1. 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.

2. 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.
Dave Soldano, mmwm,