What to Know About Building a Cabin or Second House
Do you have childhood memories of spending summers at a cabin with your family and friends? What do you recall? Sloshing around in the lake, nightly fireside sing-a-longs, the sound of mosquitoes buzzing in your ears?
At Family Handyman, we’re all about building memories. And this time, we’re going about it by constructing a place where memorable things occur. Enter our Getaway project – a “cabin” for today.
The Getaway is our experiential dream vacation home. In our 70 years of publishing, it’s our most ambitious project. We hope our work inspires you to build your own vacation getaway.
Here, we provide a guide that offers you helpful information and important considerations on starting such an exciting endeavor.
Planning
Planning the build of your cabin and/or vacation home is no easy feat — especially if the location is in a remote area. First, you want to consider some basics before building your second home, such as if you can comfortably afford it, how much it’ll cost to maintain and who’ll look after it when you’re away.
You may need to obtain proper building permits and shop around for the right cabin insurance that fits your lifestyle. If you’re really going off the grid, there are a number of power and water systems as well as internet connection options you’ll want to consider while you’re out in the countryside.
Financials
- 4 Ways to Finance Building a Home
- Home Construction Loans: What To Know
- 15 Things to Know Before Buying Land
- How to Buy Land: A Step-by-Step Guide
Contractors, Permits and Insurance
- How to Hire a Contractor
- Tips for Working with Contractors on Your Home Build
- What You Need to Know About Building Permits
- What to Know About Cabin Insurance
Utilities
- How to Determine Utility Accessibility Before You Build
- Best Off-Grid Power Systems for Your Cabin
- Best Off-Grid Water Options for Your Cabin
- 4 Ways to Get Internet at Your Off-Grid Cabin
Design
Whether you’re choosing building materials, installing a fire pit out in the back or adding a modern sectional inside your living space, the design elements of your cabin, both inside and out, will be your personal signature that’ll ideally provide both form and function.
- How to Design a Cabin: Three Options To Consider
- Guide to Choosing the Best Dock for Your Cabin
- What to Consider When Choosing Construction and Building Materials
- Exterior Home Building Materials: What To Know
- 9 Ways to Repurpose Natural Materials in Home Design
- Top Building and Design Decisions for a Getaway Home
- Amazing Cabin Kits You Can Buy On Amazon
Décor
- 10 Awesome DIY Cabin Projects
- Best DIY Cabin Décor Ideas
- Must-Have Modern Furniture for Your Cabin
- 10 Best Cabin Bunk Beds
Building Materials
It’s important to have your project manager, contractor and team of builders on board when it comes to the building phase of your home. There are many logistics to account for, one being if your future home is located in a remote area, which will affect how you transport your materials there.
- Tips for Getting Building Materials to a Remote Site
- Benefits of Repurposing Natural Materials During a Home Build
- Innovations in Home Building Products and Materials
Maintenance
Once you’ve built your cabin, it’s important that you maintain both the interior and exterior, so that it’s welcoming to you and your family while keeping pests away.
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