Small Cabin

Small Cabin Forum
 - Forums - Register/Sign Up - Reply - Search - Statistics -

Small Cabin Forum / Properties / Suburban cabin on 2 acres
Author Message
mrbob
Member
# Posted: 20 Mar 2019 19:57
Reply 


Hello. This is my first post. I am so excited to have found this site.

I'm planning on building a smallish cabin next to our smallish house as a quiet break from the kids and wife. I figure I could do a shed/cabin for $5k where a proper addition would be 5-10x that.

We bought our house on a 2 acre lot. We have a few neighbors but there are a substantial amount of mature trees that offer a great deal of privacy. It's in the middle of the residential part of town.

My two biggest challenges for placement are a hilly yard and neighbors on all sides. I'm planning on placing it in a low spot marked on the attached image in yellow. It's an overgrown area that was used as a dumping ground for brush. I will need to spend this year clearing it out. With that done I think concrete piles will do nicely.

The town allows accessory buildings (eg. sheds) up to 16' tall and 500sqft with a permit. The trick will be to keep it modest so it doesn't raise my property taxes or insurance too much.

I don't have much more to write. I just wanted to say hi and introduce myself.

Has anybody else built a small get-away cabin or shed on their suburban property? How did it go?
planned_cabin_locati.jpg
planned_cabin_locati.jpg


rockies
Member
# Posted: 20 Mar 2019 20:33
Reply 


This article may help.

https://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/cozy-cabin-zmaz06jjzraw

Be sure to click on the building diagram.

Just
Member
# Posted: 20 Mar 2019 22:27
Reply 


Wellcome aboard bob ,there are a few members that have built hobby studios in there back yards but there names escape me, perhaps other members will chime in!!

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 21 Mar 2019 07:53
Reply 


You should really see what they require for the permit process. If they require a stamped building plan, even for a shed you can kiss $5k budget good by. If you decide to go no permit i would make sure the town knows and make sure that means no inspections needed.

I would call it a shed, get it inspected by the town and your insurance as a gutted shell. Then finish it how you please.

Our property the max building size is 144sqft for no permit. We are getting a 10x14 shed and turning it into a sh-abin...then will do the permit/inspection process for a cabin.

mrbob
Member
# Posted: 21 Mar 2019 09:04
Reply 


> If they require a stamped building plan, even for a shed you can kiss $5k budget goodbye

Is that because I would need to involve an architect and engineers?

> I would call it a shed, get it inspected by the town and your insurance as a gutted shell. Then finish it how you please.

That is the plan. : )

Nobadays
Member
# Posted: 21 Mar 2019 09:24
Reply 


What Brettny said..... Do check with your local planning dept. Having been involved on that end for years (retired now) most cities/counties have a specific soft allowance without a permit. In our area it is 200sqft with an eave height not to exceed 14' That allowed for a very nice building at our primary residence.

This summer we hope to build a woodshed/shop at the cabin. The county there also allows 200 sqft, one story without a permit.

The biggest issue can be neighbors.... if they don't object to what you're building -turn you in - chances are the planning dept has much bigger fish to fry than your utility shed.

mrbob
Member
# Posted: 21 Mar 2019 12:44
Reply 


@Nobadays what sort of building and layout did you choose for your 200sqft build?

mrbob
Member
# Posted: 21 Mar 2019 12:47
Reply 


I checked with the building and zoning departments.

I have to file with zoning no matter what I build. Accessory buildings (what this would fall under) are limited to 400sqft.

I only have to talk to the building department if I go over 200sqft. It seems a lot changes depending on whether you want to hook up electric and water.

I think I will spend this year clearing the land and navigating the regulations, then get building next year.

sparky30_06
Member
# Posted: 21 Mar 2019 14:02
Reply 


your going to build it in the low spot of your property? I was advise against that. You want your building on high ground, water runs down hill.

mrbob
Member
# Posted: 21 Mar 2019 17:41
Reply 


The high part is wide open and visible from the neighbors. It's not quite like building at the bottom of a valley, but on the side of a hill. I plan to do 48" concrete piles and keep it raised a few feet at the lowest point. That should be fine shouldn't it?

Nobadays
Member
# Posted: 21 Mar 2019 23:06
Reply 


mrbob.... I ended up building a 10' x 18' so 180 sqft. I did a shed roof design sloping the long way thus giving me a second floor storage area accessed by a pull down stairway. Hard to see in the pictures but it has a 6'x7' room directly ahead of the doorway as you enter. This is now used for tool storage as well as for a large wine cabinet...I make wine.

The city does not require a permit for this size of building unless there is electrical and/or plumbing.... I got carried away and wired the building...I took pictures hoping that if I got caught I could show my work complies with code. But in all fairness it is still powered by an extension cord, a GREAT BIG (6/4) extension cord! One of my neighbors works for the planning dept and I said something about wiring it, then went ...Oh wait you shouldn't hear this! and she said, "we have bigger fish to fry than your out building." As I suspected.... here are some pictures...sorry in advance if they are sideways.
Don
IMG_0965.JPG
IMG_0965.JPG
IMG_0989.JPG
IMG_0989.JPG
IMG_1543.JPG
IMG_1543.JPG
IMG_1592.JPG
IMG_1592.JPG


sparky30_06
Member
# Posted: 22 Mar 2019 08:09
Reply 


mrbob
is 2 foot high enough? How much water does it hold when it floods or in heavy rains?

mrbob
Member
# Posted: 22 Mar 2019 17:54
Reply 


@nobadays, that's a nice little cabin. Very sleek and clean inside and out.

mrbob
Member
# Posted: 22 Mar 2019 17:56
Reply 


Quoting: sparky30_06
is 2 foot high enough? How much water does it hold when it floods or in heavy rains?


It's on a slight hill that is lower than the surrounding land, but not the absolute lowest point. I don't think there is anywhere for water to pool. If I were to build a slab foundation I might be worried about a little runoff or ground water but I think I should be safe with raised concrete piers and wood.

Nobadays
Member
# Posted: 22 Mar 2019 18:07
Reply 


Mrbob... thanks! I couldn't find any better pics of the outside. It is completely finished now and all trimmed out. All the windows came from the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I bought the windows first then framed the walls with openings to fit them.

Nobadays
Member
# Posted: 22 Mar 2019 18:11
Reply 


Mrbob.... if you liked that building you might like our "real cabin"
IMG_3809.JPG
IMG_3809.JPG
IMG_3812.JPG
IMG_3812.JPG
IMG_3808.JPG
IMG_3808.JPG
IMG_3831.JPG
IMG_3831.JPG


mrbob
Member
# Posted: 22 Mar 2019 18:28
Reply 


Nobadays, haha. Even better. I really like the porch/deck and the way it is situated on the land. Looks like a pretty decent size. And nice little wood stove and hearth.

Jebediah
Member
# Posted: 23 Mar 2019 07:53 - Edited by: Jebediah
Reply 


Theres a fellow on Youtube...Dale Calder, I believe he lives on the East Coast of Canada, he built a shed/cabin on his property behind his house....

mrbob
Member
# Posted: 23 Mar 2019 09:39
Reply 


Jebediah, thanks for the name. I watched a few videos. One's an hour of watching him cook eat, cook eat, read a book, in his cabin during a snow storm. Strangely interesting.

Your reply
Bold Style  Italic Style  Underlined Style  Thumbnail Image Link  Large Image Link  URL Link           :) ;) :-( :confused: More smilies...

» Username  » Password 
Only registered users can post here. Please enter your login/password details before posting a message, or register here first.