Building a Cabin: Kit or Scratch?
David Bryce is an online publisher for Branson Cabins. He blogs on the topics of golf, travel, and vacations.
Who doesn't love a cabin? They're the home away from home, a place to get away from it all, and for those considering investing in a cabin, compared to traditional suburban homes, they're quite inexpensive.
Of course, the cost of building depends on how you go about doing it, as well as what you want to get out of it. There are several companies that produce cabin kits at relatively low cost. Alternatively, you can buy the lumber yourself and build a cabin to your exacting specifications. Either way you do it, there are advantages and disadvantages for both types of cabin.
The Cabin Kit
Advantages:
Since most cabin kits come with all the wood you'll need, you shouldn't' have to worry about not having that "right" piece. It keeps things organized and can be less stressful, especially if it's your first time building a cabin.
It's relatively affordable versus going à la carte on timber and miscellaneous wood products. Of course, affordability is dependent on the size of kit you choose. A smaller cabin kit may run a few thousand dollars, while larger, more intricate kits may run tens of thousands of dollars. Regardless, it still a frugal choice.
It's accessible. Building a cabin is much easier that building a typical suburban home. Yes, you can make your cabin more complex, but for the average person who doesn't want to complicate things, a cabin can be one of the easiest large structures to build.
Disadvantages:
Kit cabins are generally on the small side. If you need space, you may have to look elsewhere. Or, you could purchase several kit cabins and interconnect them, but that may stretch the practicality of buying a kit cabin in the first place.
Kit cabins are designed to specification. They're commonly four walls and a roof, meaning if you want more, you'll have to put in the work.
You're cabin will look identical to someone else's. However, chances are the home you currently live in looks identical to someone else's anyway (unless it was custom built), so this likely isn't a big deal.
The Conventional Cabin
Advantages:
Build it as you like. You're only limited by your imagination and your budget. You can build a more complex structure than a kit and imbue it with subtle characteristics and charm and make it truly your own.
You are in control of the materials. You get to choose every piece of wood used in the project. You are quality control. If something doesn't work, it can be easily swapped out during the construction process.
Disadvantages:
It can get very expensive. Unless you adhere very strictly to your plans, even small changes can rack up bills. On that note, you'll need to develop a plan, a blue print and design. This can be a time consuming process, and in some areas, it may need approval before construction can begin.
Building from scratch is more complicated in general, as well, and can prove to be a stressful experience. However, the results tend to make it worth it.
Of course, there are a plenty of issues log cabin owners will encounter regardless of if they build with a kit or not. If not properly maintain, the wood will deteriorate over time. The less maintenance, the quicker they tend to degrade. Many factors contribute to degradation, from moisture in the air to wood eating insects.
These issues shouldn't serve as a deterrent, rather, they should be considered before investing in a cabin. Though the initial cabin construction costs are relatively low, the maintenance cost can be high, if improperly done. Essentially, you'll get out of it what you put in.
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