Building a cabin - waste of money?

[WannabeDQ]

My husband and I are having a disagreement and I need an unbiased opinion…

We own a farm 5 minutes away from our house. It will eventually be where we build a house and live, along with bringing my horses home. However, we are doing this slowly as to avoid having to take out loans/debt. Our time line is looking like this:
2015 - plant grass, trees, fence perimeter and work on driveways.
2016 - fence interior, build barn, build garage.
2017 - build house.

My husband and I LOVE it out there. We spend every weekend there and work or just hang out. I would love to build a small (like 500 sqft) cabin out there. It would be wonderful to have bathroom/kitchen/place to spend the night with our kids and dogs. Husband thinks it would be a waste of money because we will eventually build a house out there.

I hate to admit that he has a point, i’m not sure what we would do with it when we build our home, but that is 3 years down the road and I want to enjoy our place now…

Has anyone built a small, simple cabin? How expensive do you think that would be?

[DHCarrotfeeder]

I’d install a mobile home.

[Jumper_girl221]

what about a camper? Even a pop up one?

[HPFarmette]

What about putting plumbing in your barn and using the (future) tack room as temporary living space? Granted, not till '16 but a compromise…

[saddleup]

Get a living quarters horse trailer! Then you can get double duty out of the trailer and use it to do fun things with your horse long after you’ve moved there.

[clanter]

If it were me, and there could be a future use for this structure, yes I would build a cabin as a separate of the barns and house structure… it can be used later in life for many things… even as B&B if so desired

500 Sq/ft would be kind of small but maybe 600 to 750 would be more likely

[Mosey_2003]

I vote camper. Enough amenities for weekend living, you can build a fire pit, and then sell it when you don’t need it anymore.

[js]

I vote for a 5 wheel camper that you can turn around and sell later on and at least recoup some of your money. Secondly, a mobile home as a more permanent option; however, you will need to put water, electric and sewage in which will be costly but you will need it eventually anyway. There is no point to building a cabin if you intend to build a home, unless you intend to build something small that can be added onto to eventually become your home; however, if your home isn’t going to be a cabin style then no point.

[PeanutButterPony]

We have a cabin that is now an eyesore and in the way - but neither of us can bear to tear it down. If I COULD, I would.

buy a used mobile home and put it where you’ll want to park your horse trailer sell it once you build…then you’ll have water/sewer/power for the LQ and if no LQ, a good place to wash it

[arapaloosa_lady]

5 minutes???
Yes, that sounds like a waste of money to build a cabin on property to avoid driving 5 minutes home. I would just pitch tents all summer if you want to stay there overnight :lol:. And add plumbing to the barn if you want a real bathroom.

[shakeytails]

It might be a waste of money, but so are horses. How 'bout something like this that can be used later for guests or possibly live-in farm help, or one of your kids when they get older and start getting on your nerves?

[WannabeDQ]

You guys have given me so many great ideas to run by my husband tonight! I never thought about a camper and shakeytails, your idea is genius. I think one of the reasons he isn’t for it is because he is secretly gunning to get his garage before next year.

I’m aware that this is purely for convenience and not a necessity. We have already built a fire pit out there and often go out for picnic style dinners with friends and family. Of course, I’m the one schlepping tables, chairs, food, children, dogs and the one who has to leave at 730 to put the kiddos to bed. Husband gets to just show up and enjoy his time at the farm!

[Mitch]

[QUOTE=arapaloosa_lady;8054262]
5 minutes???
Yes, that sounds like a waste of money to build a cabin on property to avoid driving 5 minutes home. I would just pitch tents all summer if you want to stay there overnight :lol:. And add plumbing to the barn if you want a real bathroom.[/QUOTE]

+10 for this… unless you WANT a project (to build a structure) AND that structure is re-usable/convertible into your future property there

[foundationmare]

I think building a permanent small structure is a fine idea and is not necessarily destined to be irrelevant. There are many possible future uses. Of course I am investigating doing the same thing on a parcel just down the road from me!

[suz]

Given the schlepping I totally get wanting a cabin. And since hubby wants his garage sooner rather than later I bet you two can come up with a spiffy compromise.
For this summer a camper can be a fast and cheap way to get a quick living space, and also a really nice option for future guests.
Used campers are a dime a dozen and you can get a lot of use out of one.
You’ll need hookups to make life really easy, but assumably you’ll be installing septic/well and power anyway. Adding hookups during construction is waaay easier than after ime.

[Guilherme]

[QUOTE=WannabeDQ;8054347]
You guys have given me so many great ideas to run by my husband tonight! I never thought about a camper and shakeytails, your idea is genius. I think one of the reasons he isn’t for it is because he is secretly gunning to get his garage before next year.

I’m aware that this is purely for convenience and not a necessity. We have already built a fire pit out there and often go out for picnic style dinners with friends and family. Of course, I’m the one schlepping tables, chairs, food, children, dogs and the one who has to leave at 730 to put the kiddos to bed. Husband gets to just show up and enjoy his time at the farm![/QUOTE]

Well, there’s your problem!!!

If you have a future use for a permanent structure like a cabin then go for it. But realize that a real, permanent habitation will cost some real money. If you can afford it, great. If not, then maybe a more temporary and economical situation is a better investment.

An LQ horse trailer is a short term solution with a long term potential, depending on what you want to do after you get re-located.

A camper or used mobile home is also a possibility as both with have some resale value if you decide to sell them off with your new home is built.

An LQ, camper, or mobile home will still require a pad, water, sewer, and electrical hookup.

You mention children. That’s a Big Question for a temporary solution (how many, how old, genders, etc.).

One pretty cheap way to ease the workload on you is a basic utility trailer. Outfit that with your tables, chairs, cooking gear, etc. and leave it “basically equipped” so that your “hauling” means hooking up.

You most economical and efficient setup still might be a used mobile home that you can use now and resell when your house is built.

Good luck in whatever you choose.

G.

P.S. Put the Old Man to work.

[Mallard]

You will also need building permits, etc for a cabin or garage.
Not necessary for a trailer.
My son and his family have a pop-up tent trailer. Nothing fancy…It has a propane stove and fridge and two good sized beds and a small table that also makes into a bed. They have a small BBQ. You could rent a porta-potty.

On the other hand, if finances are not an issue, you could build the garage and live in it.
Our next door neighbours lived in theirs for several months while they built their house.

[moving_to_dc]

I would go with a camper. You don’t have to have any hookups at all, if you want to “rough it” or “dry camp”. You do not need a pad, you can level the camper with chunks of 2x4’s under the jacks/wheels if needed.

Lights can be run on batteries. A/C can be run with an external generator.

Stove and hot water heater run on propane.

Gray water can be dumped on the ground, especially if you aren’t using the shower. You can shower at home.

Black water (sewage) can be handled in a tote. You can haul it away to a dump station, or if it isn’t a lot, and you are rural enough, you can dig a hole and dump it in there. No different than having an outhouse.

One benefit to a camper is that no one is really going to care it is there, and you DO NOT have to have utilities run to the property. It’s also A LOT cheaper to purchase and transport a camper than a mobile home.

I would be concerned that the mobile home is going to cost you a bunch in permits, perc tests, running utilities, etc. Is it worth it? I will also tell you that you absolutely positively DO NOT want to live in a CHEAP used mobile home. Beyond disgusting, dirty, stinky, beat up, nasty. Just gross.

[ManyDogs]

Haha we are about TWO minutes from our other property. we have discussed the same thing but both want a get away place. We will probably get a camper since it is all inclusive. We looked at Amish cabins, too, but a camper makes more sense. My plan is for DH to have a place to relax while I ride. We don’t plan to build a house there as we like the privacy of our current house.

[JanM]

I would get a used travel trailer, because it will be easy to resell, or you can use it for shows or vacations too. It would give you a nice finished space, and at a nice cost. A friend is looking at a custom one, with two slide outs, and that could sleep a lot of people. I bet you could find a good price on one that will sleep the number of people you need to accommodate, and it has indoor plumbing (a huge deal for me).