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Small Cabin Forum / Cabin Construction / Canada (Ontario) wooden shed/barn *kits*?
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Houska
Member
# Posted: 9 Aug 2022 14:08
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Al Lumnah (Lumnah Acres on YouTube) is inspiring me to replace our aging canvas/steel carport storage with a barn built from a kit. I like what I see from the Jamaica Cottage Shop on his channel.

But I'm in Ontario. There seem to be a lot of prefab Amish-style shed makers (too unwieldy to get to our location at the size we need), crew-built-on-site barn builders (too expensive), and metal pole barn kit providers (but we want board & batten wood). Any Canadian kit providers people here have experience with?

Jamaica Cottage Shop and a few other US vendors (e.g. barnpros) will ship kits to Canada, but given lumber cross-border issues and the need for drawings for an Ontario building permit (we're talking 250-600 sq ft) it seems a Canadian company would be preferable?

What I'm hoping for is something that arrives nearly fully pre-cut and with instructions, ready for me (+family/friends) to assemble. It's genuine barn/garage-like storage, not a stealth cabin.

MJH
Member
# Posted: 9 Aug 2022 14:31
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We looked hard at JCS before we randomly found a guy cutting logs for cool cabins on craigslist. If I was going to go for one of their designs now I would probably pay for the drawings, take them to a local sawmill to have the posts/beams cut, then order the rest of the stuff from a local builder's supply store.

I found a guy on instagram who goes by lb_farmcraft and lives in a JCS house. He was very helpful when I sent him direct messages about his build...

I'm betting you could get one of the metal frame pole barn kits and hang board and batten on it, by the way...

Steve_S
Member
# Posted: 10 Aug 2022 04:56
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There is a trick around some of this in Ontario.

Owner designed & built structures ARE allowed! I built my house that way !! I designed it, drew it up and submitted to building inspector who reviewed it for structural compliance and permit issued.

I did build it by myself with only the concrete work & roof finishing subbed out, everything by my hand with occasional helper.

You could buy a Jamaica cottage shop "plan" redraw it and go that route. Good clear hand drawn is ok but include nailing and fastener index and relative info too. A materials schedule such as pine/cedar framing, cladding, sheathing etc.

Then goto a local mill after permit in hand and land being prepped and order the structural lumber (must comply to stds...) Ie 2x6 SPF kiln dried etc. Greenwood is possible BUT there's a few more hoops.

The Amish millers can do the Lumber without issue as this is Not a habitable structure, it is utility, making it much easier.

Then get some buddies together on a nice weekend with good food etc and go to it. Your own mini barn raising.

Word of important advice! Use ONLY galvanized nails and spend the extra up front!!! Nail tears & streaks ruin things in < 3 years.

Where I am near Algonquin park, small to large mill are everywhere and the Amish too. All my live edge cedar (all buildings) and rough red & white pine (used extensively ) through everything, even cabinetry & millwork is local.

Pro-tip
Dimensional lumber... 2x6 for example is 1-1/2 x5-1/2 so cut that. Rough lumber Will vary somewhat. Many small mills cannot do precise dimensional and that can be VERY painful and requires a big planner. BTDT

Hope it helps, good luck..
Steve.

Houska
Member
# Posted: 10 Aug 2022 05:58
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Thanks @MJH and @Steve_S. This is very useful if we go a slightly more hands-on route, which we will for other parts of our overall build.

However, we have lots of quite hands-on projects on the go (forest road building, upgrading dock/water entry), and others we're not getting to (bunkie), precisely since the time we can give to being our own project manager/GC is limited . So part of the attraction *in this case* is the turnkey approach of "get a kit delivered and then just erect it", with minimum distraction from other stuff we're doing.

We similarly erected a small Yardistry gazebo from a kit last year in a weekend, bought on a whim on end-of-season sale. They have good stuff, just very different size and style/pricepoint (10x10 to 12x14, cedar=$$)

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 10 Aug 2022 07:53
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Why a kit to begin with?

Houska
Member
# Posted: 10 Aug 2022 15:34
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Quoting: Brettny
Why a kit to begin with?

My wife and I (and friends) can spend the time to assemble, but given other projects don't have the bandwidth to run around and source all the materials from multiple sources, cut every board, etc. for this particular build.

Desired storage barn is too big to bring in prefab, and we're too far off grid (with some other complications) to hire a crew to build it on site.

Therefore a kit, delivered as a unit with all necessary materials and most cuts made, is a great compromise.

MJH
Member
# Posted: 10 Aug 2022 21:51 - Edited by: MJH
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Quoting: Houska
My wife and I (and friends) can spend the time to assemble, but given other projects don't have the bandwidth to run around and source all the materials from multiple sources, cut every board, etc. for this particular build.


If time is a huge issue I would probably stay away from JCS kits. Most of their kits have estimated times to build and for even the small ones it's a lot of time. (ie. check the Bunkie... cool little building but estimated 52 man hours to build and it's not that big- https://jamaicacottageshop.com/shop/bunk-house/#select-type)

If you're anywhere near an Amish sawmill (they're the best) I bet you can walk in, give them dimensions for what you're trying to build, and ask them to cut enough 6 or 8 inch "D logs" for a cool little log cabin that will look great, last forever and be able to be built without generators and a ton of power tools.

Whatever you end up doing, post pictures!

Edit: Just came across these guys. Not sure if they're close enough but they look like they're doing what you want...

www.rusticate.ca

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 10 Aug 2022 22:12 - Edited by: gcrank1
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Yeah, but they want a 'barn'

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