Getting Off the Grid: How Hard is it to Build Your Own Cabin?

Building a cabin could be the experience of your dreams, but it could also be a nightmare until the cabin is up and ready to be lived in.

When you want to get away from the rest of civilization and have a cabin in the woods, you’ll be glad to have a place where you can see nature every day, but these homes come with a variety of challenges.

Are You Skilled Enough for the Job

Many of us think of cabins and we think of a home made of logs. Of course, this is a traditional look and you don’t have to build one with logs, but you’re most likely to find that you want to have the rustic look that comes with natural wood and large logs as part of your home structure.

Fitting logs together to create a home isn’t something that’s easy to do. When you’re considering building a cabin, you need to figure out if you’re skilled enough for the job. If not, you may want to consider hiring a contractor to do the job for you. There is a level of craftsmanship needed to create this process. If you want to learn how to build a cabin, you can work with the crew you hire and pay them a little more to teach you.

Make it Easier and Buy a Kit

There are many log home manufacturers that can help you design and create your home to make sure you have the materials you need. They can cut the logs and send them along with the assembly instructions to your site so that you can feel like you’re building the structure on your own. This is similar to taking Lincoln Logs and putting them in giant size, but at least you’ll put it together yourself.

Cut Your Costs with Your Own Labor

Building a cabin can be a rewarding experience, as long as you have the time and patience to get it done. Up to sixty percent of the overall cost of building one of these homes is in the labor, which can be cut to nearly nothing if you’re doing the work yourself. This can save you a lot of money but will take you a lot longer to finish the job.

You’ll Have a Hard Time Finding Insurance

Most of the big-name insurance companies don’t cover log or timber homes. They seem to have something against cabins and don’t want to cover them. There are insurance companies that will insure these homes, but you’ll have to find them. Expect the cost of insurance to be much more than you would pay for a traditional home in a neighborhood.

Maintenance Can be Costly

Once you’ve assembled your cabin and you’re living in your home, you will be faced with the maintenance costs associated with your place. Log homes tend to require more maintenance than expected because the logs might shift or expand. This is something that can be addressed during construction, but you need to know how to address it when building a cabin. If you’re doing the work yourself, talk to a professional about the precautions you should take.

Another concern when working with natural wood and logs is pests. Carpenter bees and termites often find their way into log homes and can cause problems. Along with pests, you may experience decay, which takes place over time. These items are typically not covered by insurance and need to be carefully handled to make sure you can continue to live in your home.

There Are Benefits to Owning a Cabin

A log cabin can provide you with warm and wonderful home for many years. These homes are typically energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, and offer a wonderful place for you to be comfortable and relax. These homes respond well to weather changes to make sure you can stay warm in the winter or cool in the summer. The use of natural materials makes a log cabin one that is good for the environment.

Are You Ready to Build a Cabin on Your Own?

If you’ve got a high level of construction experience and want to take on the challenge of building a cabin home in the woods, you will likely enjoy the process and have a wonderful home to live in for a long time. If you’re not an experienced builder, you’re better off not building a cabin on your own and should turn to a professional to have the log or timber home of your dreams.