2008-04-18

Recreational Home Update

Spent the day at H0me Depot in beautiful downtown Kenai. Could not help but notice the heavy equipment working next door to the store. The new site of Lowe's. Reportedly, Walmart is also ready to break ground in Kenai but we have heard that rumor for a couple of years now. On our way into the city, passed a cabin manufacturing mill so we stop in to look at a couple of cabins. Four wheel drive required, mud was deep so I only looked at one of their samples and sped out of the driveway once I looked at their price list, $40.00 a square foot plus freight to the site.

After spending a couple of hours at Homer Depot, departed the store with enough lumber and assorted materials to build my tackle box at a cost of only $800.00. Someone forgot to tell me the cost of nails for my new airguns. As well, they forgot to tell me that you cannot buy them in small quantities, just boxes of 5,000. Departing the store with 25,000 nails in five sizes and finish. I am ready to nail something!

However, I did take a few minutes to visit a nice lady at the customer service desk with my little computer print out of the Mackinaw Cabin that I posted in my last posting. As soon as she saw my printout, she knew what it was and had a good basic knowledge. I also found out the manufacturer and plan on calling them direct on Monday to get a few answers to my questions.

In a nutshell, the cost that I got off the Internet is applicable to Alaska, for the 12'x20' cabin the cost is $6,604 dollars delivered to Kenai. Home Depot will deliver it to the HITW for $95.00.

The better news is that I can get a 10% discount which cuts the cost to to $5,944 or $25.00 per square foot. If you go to the web site that is linked above, you can also see some options and dimensions.

I will find out when I call the company on Monday, but after looking at the pictures, it appears that the insulation factor is zero as it appears the interior walls are also red knotty pine. A zero factor of insulation is not good for winter, but likely similar to what you have in the trailers now. With the limited knowledge that I have at this point, I am assuming all we need to do is plant a few sonar tubes, run a couple of beams and floor joists to sit the building on. It comes assembled in partitions so with four or five working, we could most likely assemble it in a weekend. Delivery time is approximately six weeks according to the lady at the service counter.

I also inquired after they offered us a 10% discount, if they would discount further if we purchased four of them. She said we could submit it to the bid desk. The small deck railing below the overhang is optional, but in my opinion that is alright, I would prefer a nice cedar railing so you can sit on the porch without the view being blocked.

Despite it being her birthday, (she got five boxes of nails for her birthday) , Terry sat down and drew up a simple floor plan to see if enough beds and etc. could fit in. No problem and plenty of room for small kitchen and sitting area. As you can see in the picture, a bedroom partition wall and even a loft can be installed either with optional kits or on site.
If at all possible, if you could all bump heads this weekend with the "Pope" over a bottle of wine to get his opinion on construction and if we can duplicate this cheaper by stick construction.
The way that I figure it, a decent travel trailer is going to cost $3,000 to $5,000. No doubt, with permanent structures on the property, our property tax will go up but it will not belong before that is also tax exempt due to maturity. At any rate, give it some thought and some feedback or questions so I can call them on Monday.


14 comments:

Heidi said...

I am into that!... Lets order them! Oh let me call the builder first!

john r mclay said...

Have you priced rough-cut from local saws lately? Just curious about cost comparison(s) in material.
Our backyard playset cost around $900, but that came with all the hardware (bolts, lags, etc). The lumber list would be about half of that cost if bought alone.
Sono-tubes and deck supports will be a good chunk of effort and not included with the cabin package.

Stan Harrington said...

I have not priced out the cost comparison to stick build, I was hoping that "The Pope" could give us an estimate. The local rough cut lumber is almost a thing of the past. The remaining trees in this area are almost beyond their usefullness for decent wood. Our largest sawmill in this area just closed down due to lack of supply of raw product. Bill the "Wood Man" is still cutting a little and making some beveled siding, but his cost is almost equivelent to cedar beveled siding. T1-11 cost me $39.00 a sheet yesterday. I do not know, but assume nine sono tubes would be a minimum requirement and three beams. Renting an auger, cement mixer for a weekend we could put in a foundation relativley inexpensively, we would need one wheter we go with stick or pre-fab construction. Interior, it is still going to cost to furnish, electrical wiring (future use) and plumbing (future use)but these costs also apply to both types of construction. I am just wildly guessing, but figure that it is going to cost $35.00 to $50.00 per square on stick construction. Talked to Papa Bear, his cabin is 12 x 20 feet but he was able to salvage a lot of material at little or no cost. Since you are knowledgeable in the heating business, would a small wall mounted propane heater be sufficient as a heat source? I looked at prices on these and they run anywhere from $200 to $2,000 Just thoughts to ponder.

Shana said...

Those are cute...I will move in for most of the year...that should save money so we can spend the rest of the year somewhere warm...yah thats it...but for now you could take your scrap lumber and build a board walk around the parking area of the pit..I could haul my stuff in with out getting muddy or messing up the mud too bad...sounds like you have plenty of nails for the job...hehe

Stan Harrington said...

Mud? Wet? that is also on the agenda,have a contractor coming in as soon as the snow disappears to give me an estimate on the cost to typar the area and level it with gravel, by then perhaps the load limits will be off the highways.

john r mclay said...

Wire and plastic outlet boxes would be fairly inexpensive, and PEX tubing could make plumbing a snap in low $$.

popesterr said...

Actually, I have a price list put together based upon Anchorage prices, sono-tubes not included. How deep is the frost line in A.P.? four or six feet? That will answer how deep the sono-tubes would have to be. Pier-blocks may be better due to the adjustablity they provide. Materials run from a low of $3,233 to a high of $4,911. All assume;
ALL FRAMING AT 16" on center
2x8 base w/ 3/4 ply
2x6 walls
2x6 roof @ 6-12 pitch (22.5 deg)
Insulated floor ply top & bottom
Insulated & drywalled ceiling
1 door, 1 window

I have the numbers broken down into 12x20 cabin with 8', 10' or 12' tall walls
12x16 (w/4' porch) with 8', 10' or 12' tall walls
prices with walls un-insulated, prices with walls insulated and drywalled.
price per extra window
price to add 9x12 loft

Heidi said...

I like the idea in insulation! Wires/ water/ I'll rough it... I just want something clean and heated!

Stan Harrington said...

Wow, despite a hectic schedule in New York City and Washington D.C. "The Pope" has been busy crunching numbers and coming up with terms that I have never heard. Nice job and really appreciate the effort that you are putting into the project. As for the frost level, I can attest we have frost. I tried to break through it yesterday with little sucess despite using my weed burner to thaw but I will conquer today. Typical in this area, a four foot sono-tube is standard, they bury water lines at six feet. Our "Woodman" and his partner lay out sono-tube foundations and installed for $110.00 per tube, I figure by renting the equipment and doing it ourselves we can cut the cost by at least half if not more. Not sure if I know what a pier block is, I think it is what I am now installing. A pyramid shaped block with the adjustable height bolt? The heavier construction, 2x6 that you are pricing out is more appealing to me, my ole grandpappy taught me that if you are going to do a job, do it right. By insulation and sheet rocking inside they could essentially be used year around and finished inside to individual tastes. As for myself, I would like to see them a little larger than first considered since the families are growing in size in regards to body size (hopefully no additional grandchildren are planned). Although, I am the "Grand Poopah" and I do not believe soley in a demorcarcy style government because it takes so long to get something done. I will relinguish the monarcy and leave it up to a concenus of ageement. I vote in favor of 12'x20' cabins, with construction standards as you indicated with eight foot walls, if that will permit the installation of a sleeping / storage loft that is eight to ten feet long. If not then go to ten foot walls. A four foot overhang and railed deck on front (similar to the pre-fab cabin in the picture). Another question, will you have the time to help us with this project. A lot of it, we can do ourselves but after watching my sons, including my son in laws, lay our a foundation for the gazebo and my quality and slowness of constructin, we need guidance. We really do appreciate your effort and knowledge. Thanks.

Stan Harrington said...

There should be little or no differential in lumber prices between Anchorage and Kenai, especially if we use the "box stores". Home Depot is all we have for now in Kenai, but they will deliver to the site at $100.00 which even if the pricing was higher down here, hauling the material down here would off set any savings. Likely, the material could be ordered in Anchorage and delivered from Kenai. Maybe! I do have a new generator (bought in 1999) and has fifteen minutes on it that can be used for shore power, lots of sand and gravel for sono tubes if we go that way, oh, I also have a hammer and a screw gun.

Stan Harrington said...

I have installed a voting machine (poll data) on one of my other sites, politicalprattle.blogspot.com where you can cast your votes pertaining to the recreational cabin and your input. If I knew how to tinker, I would have put it on this site.

john r mclay said...

Pier block just means leveling the ground they sit, but would be effective for adjustments yearly. Sono tubes would be more secure with less adjustments but a lot of effort and time to set. Does that $110 cover filling the tubes with 'crete, also? That would be a smokin' deal for more money.

RangerBill574 said...

Look damned near as nice as Don's cabin in the Cimmeron. Or his house at the Lonesome Duck Rancho.
By the way the irrigation pipe has been laid out after repairs to the pipe trailer. My truck makes a fine tractor.

RangerBill574 said...

Could I borrow your snow plow now that winter is over.

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