KIT, TREES on PROPERTY or CAMPER?????

   / KIT, TREES on PROPERTY or CAMPER????? #1  

Boeing

Platinum Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2010
Messages
615
Location
Botetourt, Va
Tractor
kubota L3010
Well Guys,
It's getting close to retirement time....my wife has made it clear that she is not interested in living "in the sticks". My 70 acres has about 10 acres of 8" pine trees that I could use to build a small cabin.....maybe? It would be kinda nice to use wood from the property. There is also alot of rock...
There are countless kits available if my local trees are too small or green or whatever....
The other option is a 28' or so travel trailer. I would normally be alone hunting and playing food plot farmer with an occasional 2 day visit from wife or daughter.....then I have to lock it up for another month.
Right now I have a building with a woodstove and solar light/water pump and sink. I guess I could just keep using that but wife/daughter don't like my army cot. women....:confused:
Ideas, suggestions.....anyone tried building with 8" pine trees?
 
   / KIT, TREES on PROPERTY or CAMPER????? #2  
If you go with the trailer, go big. We had a 28 ft fifth wheel on our mountain property. It was ok but it felt so small. We sold it and bought a 36 footer with 3 big pop outs and the difference is huge. I even put a wood burning stove in it. Now it's just like home. Almost.
 
   / KIT, TREES on PROPERTY or CAMPER????? #3  
What ever you do;if you want company you will have to make it comfortable for the ladies.I think your trees are too small to mill.I small building say 24'x24' with two bedrooms,bath,kitchen.Lots of plans on the net,get some ideas and stick build.
We are doing a similar project in the spring for some friends downstate.We have to go by building code even tho it will be a "camp".Drilled well,septic,power ect.Approximate cost for us is $45,000.This will be stick built with a concrete pad for a base.
 
   / KIT, TREES on PROPERTY or CAMPER????? #4  
I don't get it. You said you have a building already up? I would work on fixing it up.

Given age time money, I would also look at a used manufactured home.
 
   / KIT, TREES on PROPERTY or CAMPER????? #5  
Well Guys,
It's getting close to retirement time....my wife has made it clear that she is not interested in living "in the sticks". My 70 acres has about 10 acres of 8" pine trees that I could use to build a small cabin.....maybe? It would be kinda nice to use wood from the property. There is also alot of rock...
There are countless kits available if my local trees are too small or green or whatever....
The other option is a 28' or so travel trailer. I would normally be alone hunting and playing food plot farmer with an occasional 2 day visit from wife or daughter.....then I have to lock it up for another month.
Right now I have a building with a woodstove and solar light/water pump and sink. I guess I could just keep using that but wife/daughter don't like my army cot. women....:confused:
Ideas, suggestions.....anyone tried building with 8" pine trees?

In Virginia termites and woodbores can really do a number on untreated wood.You would have to debark all the logs to use them whole and let
them air dry for some time.Unless you have access to a mechanical debarker you are in for a lot of work just to strip the logs.I saw pine logs
at 8 inches on my bandmill and use the the lumber for sheds.Building codes in Va will only let you use graded lumber in a dwellings so unless
you have access to a certified inspecter with a stamp you are limited in home sawn lumber's uses.
Maybe sell the trees for pulp and use the proceeds to enhance what structure you have.JMHO,Luck JimAnderson
 
   / KIT, TREES on PROPERTY or CAMPER?????
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Good input......I've thought about partitioning my building to get a "livable" space but it's only 24X40. (three car plus shop) and I have it filled with tractor, truck, shop when I'm not there. When I'm there I add a cot and folding table/chairs and it's full. I'm thinking about EXTENDING the building another 16', then maybe I could do the partitician thing. My truck is a "convertable" '75 Blazer so I don't want to leave it outside. Same with the tractor....
I had intended to do the nice log cabin home thing but several things have stopped me. One, wife gets BORED up there. TWO, all the wells around me are approx 900' deep. BIG BUCKS, so I've "tanked" water up there in 300 gallon tanks and added clorox. OK for 3 seasons and I'm usually not there when it gets serious cold. :eek:
 

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   / KIT, TREES on PROPERTY or CAMPER????? #7  
Without a well and septic system you'll never shake the "camping out" aspect of your nice property. The RV/trailer idea seems like the best idea. You could leave it at the property most of the time, and take it on the road for a change of scenery.
 
   / KIT, TREES on PROPERTY or CAMPER????? #8  
I'll try to remember tomorrow to take a photo of the stockade style log cabin my father and I built over 40 years ago for my son, out of Poplar trees no bigger than 8". We split the logs lengthways with a chainsaw so the inside would be flat to be finished later, (which never happened).
 
   / KIT, TREES on PROPERTY or CAMPER????? #9  
My crazy idea... Split the shop. Go look at some modern architecture mags. You could put a big glass door in for one of the roll ups. There are some great home septic systems.... DIY if you are inclined. Lots odpf great ways to make a cool living space on the cheap.
 
   / KIT, TREES on PROPERTY or CAMPER?????
  • Thread Starter
#10  
Smiley,
I'd love to see those pix's......was the wood treated with anything? Can it be tented for termites? They used to build homes in Florida with a very hard wood called "florida pine"
must be alot harder than the pine that we're used to.
and "woodlandfarm" guy, I'm getting a price to extend the existing building another 16', which would allow me to partitician off the shop into a living area. (that's where the woodstove and plumbing is) The shop could then be moved to the other end. hmmmmm? :confused:
 
 
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