Building a Less Expensive Cabin The long honored American Dream has traditionally been defined as a spouse, 2.5 children, a family pet,

and a suburban house with a white picket fence. Which fence, by the way, is a horribly ineffective

fencing model as it is often too short to provide for any real fence needs and will have to be repainted

almost every other year to avoid looking rundown.

Having Your Cabin and Saving Money Too But that is more of a parenthetical note to the American Dream. The real topic for discussion is how the

traditional American Dream has received a makeover in the past decade or so with the inclusion of a

cabin in the woods that the family can retreat to for earned vacations and relaxation.

This addition or revision to the standard Dream has brought many to their local frontiers in search of

their own piece of heaven, bought and paid for. But while some equate ownership of a cabin with an

abundance of wealth, the truth is that building a cabin can be

more affordable than most imagine.

This is especially true when people follow a few tips on how to

save money, or at least be more effective in their money usage,

while building their own quaint cottage. And the first smart

financial move for a prospective lodge builder will be to select a

location that benefits the thrifty.

The location of a cabin will determine many different

expenditures in the future, namely the cost of utilities. While by definition a cottage retreat should be

relatively isolated, the cost of bringing power and utilities to your cabin is certainly something to

consider.

Likewise, the location of the property on which the cabin is built should not be determined without

consultation of a groundwater map. A groundwater map, available through the USGS or various private

companies, will show the areas of land that will have access to groundwater and at what levels the

groundwater can be accessed.

Saving on Water Using Groundwater Maps This is important because most cabins will access their water supply

through their own private wells

drilled into the ground. Choosing an area that has a higher water

table will reduce not only the cost of the well digging, but the future

costs of having to pump water from the ground.

Once a location has been chosen, a cabin owner can best save money

on construction of the cabin by selecting the right general contractor. Many will want your business but

only one can be chosen so be sure to do your homework on which contractors provide quality work and

at the price you can afford.

A few additional ways to save on construction cost will be to keep the plans simple, stick to the plans

themselves as even small variations or additions will quickly add up, try to make effective use of the

ground as excavation and terrain modification will similarly add heavy price burdens, and be willing to

cut any unnecessary perks or niceties from the original plans. By having the right location, contractor,

and cost effective plans for the cabin, a desirous cabin owner can achieve their dream of building a cabin

without going into massive debt to do so.