We built a small cabin in a remote, off grid location in 2006. I can't really comment on the prefab method you are proposing as ours was built completely on site. I do have one comment about dimensions. Our first build was 12 X 16' inside with a 4' front porch. This proved to be too small so we added another 12'X 12' section on the back and extended the porch an additional 8' giving us a 12'X 12' front deck. Our initial plan was influenced by a desire to keep the costs down. While the cabin works pretty well for two people, my wife and I have never stopped saying we should have gone 16' wide. The 12' width really limits the interior layout. With more than two people present it gets pretty crowded. We now realize having a 16' wide room would have been well worth the extra cost.

Locally we have a builder that prefabs whole houses that way. Prefabs walls, sheets them outside with plywood, cuts in windows and doors. Lays them flat and stacks them on a trailer.

If your walls were 7’ high you could make a smaller, warmer structure, but you would be wasting some material that you cut off. 7’ panels would trailer better. Handle easier on site. Panel length depends on crew size. Working alone 8’ might be plenty. Couple of young guys around and 12’ might work.

Prefab your trusses and use heavier lumber, no internal bracing. Then the attic can be useable space - sleeping loft? Cathedral ceiling on part, loft on the rest.

Screw everything together. Cost more, but easier to change your mind. Could even be disassembled and sold at some point. Tin roof. Supplier can cut to exact length. Keep it simple.

Visit someone with a “tiny home”. Then build bigger. Build with an option to expand. Later you’ll be glad you did.

Building and then trailering complete structure severely limits your size. Wall panels and then roof built on site gives you much more choice in design. Panels enough for two trailer loads? Doors and windows installed on site (prefitted?)

I built (with a few friends) the home my wife and I live in (1650 sq.ft). Then we put on a 700 sq.ft addition. Built in ‘88, addition in ‘95. Also have worked as crew chief on a number of mission trips, building/repairing storm damaged homes. Your idea is reasonable and doable. Sketch out an ideal size. Stake it out in the yard, walk through it, picture being in it.

Speed, quality, economy - pick two. Slower build, recycling along the way? Better, more affordable build. Fast and now? Costly.

Heck, you want economy? Building codes not an issue? Build your walls with wood pallets. Standard size is 40”x48”. Often free. Then sheet with tin or plywood. Screwed together. Windows, doors can be framed in. Pick and choose your pallets for solid, square, hardwood. Easy internal access for wiring, insulating. Building in 40” increments lets you build 8’ walls. I have done a 16x16 barn that way and a 16x20 workshop. All sheathed in recycled corrugated tin.

Depending on the site and if your working by yourself I would make everything 4x8.
I would make the floors so that there is plywood on top and bottom with insulation in-between the joists.
For the walls, I would hang the plywood down the width of the joists your using to help stabilize the wall as you build it. Also you will need to overhang the plywood on the four corners.
For the roof, I would just have it pitch in one direction. This way you can add more windows bringing daylight and heat.
Just some thoughts.

I have a cousin that did this for his hunting cabin.

4x8 panels, built, insulated, sheathed... trailed them to his lot and assembled into a 16x12 structure. He built his as a saltbox to reduce the truss need.

Bunks in corner, kitchenette on the other side. Potbelly cookstove in the middle. He used scrap cuts from a private mill down the road, most expensive bits was the sheeting for the floors, roof, and walls.

We prebuilt the walls, roof, and floor for our deer blinds. All we needed out in the woods was a hammer and nails.

My dad and I have built two cabins like you are talking about. One was 12'x16' built onsite with hand tools. No battery powered screw guns even. My brother I would take turns sawing the plywood.

The walls are the easy part. You assemble them on the cabin's floor. Build one long wall, lift it up and brace it, repeat with the second long wall, then build the short walls inside the long ones, lift them up, nail them to the long walls, and remove the braces.

I don't see carrying 16' 2x6 walls with sheathing on them onto a trailer, transporting them to the site, getting them off the trailer, and onto the floor being easier. Your still going to have to drag tools and a generator out there to do the floor, trusses, roof, etc.

This is the last one we did, but we had a generator and power tools:


Deer blinds:

Thanks guys, some really good thoughts. Gives me some options. I really appreciate it.
I think building the truss' at home and doing the walls on site makes a lot of sense. I have a generator and tools. It is going to be a good long ways so as mentioned. Having everything I need is crucial because it would cost me a day and resources to have to go someplace and buy items I forgot.
Trapper, loved the family contribution pix. Priceless

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
Thinking of building a small one room cabin I would insulate. Metal roof. 3 windows and a door. Maybe a 4' extended porch on it.

I'd suggest a porch be a little deeper than 4'. I'm sitting in an upright chair with a foot stool in front and from back of chair to front legs on the foot stool is 4'-10".

After you get your foundation done I'd think you could have it framed up in 4 days even working slowly by yourself or 1-2 days with a helper.
Prefab saves time when you manufacture a whole lot of the same panels. But then you're also handling bulkier, heavier panels instead of 2x6's.

Can you manhandle the prefabed parts, wood is heavy, a fully built wall, even in 4 ft sections is going to need a couple of people to unload, carry and hold in place.

Lot easier to carry the pieces to make the walls than the completed wall yourself.

You'd still need a generator, tools, lights, and all the kit to go with putting it together.

I am pretty good with leverage and rigging.

Bee sure to either continue this one or start a build thread on the project, pictures of building the walls, the transport, rigging and leverage!

Then when it's done the SigForum Unitard Cookout and shootum up date must be set...