anyone build cabins?

diymirage said

i dont suppose we got too many amish on board, do we?


before i get too far into this, let me be totally transparant, if this plan ever comes to fruition it may very well not be for several years

now, having said that, here is my thought...id like to build a cabin
we have family come over quite a bit, and like to host people in general so i thought it would be really cool if i could build what would basically amount to a guest cabin
it wil be totally on grid, so i would want to run electric to it, hook it up to the water line and tie the sewage into my septic system
(i will check with the town if im allowed to build one, and then check with my plumber to see if what i want where i want it would be possible)

if i can put it where i want it would sit behind our house with the long side facing the pond

what i would want to build would be a basic 12x24 (figured that would make sheathing easy) with a small deck, maybe 6 foot deep of the front

i was thinking of going with 8 foot walls and this general lay out

View attachment 1716039974

i figured i could leave the kitchen and living room area open and put a loft over the bedroom/bathroom area
that would basically make it a 2 bedroom cabin, which is plenty for what i want
(about the only difference in layout would be moving the bathroom wall out a little, so the loft would run straight, or maybe find a spot for the ladder there)


so, what can you guys tell me?

Click to expand...

It looks like you are building not a guest cabin but an entirely separate living quarters. Is that how you would expect it to be used? Your guests won't have to come see you at all and they can simply live out there for possibly weeks. That would be more like a "mother-in-law" quarters.

I'll suggest that a real guest cabin is more like a hotel room that is used for sleeping only. No cookstove or dishwasher. Guests would come into the main house for that. You might also consider it as a kid's bunkhouse that can sleep 4-6 teenagers. Which would mean adding more single beds and less livingroom space. Keep the bathroom and make everything else into sleeping areas. Maybe keep one enclosed bedroom for a pair of consenting adults is all.

You also need to make allowances for housekeeping such as a vacuum cleaner and cleaning supplies storage and extra towels and sheets and trash cans. As the host, you will be cleaning and preparing the building between guests and you should make it easy for yourself.

Designing this is fun, but be sure to think it through, who is going to use it and how you are going to maintain it on a day to day basis. And don't forget it will need both heat and air conditioning. The days of folks guests being satisfied with just opening windows is pretty much gone. One more thing...plan on being able to drain the water lines to prevent freeze so you don't have to pay for heating all year.