The perfect cozy place to get back in touch with nature is a small cabiin. Although each cabin has a slightly different look, most are constructed mostly of wood, have one or two rooms inside, and have a small deck outside. Although a small cabin is typically 250 square feet in size, there are several designs and models that can fit you under 100 square feet or, if that’s more your style, close to 1,000 square feet.
How to Build a Small Cabin and and Small Cabin Kits Companies Suggestions
Checklist Item | Description |
|---|---|
Get a permit | Check with your local municipality to find out if you need a permit to build a small cabin kit. This will depend on the size, location, codes, and regulations of each jurisdiction. Most local governments require a permit if the square footage exceeds 150 square feet, but plan in advance to find out. |
Prepare your build site | Level the ground, pour a concrete foundation big enough for your cabin—or install ground screws or other type of foundation—and make sure there is easy access to the area. Have a professional crew ready to help unload the kit on delivery day. |
Plan for delivery and assembly | If you’re using a kit, ask the manufacturer what to expect for delivery day. Ask about transportation: do they need a two-lane road for a semi-truck to drive to your site or heavy machinery like a forklift to receive and assemble the prefab cabin? Are they providing builders or are you in charge of hiring a crew? Even if it can be completed during a long weekend with as few as 2-3 people, assembling a kit will very likely require the assistance of skilled professionals who can operate heavy machinery. |
Obtain detailed instructions and plans | If using a kit or a small cabin plan, these are the most vital resources to have on assembly day. These should be provided by the manufacturer at the time of purchase, well ahead of delivery, and will give you the most detailed information on how to construct your cabin. Reach out to them ahead of time to have everything ready. If you’re building yourself, you’ll have to work with an architect. |
Organize your tools and supplies | Each small cabin build is unique, however, you’ll want to have the following materials on-hand and ready for construction: tarps and shelter to protect materials from moisture or weather, ladders, hammers, tape measure, high speed, and electric drill, wire cutter, pipe clamps, caulk gun, drill bit, screw gun and utility knives, and other carpentry tools. Contractors should supply these if you’re working with one. |
Considerations for Off-Grid Small Cabins | If you decide to take your rustic cabin off-grid, then you’ll need to find solutions for power, water, and septic. Heating, cooling, and powering your getaway cabin can be done with renewable energy like solar panels, which require ample sunlight, proper roofing, and installation that come with a steep upfront cost for this worthy investment. Luckily for the A-frame obsessed, A-frame cabins are easier to take off-grid because their triangular build is naturally energy-efficient, as are well-built small log cabins that have tight seams for great insulation. Both of these iconic builds can be made into sustainable homes or vacation getaways. Instead of connecting to the local water supply, you’ll have to find easy access to a nearby water source that is safe enough to use for drinking, cooking, and cleaning, like a well or spring. Finally, an off-grid solution for managing your septic is to build a privy. It’s low cost and low maintenance but does require additional construction and of course, willing users. Alternatively, you can install a composting toilet. |
Manta North | Latvia-based cabin maker Manta North makes ordering their contemporary, nature-inspired cabins as easy (and fun) as ordering a pizza online with their intuitive website. Price: $169,000+ |
Nolla Zero | The Nolla Zero prefab cabin is renewable-energy powered and minimalism driven, cutting a striking image into its surroundings while leaving little impact on the earth at just 97 square feet. Price: ~$36,455 plus delivery costs. |
Aux Box | Canadian newcomer Aux Box designs compact studio cabins for bonus space wherever you need it-at home, or as a nature escape. Price: $18,000-$58,000. |
Den | The New York-based design studio offers many cabin plans and makes one of our favorite full DIY A-frame micro cabin kits, shipping flat packed with everything needed for your kit assembly. Price: ~$244.50 per square foot. |
Backcountry Huts | This Vancouver, BC-based company produces simple, recreational structures designed for remote locations and delivered flatpack-style. Price: ~$150 per square foot. |
Denison Rivulet Cabin Compound | A trio of black cube cabins in the remote Tasmanian landscape strike just the right balance between minimalist, nature-inspired form and livable functionality. Inside, a rich, warm wooden interior features a wood-burning fireplace and massive floor-to-ceiling windows, while the elevated walkways show the power of maximizing outdoor space to extend the footprint. |
The Boulder Field Cabin | This rustic small cabin in England’s scenic Peak District makes good use of a small space with views from the bedroom, a futon and foldable dining table, plus a covered outdoor kitchen for year-round enjoyment. It’s available for rent. |
Eastwind Hotels Lushna Cabins | Experience life in a 400-square-foot cabin at Eastwind Hotel’s Lake Placid location in the beautiful Adirondack State Park. A soothing natural aesthetic incorporates warm wood grain paneling, airy skylights, and a compact living/dining area. |
The Shepherdess’ Bothy | Enjoy being a guest in this seaside bothy or take notes for your small space design. A space-saving ladder provides access from the living area to the loft, and the sloped roof’s wide overhang covers the porch for a cozy spot to take in the views of the Scottish coastline. |
Raus Cabins | Located in Germany as an escape for city dwellers, these micro cabins make the most out of the nooks and crannies that might otherwise be taken for granted. Clever storage solutions, strategic furniture placement, and a dedication to bringing the outside in through large windows and glass doors keeps this modern small cabin grounded in nature. |
Little House on the Ferry | A stunning example of modern design in a rural area, these three cabins also display what it can look like to break out of the proverbial box and do something different. Three small cabins are effectively connected by cantilevered decks to create one larger living space broken up into separate parts. |
What makes a cabin?
Any mountain or vacation house in the Smoky Mountains can now be referred to as a “cabin.” Actually, though, a cabin is typically a tiny log home.
In contrast to a real house, a cabin is typically a straightforward building. A cabin’s architecture is simpler and less “finished off.” A representation of lower origins is the log hut.
Generally speaking, cabins are connected to frontier America’s rural and rustic regions. In actuality, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe are where the log cabin first appeared. The custom of building homes, barns, and other community structures out of logs was carried to North America by European settlers.
When early settlers constructed their homes, many factors were taken into account. These include things like size, number of floors, roof type, door and window arrangement, and even the kind of labor that is available. The most crucial factor was where the cabin will be built. For its occupants to successfully endure the hardships of frontier life, a frontier cabin required to have enough drainage and sunlight.
Modern log cabins are more like “log homes,” which are conventional homes made from milled logs. Both the exterior and, for a more rustic look, the interior of the house display these logs. The historic style has been updated to include modern conveniences. Savor the finest of the twenty-first century in a relatively modest home.
Conclusion
In this piece, you learned how to build a small cabin using a kit, what off-grid considerations to keep in mind, which small cabin kit companies are worth checking out, and the history and characteristics that make a true cabin. For more informative guides, stay connected to Buildersviller.