# Hill Country Cabin Build



## batmaninja

I have been researching and following other members builds and wanted to share my experience on a cabin build. Hoping to do it in stages over the next few months.

I inherited a tract of land in the Fredericksburg area that has been in our family since it was settled by a couple that made the trek from Germany to Galveston to Fredericksburg in 1845. The property is very raw, with little interior roads, lots of cedar and no well or septic. I do have power to a corner though. I have been poor boying it when I go out there, staying in at first a tent, then a storage container when the heat permitted. Finally got to a point where it made since to build something a bit more permanent and comfortable.

After a lot of different ideas decided to go with a 16x40 2 story cabin shell built by Alco Cabins, http://alcocabins.com/ . A guy named Carl built it and so far I think he did a really great job and am very happy with it. He stayed in a popup trailer during the week while he was working on the cabin and would go back to the San Antonio area on the weekends. It took him about 4 weeks to complete. He had the materials delivered and built on a site that had minimal preconstruction work. It was about $25Gs for the base model (I added some windows and the metal roof).

I have a local guy that is going to finish out the inside for me. We laid out the interior which is shown on the sketch, it has the right dimensions, but the windows are a bit different. He is going to paint the exterior and frame the inside walls next month. Then pop out some of first floor ceiling, and replace them with cedar beams to make a lofted area over the kitchen.

After that we will address the plumbing and electrical. I haven't decided on a water heater or AC/heater yet and would like to hear any suggestions. I am thinking of going with a 30 gallon water heater that will go under the stairs and a ductless AC.

Very round numbers here, but including materials I am budgeting -

$5K - prime and paint exterior
$5K- frame walls/cedar beams
$3K - plumbing/water heater
$5K - Electrical/AC
$2K - Insulation
___________
$20K - total


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## sotexhookset

Hell yea that's cool Bat! Congratulations on the cabin and the land.


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## RLwhaler

Very nice !!


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## batmaninja

Wanted to ask one more question. My cotton haired helper is strongly discouraging me from staining the porch. He says it will last just as long if I don't stain/seal it because leaving it natural will allow the wood to breathe. Any truth to this?


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## FLAT FISHY

you sir are a lucky man , my folks got off the boat in Galveston crossed the causeway found some more deigos in Hitchcock and stopped!


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## padrefigure

On staining the porch--UV radiation will do the most damage to the wood followed by swelling and shrinking from getting wet. Good Staining sealers will slow both of these processes. The down side is that once you stain, you have to reapply periodically to keep the porch looking good. The difference might be 20 years or more of useful life out of the porch floor if you stain regularly versus 5-10 years without stain. You have a cover over the porch, so this might be extended somewhat but the outside edges will still weather faster.


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## JimG

Any updates on cabin? Will doing the same thing in that area soon...


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## Reel Madness

I would go with a ductless AC system. I installed a Mitsubishi mini split in my addition here and it works perfectly. It has both AC and heatpump. I installed everything inside and out . It was very easy. Once completed I paid AC man to come out verify all was good he pulled a vacuum and that was it. Unit ran about $2600 for everything. Equal to about a 2 1/2 ton unit. Super energy efficient. Very quiet as well. Can barely hear running. Happy to answer any questions. 


PS: Shipped from EComfort.com. Great service

Guye


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## RB II

IMO, I would not open the loft above. That is valuable living space. I would Install bigger windows in the 1st floor area under the loft to open it up. But the floor space would remain.

For that space, I think I would use window units. They can be tailored to the size of the space and easily replaced if they go out. But that's my opinion. 

I think the electrical is going to be much more than your estimate, unless you do all of the work yourself. But electrical work falls under a state license, so be sure the power company will give you a meter when you get done. 

The same goes for the plumbing, especially the sewer system, it is a state licensed trade and the power company won't give a meter without all of the right documentation. Most likely, you will have to install an aerobic system, minimum is about $7k and if there is rock, it goes up from there.

Very cool story and place. Good luck.


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## scwine

Looks nice. I may be jumping the gun on it,,,,,but, only input I have is I would definitely beef up that corner of the staircase by something more than a 2x4.


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## kodman1

Congrats on the inheritance. Great hunting in that area. Also, that's a nice looking cabin. In my opinion I wouldn't think it would cost more than $2,000 to prime and paint exterior.


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## JimG

Neat place! Looks perfect!

I will be building something similar in size, only a single story, at our place between Kerrville and Comfort. I will use standard size window units, (one I can buy at a box store, and keep spares in the barn), for my A/C. Fireplace and electric heaters for heat.

Instead of a septic system, I will buy another Incinolet. Love the one we have in our little cabin. Takes some getting used to, but ours works great.

Love your place!


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## saltwatersensations

Awesome!!


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## batmaninja

Sorry for the lack of updates. I got a PM and wanted to follow up. 

Nothing but good things to say about Alco. He knocked the cabin out in a month in the heat of July. I decided to change the interior stairs and not loft it per the layout below. I would also widen the stairs on the porch, which I may do at some point. 

I was able to get it painted and primed over Thanksgiving and Christmas. Which cost me about $500 on paint and supplies, with a buddies discount to Sherwin Williams. I did have to rent a ladder though and ended up doing it myself after 2 contractors flaked on me. That's been the hardest part, finding some one local to finish it. 

I ran up there a few weekends ago and meet with another guy that is supposed to move the stairs, build out the bathroom, and start running the electrical. Was also able to grab some tin and some cedar pickets to build out the interior. Also got a guy doing nearby dozer work to build me a tank. 

So far budget wise, I was able to save a lot on painting it myself. The stairs is going to cost me some but I think it will be worth it in the end. I am going to do a dual zone AC, been looking at Daiken and Mitsubishi. Looking at doing an on demand water heater and batt insulation. Not sure about insulation on the floor? Will try to do most of the interior build out myself and keep it simple to save some money. 

My big budget buster is a well. It going to be deep, like 800-900 feet deep. Originally I was thinking of doing a rain catchment to get around it, but thinking long term I am going to bite the bullet and invest in a well now.


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## JimG

Looks great! Post pics when you do the wall tin/pickets. We are doing the same on our cabin. We have rainwater collection, and so far has been great. Our place is just for weekends, so low usage. And with the incinolet we use no flushing water so that helps...


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## Friendswoodmatt

The well sooner than later is a good idea-- Pretty soon the tree huggers wont let you drill one-- or they will find some sort of bug lizard or other thing that wont let you drill one. So, drill baby drill-- If you need some more rusty tin, I will have more than enough for my build -- pm me and I can give you some.


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## JimG

Place is looking great! Any updates?


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## batmaninja

Been a bit slow going on my end. I got engaged at the property a few months ago, so the cabin has taken a bit of a back seat to a couple of things. 

Got the cabin wired. Hopefully have a guy that lined up to install the ACs. Well just got drilled, and have a plumber lined up to run the plumbing. Well is 700' with about 129 GPM.


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## BullyARed

Great job! Just wonder how much it costs for the well?


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## TheGoose

BullyARed said:


> Great job! Just wonder how much it costs for the well?


The rig and water truck probably cost $600,000. Iâ€™m betting the well was 20k.


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## Friendswoodmatt

typically -- since i just drilled 2 -- its about 7-10 bucks per foot -- then to equip it will be 8-10k depending on type of tank and if you are running mult troughs and what kid of troughs you want-- A 180' I just drilled will be around 14-16k


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## batmaninja

TheGoose said:


> The rig and water truck probably cost $600,000. Iâ€™m betting the well was 20k.


He said new it would be $800K. But your pretty close on the well cost. Driller had some part break on his rig and had to get a new one from Germany, so that caused a pretty big delay. While he has the trencher out there I am going to get him to dig a line for a cattle trough a pretty good distance.

Originally he thought he would have to go to 1,000 ft to hit water.


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## Wolfie#2

Lookin good!


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## WildThings

Great looking place BMJ. How big a place do you have?


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## batmaninja

A few more pics and updates. 

I went ahead and changed the interior layout, and am keeping the entire loft (per several suggestions). Got the bathroom framed, stairs moved, and about 95% of the electrical done. Met the AC guy this past weekend (he said all the freaking winerys poping up have kept him busy) he is going to start soon, plumber is semi retired and on vacation but am hoping he will start at the end of October. Finally got some rain, and the place is starting to green up. Might even be able to pop some venison from the porch :dance:


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## saltwatersensations

Nice! Outdoor groceries too!


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## DCUnger

Very Nice!


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## WildThings

Coming together nicely


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## batmaninja

Cabin is still moving in the right direction, got the walls up and floors down. By no means a carpenter, but getting some extra time to work on this with the virus. Kitchen and bathroom are next. Rain this past week, got the tank full.


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## manwitaplan

Great thread and you are doing it right.

Thanks for bringing us along.


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