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Small Cabin Forum / Cabin Construction / Best ~150 sqft plans?
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Audiophile
Member
# Posted: 23 Oct 2015 00:03
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Hello all, any recommendations for ~150 sqft or less cabin plans? A frame or easily built by 1-2 people would be best. Thanks!

bldginsp
Member
# Posted: 23 Oct 2015 08:34
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A 150 sq ft A-frame would give you very little space inside because of the sloping walls.

There's a big difference between building with 1 and 2 people. It's very hard to lift walls and rafters by yourself. Many builders use only 2 people, "the third just gets in the way".

If you are going to build only 150 sq ft, I suggest a simple gable design that is high enough that you can have a loft for the extra space.

littlehouseontheprarie
Member
# Posted: 23 Oct 2015 09:11
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I would suggest wither the Mackenzie or the Mackenzie 2
From town and country plans

http://www.townandcountryplans.com/

rockies
Member
# Posted: 23 Oct 2015 19:46
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This article in Mother Earth News would be an excellent starting point. It provides plans and a materials list as well. I did some modifications to this plan in a thread on this site called "Build this Cosy Cabin for $4000" which made it a little bigger with a full kitchen and bathroom inside, but you could adapt it to make it smaller.

Their plan is 14' wide by 16' long with an added sleeping loft over a 4' deep porch, but you could make it 12' wide by 14' and get close to your desired size. As a note, I would move the sleeping loft into the cabin proper rather than having it extend out over a porch. Less surfaces exposed to the outside temperatures that way.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/cozy-cabin-zmaz06jjzraw.aspx

littlehouseontheprarie
Member
# Posted: 23 Oct 2015 20:06
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Here is a plan for a 10x16 which is 160 sq ft
But you could easily adjust this by taking a foot off and making it 10x15.

http://www.smallshelters.com/freeplans.pdf

Free down load plan

littlehouseontheprarie
Member
# Posted: 23 Oct 2015 21:00
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I have plans for the Mackenzie that I bought.
I also have several other plans from Town and country that I got also.
I wasn't sure which way to go.

But I dropped off the blue prints at home depot to get a quote
on all materials to finish the shell..I know some things you can buy cheaper than through Home depot.But I was curious as to the cost of building this.

Complete shell excluding crawl space foundation
cost was $3552.29

I hope this might help you

toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 23 Oct 2015 21:01 - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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Quoting: Audiophile
Hello all, any recommendations for ~150 sqft or less cabin plans? A frame or easily built by 1-2 people would be best. Thanks!



How about 160 sq feet? Here is a free one:
http://www.smallshelters.com/freedwnload.html

OK, I see littlehouseontheprarie beat me to it.

littlehouseontheprarie
Member
# Posted: 23 Oct 2015 21:03
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Sorry Toyota..I like town and country as much as you do

ShabinNo5
Member
# Posted: 24 Oct 2015 06:42
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In reviewing the "Machenzie Cabin" plan, I would add a window to the back of the bunk loft to provide cross ventilation. As many have pointed out, lofts heat up and in particular, this loft is not open. We have an open loft with a window that is open most of the summer.

rockies
Member
# Posted: 24 Oct 2015 19:22
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I had a look at the "Small Shelter" plan. How...........basic. Maybe it's me, but I find the layout kind of irritating, only because of lost opportunities. Why do designers cram things in so much? ARRRRRGH!

Cramming a double hot plate up against a sink between two little stub walls is just a disaster waiting to happen. From the plans and the outline of the "attic access" I'm guessing that the loft runs the entire length of the cabin. I'd have serious concerns about how to escape a fire in that low ceiling space.

SO! What to do?

I would pull the end wall of the bathroom forward 6 inches to create a better toilet room with more door swing clearance, or at least a wider door.

The "attic" should be just a loft over the kitchen space and bathroom with ladder access from the living space against the bathroom wall.

The "kitchen" could then be turned and run along the window wall next to the bathroom. You'd get some counter space and have room for a bar fridge. Get rid of those little kitchen stub walls and put a shallow pantry cabinet or shelves where the stove/sink is now.

A much more open space and a lot more functional.

OK. Calming down, breathing returning to normal......other wise, a nice cabin.

Gary O
Member
# Posted: 25 Oct 2015 10:31
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An old man and woman did this (see the first page or two)
initially 160 sf (10 x 16)

http://www.small-cabin.com/forum/6_549_0.html

littlehouseontheprarie
Member
# Posted: 25 Oct 2015 12:44
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Another free plan
http://www.thesmallhousecatalog.com/afewsmallwords/borealis-cabin

Audiophile
Member
# Posted: 10 Nov 2015 23:05
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Thanks for the links everyone.

Jeremias
Member
# Posted: 27 Apr 2016 16:28
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Thanks for all the links, as I am in the same situation.

I'm interested why no one responded to the "A-frame" question. The layout and construction seem pretty straightforward, but I haven't seen any free plans online yet. Are they no longer in style?

creeky
Member
# Posted: 27 Apr 2016 19:36
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the A frames have a bit of a rep for burning fast and furious.

Plus the sloping wall is hard to work with. Cabinets etc.

Jeremias
Member
# Posted: 28 Apr 2016 15:28
Reply 


"Burning fast and furious" does not sound good!

For those of you who have used the Town and Country plans, are they pretty complete? I really like the Mackenzie, but would maybe want to extend the internal dimensions from 12x12 to 12x16 and open the loft up a bit. Are these sort of modifications easy to do with the plans, or does it take experience?

Thanks.

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