In this video I'll share with you the way I saved while building both of my cabins. We'll look at several tips and concepts that save upfront and in the long run .
I can always get something good from your videos, Ryan ... I can definitely use the "2 foot on-center" tip for the next build. The R factor angle makes good sense! Thanks for another great share .. see you down the road. God Bless
Between the 2 small cabins and the homemade camper, there’s all kinds of “freedom” to be enjoyed by you and your wife! Gotta say, getting past the Detroit/Lansing/Flint areas….Michigan is still a beautiful state with enough woodland to get out and away. Enjoyed the video as always….
Good video and covers most of the tips. You didn't mention water which is a primary factor in off grid living. You can hand drill a well if the water table is high or have a well drilled (expensive) , collect rain water and filter it or haul in water. Set up your cabin like a self contained RV with an inside water tank and 12 volt pump. My power system is 1.4Kw solar and 800Ah of LFP batteries and runs everything and I have most modern conveniences without running a genny. Also go to a local lumber mill and you can buy green cut wood for porches and check the dumpsters for left over flooring and trim and ask for scratch and dent and most suppliers will sell them cheap. -LaMar
Coming from just watching you build that cabin im thankful i saw this. Great that you can get those materials from a community nearby, shoutout the amish! Ive always wanted to build something like this and videos like these help so much. Also your doggo is so cute
I am all about free and cheap stuff for my cabin. I got all the lumber for a super deal, kitchen cabinets for $100, a bunch of windows and a french door for free. All thats left is to build it.
A really great and informative video. I have always loved accumulating building materials as and when they become available, either very cheaply or for free. Its like having money in the bank when you need to build, or if you need to repair something after a storm. Plus it saves the 50 mile round trip to a big box store. I also frequently visit a local company who manufacture and fit Upvc doors and windows. They are always happy to have me pick out re-usable 2nd hand timber from their dumpster, its stuff they have had to remove from job sites where they have fitted replacement upvc. They also have lots of doors to choose from, I recently got eight solid oak doors, the like of which you would have to have custom made these days, and at eye watering expense. They are probably the best part of a 100 years old but are in fabulously good condition, and all for free. Many thanks. David in the UK.
Great video ! Thinking a little outside the box even of just for windows and doors is a huge savings ! Used metal roofing too if not beat up. So thankful that my dad was a hands on fix anything kinda guy and showed my brother and I how to do things and we’ve done the same with our kids ! That’s where the real savings comes into play ! Knowing how to do…. And having the ambition to do it ! Take care Ryan
Some things with framing. Double window sills make trimming them a lot easier. Double plates top and bottom of all walls. Again, easier to trim. Extra money but worth it. Two studs against windows and doors makes for a solid wall and walls don’t shake when you shut the door. Doors are two studs and the trim stud or jack stud as some call them.
@@blackspruce1861 yeah my step dad used to work at a Lumber mill too bad the rest of the lumber was still way too expensive but it was during the pandemic in 2020 when i built the main structure.
The biggest savings you can do other than wood and for building it is buying used furnings. When I built my cabin Everything inside was used, I bought my kitchen cabinets for $20 and bathroom vanity for $5 from a yard sale after they did an update on their kitchen and bathroom, an 8 foot lower and 6 uppers, One upper was beyond repair but left me 4 uppers for the Kitchen and 1 for the Bathroom, after a good scuff with some sandpaper and a new coat of paint noone knows they are used, My countertops are pallet wood that I got for free, just had to go get them and take them apart. My night stand and living room side table are a set I bought from a flea market for like $15 and just sanded and painted them, with the same gallon of black paint I used for my kitchen cabinets and bathroom cabinet and vanity btw. My love seat and side chair I bought at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore and gave a good steam cleaning to before I put them in the cabin. The only thing new I bought for my cabin was my bed and I bought that at a discount mattress store on the cheap.
@@blackspruce1861 Yeah, there's ALOT of savings there to be had but you gotta think outside the box, too often when people build hunting/fishing/vacation cabins or even tiny houses. They think they need brand new "best of everything" stuff for it and they don't, they need quality over cost, My cabinets aren't new but they were built sometime in the early-mid 70's and they are real wood so they will last forever. I also live in my cabin full time so I needed something to stand up with daily use.
I haven't actually ever made any plans on either of the cabins. maybe I will at some point if I get some time . have you seen the videos of building them , both are on the channel they might give e enough if you haven't
@@blackspruce1861 I was looking into doing something like this but will be there over weekends and such and I can't go days with no showers. Gotta wash off that lake water and bug spray etc before I go to bed 👍
Thanks for the video. Maybe I missed it, but did you explain how much it cost you for land? Unless you're just building this stuff in the middle of the woods not on your own property. See a lot of these types of videos but never talk about land costs, or best ways to purchase land to do all this stuff.
I bought this land before the real estate market became ridiculously expensive . I would say the best advice I have is save as much as you can so you're ready and always be watching all the sites and market place . the good deals don't stick around long .
@@blackspruce1861 Maybe recommend good websites for land or states or areas you'd recommend for land buying? Thanks for the reply. Just tired of people "building cabins" but never explaining the simple "how I got this property" aspect to the whole process.
Question I’m sure you get from time to time: when you build these small cabins that aren’t 24/7/365 living quarters, does your area require a building permit?
Are you still using that same lead acid deep cycle battery in your electrical system? I ask because I'm thinking of using the same kind of battery myself, but was curious how it's working out for you. Any issues with off-gassing or running out of power with it? Thanks.
I am . no gas issues but I have had to take it home and charge it because I fell asleep with all the lights on . once it gets down to around 10.9 volts the charge controller won't allow the panels to charge it .I've heard a better controller might not be that way . that power station I have has a lifepo4 battery and I can run that down to 3 percent every time if I want witch is a huge benefit over the lead acid that you really don't get to drain it very far
@@blackspruce1861 Interesting. Thank you. I wonder if there's any setting you could change on that charge controller to prevent that issue with it not charging the battery below a certain voltage.
I haven't so far . I'm not sure other than make sure there aren't any big gaps and keep a clean job site so they can't be hiding out in there when you're finishing up
When you build a wall the studs can be nailed at 2 foot or 16 inch intervals. the center means that from one end of the building each stud space will be 2 feet from the end to the center of the stud . so the center of the first stud is 2 feet from the end of the wall then four and six and so on
