Small house/ cabin plans

[dail_h]

   I'm seriously considering a semi-permanet move to WV,have developed copd,and have trouble breathing in coastal N.C.Looking for plans for small house/cabin,24 x 24ish.Something simple,will probably just be me n pup

[WH_Conley]

I thought about something that size. One room with bath, the kitchen could butt up against a wall to the bath, all water lines in one place. Anything over 6-12 pitch on the roof would give you some storage or spare bedroom for company. Interior walls could be added later if desired.

[jim king]

This is a small semi permanent but  quaint design,  

[easymoney]

that one is a little too rustic for me. i usually do not have any plans other than what is in my head. my building designs vary depending on what i can scrounge.

[Traditional Toolworks]

Funny, but a friend of mine has a cabin he built and listed for sale on ebay recently.

The home is sitting in Jane Lew, WV, at his yard.

Lookup ebay auction 110459613646 to see pics of the structure, it's a dandy piece of work with beautiful adz work on the entire outside and all of the joists inside.

You can get contact info from his website at http://tamaracklogandtimberhomes.com/

Tim could build you whatever you want, if your not interested in doing it yourself.

Cheers,
Alan

[Magicman]

Here's mine.  It 24X20 with an upstairs.  I'll look around and find some inside shots.  There were no house plans when I built it.

 

[Magicman]

Here are some pictures of the inside.  The walls and cabinets are "reused" old growth heart pine lumber salvaged from my Grandfather's house.  I ran out and had to use some sheetrock in the bedroom, and white paneling upstairs.
Looking into the kitchen from the living room
 


 


 


 


The front door was the original door in the house.  It's well over 100 years old.
 


From the kitchen looking into the living room
 


I ran out of pine and used some sheetrock
 


Upstairs, taken from the stairs
 


Upstairs looking toward the stairs
 

[Mooseherder]

What a nice job and great Cabin Magicman.
The front Porch looks mighty inviting.
I think that's all anyone needs right there.

[D Hagens]

 Real nice Magicman, be nice to have a plan for that. I like the stairs.

[pigman]

I like the whole place.

[dail_h]

   Ya gotta love that reclaimed yellow pine!! I like all of it ,really nice. May have to adjust my size a little. Since this will be sorta a full time residence for me, might have to up it a little. Need room for washer dryer,small freezer, n possibly 2nd small bedroom for kids/guests to visit. As I'm matureing in years,want primary bedroom downstairs.Ain't as good at climbing stairs as I once was.

[PeEll guy]

Try countryplans.com.  A good site  for exactly what you are describing.

[woody1]

Here's mine. 18 x 20..kitchen, pantry and bedroom downstairs. Loft upstairs.

[Hilltop366]

Those are all nice cabins!

A square building will give you more square footage per foot of wall but I find a square building harder to cut up into different living areas.

Example : A 24'x24' building has 96' of wall and 576 sqft of area.
               A 16'x32' building has 96' of wall and 512 sqft of area.

Even though the 16x32 has less area (64sqft) I would find it eaiser to layout a floor plan or increase the 16' to 18' and get the same area with only 4 more feet of wall.

More things to think about.

Cheers

[Traditional Toolworks]

   Ya gotta love that reclaimed yellow pine!! I like all of it ,really nice. May have to adjust my size a little. Since this will be sorta a full time residence for me, might have to up it a little. Need room for washer dryer,small freezer, n possibly 2nd small bedroom for kids/guests to visit. As I'm matureing in years,want primary bedroom downstairs.Ain't as good at climbing stairs as I once was.

Did you look at that cabin I pointed you to on ebay? It has a 2nd floor loft, and if you wanted more space you could put it on a walkout basement and get about 1600 sq.ft. I could be bias as I'm building a similar 28'x32' myself, but will have more $$$s into it by the time I get it done than I would have if I just bought the shell he listed on ebay...check out the size of those logs!  The last pic shows how nice the adz work looks for the beams...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110459613646

[moonhill]

That is interesting,  I am under the influence that the adze was not the traditional tool for such finishes, the axe was.  Very nice job. 

Tim

[Traditional Toolworks]

That is interesting,  I am under the influence that the adze was not the traditional tool for such finishes, the axe was.  Very nice job. 

I think there are both styles, but the broad axe is more common. The adz looks cooler, IMO. Typically, when many of the settlers used the broad axe, they would chop vertical slots with a bit axe style head (V style edge), and then use the broad axe (chisel style edge) to chop off the sections along the lateral, if that makes sense. The surface would end up with vertical slices. Nowadays that vertical cut could be done with a crosscut saw, but keep in mind that in the days of lore, it would have been more common to have only a single axe, IMO.

I guess they must have used the adz in the same fashion, where they could cut/chop verticals along the lateral and knock the sections off with the adze. OTOH, maybe the adze was used to clean up the broad axe work to remove the laterals, who knows for sure...? There's a lot of theories on crafting with logs.

That style is a combination of what Mackie refers to as Georgian style, and the Appalachian style. The adz was more common in the Appalachian. Ontario probably has some Appalachian influence also, since there was a fair amount of traffic from the Appalachian region to Ontario (so I have been told). Georgian in the sense that the size of the logs used only required 6 logs to make the main floor height. That was more common in Ontario. Coincidentally, Tim Bullock is from Ontario...but his wife is from West Virginia (a.k.a. a part of the Appalachians).

To quote Mackie from his book, "The Owner-Built Log House":

"Hewn-log house, Ontario, circa 1840. This house was built in the Georgian style with white pine logs. Note that only six and seven logs were required to obtain wall height"   B.Allan Mackie

The point is that large logs were more typical of Ontario than of the Appalachian, and was mostly french influenced, AFAIK.

[Magicman]

 May have to adjust my size a little. Since this will be sorta a full time residence for me, might have to up it a little. Need room for washer dryer,small freezer, n possibly 2nd small bedroom for kids/guests to visit. As I'm matureing in years,want primary bedroom downstairs.Ain't as good at climbing stairs as I once was.

A couple could easily live full time in our cabin.  Half of the "back porch" (6X12) is the laundry room. Washer, dryer, water heater, and open hanging closet.  Our bedroom is downstairs.  The entire upstairs, (10X24) is the guest bedroom and closet.  The 12-12 roof pitch allowed for the upstairs room.  The back porch is 6X12.

Ours is 24X20  plus the 6X12 laundry room.  A 24X24 would be better.  I'd also build 8" porches, and still take half of the back porch (8X12) for the laundry/utility room.

[Traditional Toolworks]

Ours is 24X20  plus the 6X12 laundry room.  A 24X24 would be better.  I'd also build 8" porches, and still take half of the back porch (8X12) for the laundry/utility room.

I think you meant 8', but you make a good point. Also worth considering is enclosing part of the porch in with screen, another useful space. If you can afford, full wrap around porches are ideal, and protect the home the best as well.

On the point about the washer/dryer. The home I'm building is 28'x32'. It was originally 24'x28', but I had to bump it up in size to get the washer/drying on the main floor. The original plan was similar to what I have, except it didn't have a walkout basement, and in order to get the room needed to have stairs both going up and down from the main floor, I needed to use the space where the washer/dryer was previously (one side of the stairs), and expand the kitchen/din/liv area and added the washer/dryer next to the kitchen. The original did put the washer/dryer on the main floor for the same reason I'm putting it there, for old folks...

Even in the case of the 24x24 I linked to above, it would be easy to incorporate the washer/dryer on the main floor, tie it into the bathroom, IMO, or some people are putting them into a large closet in the bedroom, you just have to plan out the plumbing.

Like others, I'm not getting any younger, so wanted everything I needed on the main floor, so have my master bed/ba, washer/dryer, kitchen, dining/living all on the main. I originally had a large home designed which was 54'x54', full wrap around 10' covered porches, full walkout, 1500 sq.ft. of open loft area on the 2nd floor, and a 3rd floor looking (16x16) with only a 4' walkaround.

I scaled it down to the 28x32 floor plan so that I could try to tackle it myself. Previously I wasn't planning to do the log work, which was round log timber frame using SIPs as the skin, which was going to cost $150k for the log work alone.

Now I'm using square logs with dovetails. Simple box plan with a walkout basement and upper floor. Each floor has a private bed/ba. For me this maximizes the usability of the sq. ft.

Having a walkout basement is worth considering for most folks, since you will be building a foundation anyway, why not just add a few feet and make it living space? I'm splitting mine with shop in half the walkout, and bed/ba on the other. I will use the entire basement as the shop to build the house.

[Magicman]

I'd also build 8" porches

I think you meant 8'

Whaddaya mean....8'......just how much room do you need   Just think how much easier it would be to sweep off.....

Seriously, it does take a lot less sq. ft. for just the two of us.  Plus, the grands have a ball upstairs.  Basements don't work for us here.  They would just fill up with water. 

[Magicman]

so that I could try to tackle it myself.

I built mine myself. Hired no labor.  Drove every nail.  It took me from Jan. '95, until April '96.  I was retired, and at that time, had nothing better to do.  We did take off a month and traveled up the East coast to Nova Scotia, across to Newfoundland, etc.  Ate a lot of lobsters.....

I didn't have the sawmill, so I used "store bought" lumber, plus what I salvaged from my granddad's old house.  Total cost including the appliances was a bit less than $10,000.

[Traditional Toolworks]

Whaddaya mean....8'......just how much room do you need   Just think how much easier it would be to sweep off.....

Easier to build also! Less to procrastinate over...

Seriously, it does take a lot less sq. ft. for just the two of us.  Plus, the grands have a ball upstairs.  Basements don't work for us here.  They would just fill up with water. 

I've come to realize that most of us don't need as much room as we have, I live in an area where many people live in way more space than is really essential. It's a way we live also...don't get me wrong, I want more buildings at some point, like a shop, garage, maybe even tackle a carriage house...first thing I need to get this one going though...and I want to leave it to the kids.

I built mine myself. Hired no labor.  Drove every nail.  It took me from Jan. '95, until April '96.  I was retired, and at that time, had nothing better to do.

My hat is off to you, for you and folks like you are my inspiration!

Nice looking kitchen cabinets, although I favor a simple rail/stile with a flat panel, raised panels seem to be popular these days. Is that oak? Looks open grain over on the left under the stair, reminds me of oak. Those raised panel grain is tasty!

I didn't have the sawmill, so I used "store bought" lumber, plus what I salvaged from my granddad's old house.  Total cost including the appliances was a bit less than $10,000.

Too bad you couldn't have cut it now that you have a mill, but still you have the home, and you built it yourself! It don't get much better than that...

I'm looking to get a mill so that I don't have to buy all of it from the store. I have a bit of hard maple, but it's all narrows and shorts, but it's good stuff. I've been using it for woodworking projects, but I need some wider material for cabinets. I've been planning to do some board 'n batten on the inside walls, I've seen rooms like that which look nice.

There was a chunk of walnut that blew down recently which some friends were trying to figure out how to cut it up, a 22' section of 36" diameter black walnut. That is what drove me to start looking for a mill. I would have liked to use it as the post between my main and beam joist, and beam joist to ridge beam. I have 6x6 spec'd in the plans for that, but was thinking, would it be cool to use a tree trunk? I have some live oaks I need to remove, I'd like to slab them up, even though I have heard they tend to crack a lot, might try to just drawknife a trunk and incorporate it into the home or porch somehow.

I have a friend that is burning walnut in his wood stove as I type, he got it from a guy that does tree service...

I hate to hear about folks burning good hardwoods like that...that's quality building material...I want a small mill so I can save some of that wood!

[Traditional Toolworks]

Here's mine. 18 x 20..kitchen, pantry and bedroom downstairs. Loft upstairs.

What's with this drive-by? That's all your gonna tell us about your cabin? Come on!

Great looking cabin! How old is it? Did you build it yourself?

The logs don't look in too bad a shape, chinking in decent shape, I like it. It looks real down to earth.

Is that butt 'n pass? Hard to tell if those logs are scribed or not, but it looks like a solid cabin.

Don't be shy, tell a bit more about it, it's a cutie!

[Meadows Miller]

Gday

Magic I like your place Top Job I like your style Mate    Mum and dads first two homes where both build out of pocket for about the $10 grand mark as well Just goes to show there are still plenty of us who understand the concept of sweety equity and that we dont need to be bogged down in dept 

Did you Know that Australians have the Largest Average home size in the World Now 3200 sq ft living area  Dont worry theres Still plenty of idiots out there who think Biggers Better but they usually sacifice the quality to get it   

 Mines going to be about 1200 sq ft and dont worry theres gona be a thred started once i finally get started on it  Thats all maost ppl need Jezz i grew up in homes that where 1000 to 1500 sq ft and that was plenty for a family of five pluss my great grand mother lived with us also for about 6 years as well 

Tradditional toolworks I love the quote under the bottom of your posts dad was in Price george for 3 months at His Shool of log building back in 88  I was planning to go when i turned 18 but but never got around to it  id already learnt from the Best and the only Full time log builder  i australia  Dad  by then   

Heres a pic of the second home he built  



Regards Chris

[Magicman]

Quote:  "Nice looking kitchen cabinets, although I favor a simple rail/stile with a flat panel, raised panels seem to be popular these days. Is that oak? Looks open grain over on the left under the stair, reminds me of oak. Those raised panel grain is tasty! "



No oak.  All of the wood inside, including the cabinets is "recovered" heart pine.

I just cut all of those raised panels on the table saw.  Nothing special.

The cabinets have one coat of sanding sealer.  The walls have nothing.  Just the bare wood.

[Planman1954]

Hi all:

I have a book buried somewhere in my stacks from many years ago of government designs of small cabins. I did a quick google search and came up with something that resembles it, though I'm not sure it's the book that I have. Here's the link:

http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/rp/rp_fpl173.pdf

I think the third floor plan about midway down is 24'x24'.  Good luck.

Planman

[Hilltop366]

Seems to me I recall seeing a 1 1/2 story plan around 18x32' in a timberframe book, I always remember that it looked like a nice plan, if I recall it was the book Ted Benson building a timberframe home. The design was a english cottage look which might not intrest you but I though thr floor plan was nice. I guess the disadvantage to a taller house would be in the building and maintaining it at the extra height as opposed to a single story with a lower pitch roof.

[Traditional Toolworks]

Tradditional toolworks I love the quote under the bottom of your posts dad was in Price george for 3 months at His Shool of log building back in 88  I was planning to go when i turned 18 but but never got around to it  id already learnt from the Best and the only Full time log builder  i australia  Dad  by then   

Yeah, Mackie had a huge influence on many folks, and if there ever was a single person to revive log homes in general, it was him.

Nice looking home your Dad built!

I'm gonna leave mine to my kids, after I get it built...;-)

[moonhill]

Hilltop, could that book have been, Build a Classic Timber Framed House, by Jack Sobon.  If so, it is very different than what Benson puts out.  The design is 18'x36' and 2 full floors.

As for adze work, refer to the book I just quoted.  Very little adze work is found in traditional work of shaping logs to timber.  I am curious how the logs in the link had the majority of the wood removed before they were adzed?  Could they have been sawn on a mill and then finished?

Tim

[Hilltop366]

Tim,
I'm not sure and can't check now (I borrowed the Benson book and returned it, owned the Sobon book but lent it out). I do remember it was called a "english cottage", when I built I used info and methods from both books, this was about 10 years ago so it could have been one or the other of those books or may have been a different book.

[moonhill]

I don't think Sobon referred to his example as an "english cottage" so it could have been the Benson book.  I only have one Benson book, it is for the coffee table. 

Tim