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HopefulHomemaker
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# Posted: 20 Jun 2012 15:46
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Our self built cabin will commence in roughly three months. I want to put this thread here early though, to help us stay motivated and start making plans.
We were up at our land this weekend, and picked up a set of stamped plans while we were there. The company we bought our land from (Christmas & Associates) were nice enough to make us free copies, and will also be giving us a lumber list to make our project a bit easier. The photo of the cabin is what we'll be putting up (the neighbor across the field has the exact one we want). Another guy down the road has batten board siding, but I like the rough edge boards better, so we'll probably be doing that. The ground floor of the cabin is 16x20, the loft is 16x15 and overhangs the 8' porch. It's a cute little place, with plenty of room for our growing family. The posts, it turns out, can be foundation grade lumber. That should cut down on our costs a bit, which is a very good thing.
Anyway, we'll be going up sometime in mid/late September to get started. We're hoping to get a few helpers so that we can get the shell up fast, but not counting on it (we've asked for volunteers a number of times, and each time the people we have always been willing to stick our necks out for are suddenly very busy). So this might just be me, the husband, the ex husband, and maybe a friend. Wish us luck!
Oh, and the other picture is the view across our 4 acre field. That's what we'll be seeing out our front door.
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Sustainusfarm
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# Posted: 20 Jun 2012 16:25
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That is some nice looking land...love the view....my thread (Central Wisconsin Cabin Build) may help with questions about the foundation..I did the same as you plan on doing with the treated posts....nice and easy! My dad and I did the entire foundation and got the shell up in about 3 weeks total...we did the foundation and deck in the fall and then put up the shell the following year. Good luck! Can't wait to watch it come together!
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HopefulHomemaker
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# Posted: 30 Aug 2012 12:32 - Edited by: HopefulHomemaker
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We're still here! We just go notice this morning that we have a building permit, so we're good to go as planned. We're heading up on September 14th to start building. A few friends are coming to help, but it's still going to be a lot of work, and I'm a little anxious about it going well. Our budget is so tight! But we only have to get the outside of the house done, so hopefully a week will be long enough to do that. Please wish us luck!
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hattie
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# Posted: 30 Aug 2012 13:08
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You must be very excited. It looks like it will be a beautiful place when you get it all done. Looking forward to all the photos of your work in progress.
Will this be for weekends or are you going to be living there full time?
Best of luck with your build!!
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HopefulHomemaker
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# Posted: 1 Sep 2012 22:36
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We'll be there full time, but not until next spring at the earliest. Our first trip will maybe be enough to finish the exterior of the house, probably minus the siding. We'll have to go up a few times over the winter to finish the work. We're excited, and anxious for it to go well.
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Bevis
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# Posted: 2 Sep 2012 15:52
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good luck. will be waiting for the build pics.
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HopefulHomemaker
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# Posted: 3 Sep 2012 18:46
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I'm starting to worry. Almost all of our help has backed out. Now it looks like it'll be me, husband, and his parents (who are not in great shape).
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cabingal3
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# Posted: 4 Sep 2012 06:44
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Quoting: HopefulHomemaker Almost all of our help has backed out.
good luck on your dream cabin.me and hubby are old and we are not in the best of shape.we built our cabin by ourselves.of course it is not as fancy as yours HopefulHomemaker.i would haul a board-the mister would nail it and then we would rest.lol.
u will soon be in your wonderful cabin.good luck.
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dk1393
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# Posted: 4 Sep 2012 16:27
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Are you going to have electric?. The cabin should be very nice. Good luck.
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HopefulHomemaker
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# Posted: 18 Sep 2012 13:15 - Edited by: HopefulHomemaker
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We've finally begun! Husband and I arrived on Friday morning after driving all night, just in time to meet our first lumber delivery. Friday was basically just setting up and gathering supplies. Two friends did show up to help for a couple of days, and they have been invaluable. We would have gotten nowhere without them. The digging turned out to be a problem, though. Our soil is much too rocky to use an auger, so after wasting a day trying to muddle through with two people holding a one person gas auger (which still managed to spin out and whack Husband in the knee with its handle) we gave up and hired someone. He couldn't come until Monday, so Sunday we spent ages in Home Depot buying joist hangers and screws and other nonsense. Monday we got started after lunch (when the guy was done digging) and managed to set six posts out of twelve. Thankfully the building inspector showed up right as we were getting started, and clarified how we should do it. It's just a whole, unopened bag of concrete, then the post, then backfill. It's pouring today, so we're taking a break and starting again tomorrow. Here's the progress so far:
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HopefulHomemaker
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# Posted: 18 Sep 2012 13:18
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The first pic in the last post shows our new road. Christmas just built it for us, and I'm very pleased. The last one is the back three posts of our house, 16 feet across.
Here's the before and after, taken from the road.
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DaJTCHA
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# Posted: 18 Sep 2012 15:15
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Ahhhh! I remember the raw land just getting started stage. Keep the excitement alive within, in spite of the tiredness, and you'll breeze through this and look back with such satisfaction. I get the biggest kick out of hearing visitors comment on how nice everything turned out and the questions of disbelief that I built this "shed" all by myself (90% of it) without any prior building experience. Have fun, be safe and stay energetically focused on the end result!
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trollbridge
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# Posted: 18 Sep 2012 15:43
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Good advice DaJTCHA!!! This is one of the worse parts in my opinion (setting the post). You will be beyond that soon! Driveway looks great and I hope your husbands knee is feeling better too. Remember...most every step along the way takes longer than you think it will, but I guarantee the sense of accomplishment makes up for it in the end!!!
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HopefulHomemaker
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# Posted: 18 Sep 2012 19:25
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Setting the posts isn't all that bad. Backfilling is hell. 
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LakeSuperior5
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# Posted: 19 Sep 2012 11:07
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Looking good! I remember those days. Exhausted but you get a great feeling of accomplishment as Trollbridge said.
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HopefulHomemaker
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# Posted: 20 Sep 2012 20:51
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Today we finished setting our posts, and mostly backfilled the trenches. Tomorrow we clean up, wrap the unused lumber, and head out. Hopefully things will be fine until we get back up in a month or so.
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rayyy
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# Posted: 21 Sep 2012 02:44
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Lookin goooood,Hope.This time next year,you'll be standing inside your cabin and thinking,Wow!we did it.
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BigDuke6
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# Posted: 10 Jan 2013 13:18
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Any updates to share?
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