issue... Nonetheless, my original question still remains, anyone deal with eplans and are they decent? Has anyone built this plan before?

jbos333
Member
# Posted: 19 Jul 2012 21:30
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Yes, believe it or not, snow will still accumulate on that pitch. I have steel on my roof with similar pitch. It builds up then when the sun hits it after a while "boom" down it goes.

And the snow that is built up is very dense and heavy from sitting on the roof's surface.

It looks like you're building somewhere in Niagara county?

chris22104
Member
# Posted: 20 Jul 2012 00:07
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I'd like to eventually. Just checking into all the preliminaries. Like I said, we haven't even bought the plans yet! Just looking for feedback on how thorough the eplans and material lists are, and hoping for that needle in the haystack that someone out there has built this plan before...

Just
Member
# Posted: 20 Jul 2012 22:00 - Edited by: Just
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chris22104
there was a member of the forum named( Jeremy 165) had a lot of threads about his A frame in the spring of 2011 try there for some ideas...

chris22104
Member
# Posted: 20 Jul 2012 22:33
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Will do; thanks for the advise!

mrmiji
Member
# Posted: 20 Jul 2012 23:14
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My wife loves the plan which means there likely will be one out at the ranch in the next year or two.

chris22104
Member
# Posted: 21 Jul 2012 00:09
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Cool mrmiji! You mean these exact plans?!

Just
Member
# Posted: 21 Jul 2012 14:15
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ho, and gary o and cabin 3 have a small but very nice A frame..

mrmiji
Member
# Posted: 21 Jul 2012 18:46
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Yep. I'll contact them to go with a slab and a garage below but, yes, you spent my money. Congratulations! I'm actually quite happy with this turn of events. I'll be paying for it with an inheritance from the sale of an a-frame cabin on Mason Lake, WA so there's a certain poetry.

chris22104
Member
# Posted: 22 Jul 2012 00:17
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Very cool! If you get started before me, let me know via a PM, and I'll do the same! We'll have to keep in touch! I think 535 sq ft is a decent size; not too big or too small.

Jeremy165
Member
# Posted: 13 Sep 2012 20:05
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I saw that plan while designing my A-frame and it is an attractive one. Make sure they give you structural drawings not just architecturals or else you'll be guessing and making the calculations yourself.

My roof never accumulates more than an inch or two of snow before sliding and mine is comp roof approx. 18:12 slope. I think a metal roof would shed it even faster.

I don't know if you plan on doing the work yourself or hiring a crew, but beware that that's a steep roof in the drawing and by the time you are the height of the walls and your whole roof, you're going to be pretty high up there when nailing on the roofcap. I was roped in with my rockclimbing gear and I have no issue with heights but it was still precarious for me. Also, if you drop a tool its on the ground so quick. Then I'd have to spend a few minutes to climb down, retrieve the tool and climb back up...

A-frames can be a waste of space but not always. In the drawing at the top of this thread, the front section of the home where the roof comes all the way to the floor is where you get those triangles of space you can't use. Also it can be a little dark. In the back area though is where the plans place the kitchen, so all appliances and cabinets will have a vertical surface to back up to. And you have walls so you can have windows. I love the look of an A-frame, but I'm from the PacNW so its needed in some parts.

It's a cool plan though and will look great when it's done.

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