My original cabin's wobbly foundation shifted uneasily on its stacked-stone piers. "No problem," I announced. "We'll shore up this foundation, patch the roof and maybe add new cedar siding." A nice little weekend project, I thought.
A couple of weeks later, up to my elbows in mud and blackflies, and surrounded by the remains of the demolished sleeping cabin, it occurred to me that this might be a bigger project than I had first imagined.
As it turns out, nothing about that little sleeping cabin on my cottage property was salvageable. The good news is that constructing a small building from the ground up was high on the list of things I'd always wanted to do. Let's face it, what weekend woodworker worth his or her salt hasn't dreamed of building a project they can walk around inside? Even though this cabin is much smaller than our cottage, constructing it was a great way to get a feel for how larger structures are built.
Download the illustrated cabin plans here!
Plans and permits
If you're not comfortable designing a building from scratch, there are dozens of small building plans available in books and online. Just find one that suits your style, and modify it to meet your needs. Don’t be too aggressive with modifications, though: designers have considerable experience and spend a lot of time figuring out the elements that come together to make the building look good. Factors such as roof pitch, length-to-width ratio, eave overhang, window types and placement all contribute to the overall look and feel of the structure. Even small changes in proportion can erase what you liked about the building in the first place. Whatever you do, don't turn to prefabricated structures for inspiration. Those skimpy buildings are built for speed and economy and have little to do with good looks or longevity.
Before starting work, contact a local building inspector to determine if you need a permit. Rules and regulations vary depending on location, but generally, anything less than 100 square feet doesn't require a permit.
Get a permit if it's required. The fee is small and, at least in my case, the building inspector was very helpful when I had questions or concerns. Besides, the exercise of putting together a set of permit-worthy plans shines light on potential problems before they become big headaches. The process can also help you to visualize how the finished building will rise out of a pile of lumber, and you'll generate an accurate material list for determining costs and ordering materials.
I'll give you a blow-by-blow account of the process I went through in building my "bunkie" to give you a good idea of what you'd need to do to make one.
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