Small Cabin Plans
Bigger Isn’t Always Better
With small cabin plans you can build your own log cabin and keep it simple and economical. Not everyone needs or wants a large, grand log home. The latest trend is planning and building homes with a smaller footprint and focusing on making every square foot count. With the right planning and design, these smaller cabins can be every bit as comfortable and user-friendly while increasing your
energy efficiency
and reducing
cabin maintenance
costs.
KEEP BUILDING COSTS LOW
Why pay for something you don’t need or won’t use? With careful
log cabin home design
and pre-planning you will save money on construction. Every detail of your cabin design should be examined and refined. Anything extra will cost you money for materials, labor to build or install, and carrying costs for the money that you borrow to build it. It may even affect your
log home financing.
A longer build time means a longer delay before you can move in and more money lost.Construction costs vary widely nationwide in the US but nowhere is it cheap. In the mountains of
western North Carolina
we build log homes for approximately $125/square foot. If you can lop off even 100 square feet from your cabin plan, you’ve just saved $12,500.

ALLOCATE YOUR MONEY WHERE YOU WANT IT
By refining your log cabin needs and planning an
efficient design,
you can save loads of money on the cabin construction. This money can then be put into specific areas that you may like to upgrade, such as:Add a
manufactured-stone fireplace
to your Great Room.Extend your porches or add an
outdoor room
or an
outdoor kitchen
to increase your outside living space. Upgrade your
cabin roofing
to a long-life metal roof and save on insurance costs. Add
granite countertops
to your kitchen and bath vanities. Install custom
hardwood flooring
such as reclaimed wood or tropical hardwood.
SMALL CABIN PLANS AND TIPS
Whether you’re planning to
build your own log cabin
or simply buy a
log home kit,
you can
save money on your cabin
with log home design tips and cabin building tips. You may even want to consider designing your own cabin with
log home design software
that allows you to draw up complete plans and see how everything fits together. This powerful software will even allow you to “fly” through your cabin in 3-D views, looking at every angle and giving you a feel for actual sizes and space.Check out our page on how to save money on your log home kit if you plan to go that route. A few simple steps can save you a bundle of money with careful planning. You can save more money by
acting as your own general contractor
if you have some experience with construction or are willing to learn and able to devote a lot of time to your cabin building project.
UTILIZE MULTI-PURPOSE AREAS
Who needs a dedicated dining room? One of the best things about log cabins is the Great Room that combines living, dining, cooking and family areas. Keep the bedrooms fairly small since these are single-purpose rooms. Put the space and money into the daily living areas that can be adapted to many functions.Log homes lend themselves well to this idea as large, open areas are possible with log and timber frame construction. Add in large porches that cost less to build and your living area can spill over into the outdoors. Small cabin plans are a smart alternative to large log home layouts. Whether you are looking to add a guest cabin, an alternative studio or work space, build a hunting cabin or fishing cabin or simply reduce your overall footprint, small cabin plans offer careful design and clever layouts to accomplish your goal.
Further Resources:
Can I Get Free Log Home Plans?
Log Cabin Flooring Choices
How Do I Prepare for a Log Cabin Kit?
Small Log Cabin Kits
Solar Power Your Log Home
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