I was fortunate to have Larry Schuth share his cordwood cabin adventure. He sent beautiful pictures of the cordwood cabin he and his family built for $9,000 in the 1990’s.The basic cabin is 20′ x 30′ with a 30′ x 10′ loft. Just right for bringing family and friends for a visit.The upstairs bedroom is a wonderful place to sleep , surrounded by thick cordwood walls and large windows.The stairway takes friends to the loft.The family likes to head to the cabin in the winter and stoke up the woodstove and live off of the grid as long as they choose.The sturdy hand built pine breakfast table provides time to plan the days activities. Note that the shutters are lockable so the cabin can be secured. PV Solar panels have been installed to provide electricity.
Larry offered a few details about his cabin. “The facts: The ground floor is 20’ X 30’ inside and the loft is 10’ X 30’. Time to build is about one man hour per square foot of wall. Total cost for the building (mid 90’s) was $9000. Today’s (2012) cost would be about $2500 more with most of the increase for cement, lime, metal roofing and insulation. There is 6” of reused (salvaged) Styrofoam in the floor and 4” of 4’x 8’ sheets of urethane foam in the roof. The total cost for the cedar logs was $500. I found a place that was logged for cedar. Anything large was cut for lumber and the tops were cut for fence posts. About 2/3 of the cement blocks for the foundation were reused. Most of the windows were used. The timber frame, floors, rafters and floor joists are white pine. We had a lot of fun with this family project.”
This is just the kind of pioneer spirit that blazes bright across the world. Building ones own shelter is certainly a feeling like no other. Nice job Larry and crew.
hould you wish to learn how to build a cordwood cottage, cabin or home, please visit www.cordwoodconstruction.org While you are there, click on the pictures, read the brief articles, check out the latest workshops and newsletter and if you are interested click on the Online Bookstore to see all the cordwood literature available in print and ebook format.If you have questions that aren’t answered on the website you can email me at richardflatau@gmail.com
Readers have requested a brief bio, so here goes:
“Richard & Becky Flatau built their mortgage-free cordwood home in 1979 in Merrill, Wisconsin. Since then, they have written books, conducted workshops, facilitated the 2005, 2011 and 2015 Cordwood Conferences and provided consultation for cordwood builders. Cordwood Construction: Best Practices and Cordwood Conference Papers 2015 are the newest publications available from their online cordwood bookstore. www.cordwoodconstruction.org
You did realy a great job. This kabin looks so nice.
congratulation
erwin from carinthia (Austria)
Hi Erwin,
Thank you for your kind comments.
Love your cabin. Thanks for sharing the cost, both then and what it would cost today. That is so motivating! Makes one think there’s still hope!
Are these plans available?
Hi John,
There are no drawings available, but I have a local draftsman who will do the drawings for your specific situation for a very reasonable fee. He lives in a cordwood home. Here is his information.
Rob Pichelman Draftsman
rpichelman@gmail.com
Cell: 847-363-1598
Home: 715-536-1386
(leave a message)
Many cordwood home plans for code permits available.
$350 for detailed set of plans, elevations, etc. for builder, code official or loan official.
• 24″ x 36″ finished set (tubed)
• PDF file via email if needed
• CD or Flash Drive if requested
• phone, email, text for instructions
• Floor plan examples available upon request
I am using PDF and I also copy to disk and send out. I am charging $350.00 for complete set of plans and that includes 11″ x 17″ drawings.
When the plans are finished I send a 24″ x 36″ finished set (tubed) and a disk.
My cell phone is 847-363-1598
My home phone is 715-536-1386
I am home most of the time but leave a message, if you get the answering machine.