Small Guest House Live-In While Building Main House

[Onionknight12]

Hello. This is my first post as a fairly short term lurker. I was just curious regarding the smallest houses that have been built with the butt-and-pass method. I was considering perhaps building a guest house to get the practical experience of building a house (I've only read up on electrical, plumbing, logistics, etc.), and while a standard cheaply built stick-framed house would do the job, I'd rather get experience hands on, just down to scale. I was thinking around 16' X 16' although slightly larger (20' X 20' would be a reasonable upper bound). Also, just to describe my background in case it helps, I'm a 25-year-old college student who will be graduating this spring and is heavily considering attending the class in 2017 when I can afford it.

[loghousenut]

Perfect idea and right up the LHBA alley. I'd say you have a workable plan.

Sent from my LG-H631 using Tapatalk

[rckclmbr428]

I've built as small as a 10x15, and as large as 11,000 sq ft with 4 floors. It scales nicely in both directions

[lynncherl]

Keep in mind that a 400 sq ft build is not a tenth of the work of a 4000. I'm guilty of thinking "oh, it's just a small cabin and won't take much work". Wrong!

[rreidnauer]

Keep in mind that a 400 sq ft build is not a tenth of the work of a 4000. I'm guilty of thinking "oh, it's just a small cabin and won't take much work". Wrong!
But on the other side of the token, a 40x40 is A LOT more work than a 30x30. Somewhere in between there is a flip.

[Onionknight12]

I've built as small as a 10x15, and as large as 11,000 sq ft with 4 floors. It scales nicely in both directions

That's great to hear. What was the timeline for one that small? It just occurred to me that I could utilize a loft and get a bit more square footage out of that so I might be able to get away with such a petite guest house (perks of being single).


Keep in mind that a 400 sq ft build is not a tenth of the work of a 4000. I'm guilty of thinking "oh, it's just a small cabin and won't take much work". Wrong!

Fair enough. I suppose not everything will scale linearly. I wonder then if it's worth to go just a bit larger if I'm already going to have to invest some constant amount of work anyways regardless of my construction.


Thanks for the thoughts, everyone. Are there plans provided or available for purchase there at the workshop for such a small project or is that already taken care of in the general 2-day seminar? I have seen posts that mention that a lot of information is given, and if I remember correctly also in a book or binder format as well.

[loghousenut]

I have done a number of little buildings over the years and none of them was a waste of time... even the 16x16 that I cut up and burned before I had a roof on it.

Plans or no plans, you will come away from the LHBA class tugging at the reigns and ready to get started. You won't know everything, but you'll know what questions to ask and you'll know where the answers are.

Sent from my LG-H631 using Tapatalk

[wannabuild]

Our 16x16 practice cabin will be our power shed when done, and yes there will be a small loft in it, the boss says so......
Will have it finished next yr, we have 4 rows up,and now it's winter where we live, and can't get into our log getting spot anymore..

Take the class when you can.....

[ivanshayka]

I built a little one first, 10x10 with roof overhang. It is my storage. But if I was single/no kids, I would stay there.
http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee382/ivanshayka/Mobile%20Uploads/image_2.jpg (http://s1225.photobucket.com/user/ivanshayka/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_2.jpg.html)

[loghousenut]

Would that bear stay in there with you?

[ivanshayka]

Lol LHN. Probably.

[John17three]

I'm starting with a 28.5' x 28.5' garage (well sorta got the foundation for the house poured), with a half level loft above it. I could have shortened it up to 24' length, but figured I'd appreciate the square footage in the loft with not too much more work.

Some things to consider:

1) It's easier to cut out a 24" straight section of the tree than a 35' section if there's a bend.
2) you can get larger average diameter out of smaller section sometimes (visualize a bend at 28').

So as far as logs and labor, you'll come in better with smaller...especially if you've not got any kids/wife.

[rocklock]

I built a small 10 by 12 that has a sleeping loft. I would have built larger with a long overhang but the county will not allow it. My first model was a 14 by 14 with a large overhang that had a sleeping loft in the overhang...
Anyway, what you learn in the small cabin will pay for it self many times when you build the large home...
good luck