The one wart we knew of when we purchased the property was water availability. A quick search of county records showed they’d had a water permit application on for decades. But no movement. Ostensibly ongoing tribal disputes related to salmon fishing had frozen anything related to water in the courts.
In the 1960’s Yodelin started out as a planned ski community. But there was an avalanche in the late ‘60’s that took a lives and cabins. It took the wind out of the sales, financially and emotionally. A bunch of plots were condemned. A few owners were able to move their cabins to new locations. But all the infrastructure was in place throughout. Water mains on every street. Power and phone in the street.
Originally, the community had a surface spring water system above on the hillside above. Based on the number of attached dwellings, the county deemed the system too sketchy and dangerous from a health standpoint. They were forced to develop a true water system with a well and storage tank, at appreciable expense to the current owners.
When that system was built, it was certified for up to 40 hookups. That’s how many it has today. We knew of several other owners in the area who built within the last decade. They installed water storage tanks in their basements, and pay for potable water trucked in after the snowmelt to replenish each year. That was my plan-of-record too. As I started to research the logistics on that route, I discovered a few surprises:
It costs more (a lot more) to haul the water to Yodelin than the water itself costs. Fifty bucks for water, and $1000 for delivery. Ouch. No water delivery outfits anywhere near the area. As I grappled with the cost of hauling and storing water, I began toying with gathering rain/snow water off the roof and storing it. I confirmed in writing with the county that you do NOT need a permit to gather rainwater off your own roof for personal use. We get plenty of snow and rain up there -- and it’s free! I did tons of research and reading on the internet to figure out who was doing such things. Water treatment and storage are reasonably tractable problems that have a number of good, viable solutions. And rainwater catchment systems for roofs have been solved, too. But doing it all in an alpine environment with tons of snow per square yard on a roof has not been solved. Snow eats gutters for breakfast. I went as far as designing a heavy-duty, stainless steel, reinforced gutter, and figured I could install melting strips in it and on the roof. But that’s a lot of cost and invention on a very limited budget. Always looming in the back of my head was the thought, “It might work.” On a limited budget, I need better chances than might.
I set out to uncover everything I could about the water situation, on the Internet, on the phone, and an email. There’s a great deal of folklore about Yodelin and water system. The first thing I learned is don’t settle for hearsay, rumor or legend. Go to the source: The Yodelin water system commissioner. The State Dept. of Health. Chelan County. My timing was impeccable.
There was a court ruling that allowed new water rights to be granted for a limited number of applicants, and since the Yodelin system had its application on file for so long, they were invited to participate. Aspect consulting was contracted by the state to shepherd a few handfuls of applicants through the process for obtaining water rights.
As of April 2017, the system is in the final stages of obtaining additional “water rights”. Aspect consulting is in the final strokes of that process. When that is done, we also have to have a state-certified water engineer certify that our system has the capacity to service additional hookups. They have already contracted with the same engineering firm that designed the original system and that should be completed before early summer. After our “rights” and “capacity” are in place, I should be able to hook-up to the system (after paying a nominal $15K hook-up fee -- the same amount all of the original owners paid to build the current system). The good news is that the water main is already in the road at my property, so it should be a simple process.
29 April 2017
28 April 2017
Das Program
Having come up with a fairly detailed plan in Sketchup, I contacted a building designer recommended to me by a friend who’s a general contractor. Here was the guidance I gave him for converting my designs into schematics/plans.
Budget: I still pick up spare change on the floor. Sometimes I'll brave putting my hand down the back of the couch to see what treasure might emerge. I’m laser focused on building the cabin as inexpensively as possible but still clean, durable and nice. All that said, I’m willing to spend a little more on key areas so they are durable, solid, and as maintenance free as possible.
Architectural Style: The entire design of the cabin was targeted to be simple to build and durable, but still have some “modern mountain” personality. My targeted aesthetic is modern, industrial. I want to celebrate, not cover up the cabin’s structure. The cabin will be a gathering place for family and friends. It’s just a mile from the Stevens Pass ski area, and we plan to spend more time there during the winter than during the summer.
Structure: The exterior walls are framed with 2x8 dimensional lumber. It’s “overbuilt” to allow for better insulation and the additional structure necessary to carry a heavy roof load. Interior plumbing walls are framed with 2x6 dimensional lumber to allow for easier routing of pipes between floors as well as insulation to dampen the noise in adjacent spaces. I avoided plumbing on any exterior walls to prevent pipe freezing.
Snow: The winter snow pack averages 8 to 12 feet accumulations on the ground. The county requires us to design for 320 lbs per square foot on the roof, and 400 lbs per square foot on the ground. Access to the cabin during the winter is by snowshoe or snowmobile. During the summer, there’s a paved road to the property.
I’m anxious about protecting the siding and foundation from moisture and providing ample drainage to the foundation, especially during snow melt in the Spring. Snow stacks up pretty deep, and homeowners who don’t plan adequately end up having to dig down to get into their front doors. That’s why the entry is covered and placed about 8 feet above ground. My target was a simple, durable, low-maintenance exterior that can handle significant precipitation and 10 feet or more of snow on the ground during the winter.
Recognizing there could be forest fires during the summer, I also am hopeful that the exterior finishes will provide some fire protection, if needed.
Orientation: I oriented the cabin North/South and angled the windows on those sides to take advantage of the mountain views. The key view is to the North to Lichtenberg Mountain. There are no windows on the East and West sides -- this was for practical aesthetics and to reduce glazing costs. The lots are narrow, and chance are good there will be neighbors on both sides. Those walls will be taking the brunt of the weight from the roof, and we’d rather look at the mountains than the cabins on either side of us.
Interior finishes: On the interior I’m planning for wood (including plywood), metal and concrete finishes, mixed with dashes of drywall as needed and aesthetically helpful. I’m planning to use radiant heating in poured concrete floors on all three levels. The floors will be poured, natural concrete, perhaps stained.
Utilities: There is ready access to reliable power, phone and Internet in the road. There is no natural gas available at the site, but I will put a LP storage tank on the property to power a cooktop and possibly a generator.
Water: The public water system is available in the road, BUT there is a restriction on new hookups that has been in place for a number of years with no end in sight. That is why I designed the roof as a rainwater collection system. (More on all this in other posts.)
Roof: My initial plan is to retain the snow fall on the roof with snow fences and allow it to melt slowly into the gutter. But that’s A LOT OF SNOW to keep on a roof. If the building engineering can handle it without blowing out the budget, there is ample rainfall during the year to supply the cabin with adequate water if it’s stored in underground cisterns. I planned to engage a firm to help design the snow/water catchment, filtering, storing and purification systems. The slope of the roof was a guess on my part as to what would allow for reasonable runoff and snow melt, but still be somewhat “flat”. It’s approximately 4/12 slope in the original designs.
My biggest concern with the roof was to keep it as free as possible from ice dams. It’s designed as a cold roof with ample ventilation between insulated layer and the upper layer. My design is to use SIP panels (for their thermal efficiency) on top of LVL rafters to provide a nice underside aesthetic but also to protect the roof from vapor infiltration that could damage the SIPs and cause the ice dams I’m trying to guard against.
Deck: The backyard, North-facing deck was purposefully designed to be small and under the eaves to reduce the snowpack resting on it during the winter.
The entry/mudroom on the first floor was designed as an airlock.
HVAC: The utilities (water heating, water treatment, electrical panels, etc. are all intended to be mounted in the SW corner of the small garage area so they are kept warm and accessible. With a very airtight cabin, I will also need to be able to put fans on all three levels to exchange air. Don’t want a “sick house.”
Plumbing: There’s essentially one main, interior wall for all the plumbing running through all three floors. Although the sink in the powder room is against the exterior wall, my intention is to route the plumbing lines through the interior side wall so there’s no chance of freezing. The laundry area will be in the basement on the other side of the garage space next to the wet wall.
Smarthome: I will be installing a security system and cameras so that I can monitor the exterior and interior of the cabin remotely (via Internet). I plan to be able to control the heat, water and lights remotely as well. Basic smart home stuff.
Budget: I still pick up spare change on the floor. Sometimes I'll brave putting my hand down the back of the couch to see what treasure might emerge. I’m laser focused on building the cabin as inexpensively as possible but still clean, durable and nice. All that said, I’m willing to spend a little more on key areas so they are durable, solid, and as maintenance free as possible.
Architectural Style: The entire design of the cabin was targeted to be simple to build and durable, but still have some “modern mountain” personality. My targeted aesthetic is modern, industrial. I want to celebrate, not cover up the cabin’s structure. The cabin will be a gathering place for family and friends. It’s just a mile from the Stevens Pass ski area, and we plan to spend more time there during the winter than during the summer.
Structure: The exterior walls are framed with 2x8 dimensional lumber. It’s “overbuilt” to allow for better insulation and the additional structure necessary to carry a heavy roof load. Interior plumbing walls are framed with 2x6 dimensional lumber to allow for easier routing of pipes between floors as well as insulation to dampen the noise in adjacent spaces. I avoided plumbing on any exterior walls to prevent pipe freezing.
Snow: The winter snow pack averages 8 to 12 feet accumulations on the ground. The county requires us to design for 320 lbs per square foot on the roof, and 400 lbs per square foot on the ground. Access to the cabin during the winter is by snowshoe or snowmobile. During the summer, there’s a paved road to the property.
I’m anxious about protecting the siding and foundation from moisture and providing ample drainage to the foundation, especially during snow melt in the Spring. Snow stacks up pretty deep, and homeowners who don’t plan adequately end up having to dig down to get into their front doors. That’s why the entry is covered and placed about 8 feet above ground. My target was a simple, durable, low-maintenance exterior that can handle significant precipitation and 10 feet or more of snow on the ground during the winter.
Recognizing there could be forest fires during the summer, I also am hopeful that the exterior finishes will provide some fire protection, if needed.
Orientation: I oriented the cabin North/South and angled the windows on those sides to take advantage of the mountain views. The key view is to the North to Lichtenberg Mountain. There are no windows on the East and West sides -- this was for practical aesthetics and to reduce glazing costs. The lots are narrow, and chance are good there will be neighbors on both sides. Those walls will be taking the brunt of the weight from the roof, and we’d rather look at the mountains than the cabins on either side of us.
Interior finishes: On the interior I’m planning for wood (including plywood), metal and concrete finishes, mixed with dashes of drywall as needed and aesthetically helpful. I’m planning to use radiant heating in poured concrete floors on all three levels. The floors will be poured, natural concrete, perhaps stained.
Utilities: There is ready access to reliable power, phone and Internet in the road. There is no natural gas available at the site, but I will put a LP storage tank on the property to power a cooktop and possibly a generator.
Water: The public water system is available in the road, BUT there is a restriction on new hookups that has been in place for a number of years with no end in sight. That is why I designed the roof as a rainwater collection system. (More on all this in other posts.)
Roof: My initial plan is to retain the snow fall on the roof with snow fences and allow it to melt slowly into the gutter. But that’s A LOT OF SNOW to keep on a roof. If the building engineering can handle it without blowing out the budget, there is ample rainfall during the year to supply the cabin with adequate water if it’s stored in underground cisterns. I planned to engage a firm to help design the snow/water catchment, filtering, storing and purification systems. The slope of the roof was a guess on my part as to what would allow for reasonable runoff and snow melt, but still be somewhat “flat”. It’s approximately 4/12 slope in the original designs.
My biggest concern with the roof was to keep it as free as possible from ice dams. It’s designed as a cold roof with ample ventilation between insulated layer and the upper layer. My design is to use SIP panels (for their thermal efficiency) on top of LVL rafters to provide a nice underside aesthetic but also to protect the roof from vapor infiltration that could damage the SIPs and cause the ice dams I’m trying to guard against.
Deck: The backyard, North-facing deck was purposefully designed to be small and under the eaves to reduce the snowpack resting on it during the winter.
The entry/mudroom on the first floor was designed as an airlock.
HVAC: The utilities (water heating, water treatment, electrical panels, etc. are all intended to be mounted in the SW corner of the small garage area so they are kept warm and accessible. With a very airtight cabin, I will also need to be able to put fans on all three levels to exchange air. Don’t want a “sick house.”
Plumbing: There’s essentially one main, interior wall for all the plumbing running through all three floors. Although the sink in the powder room is against the exterior wall, my intention is to route the plumbing lines through the interior side wall so there’s no chance of freezing. The laundry area will be in the basement on the other side of the garage space next to the wet wall.
Smarthome: I will be installing a security system and cameras so that I can monitor the exterior and interior of the cabin remotely (via Internet). I plan to be able to control the heat, water and lights remotely as well. Basic smart home stuff.
Dream BIG (then downsize)
I immediately began looking for inspiration for a cabin design. Katie and I sat down with the kids and developed our wish-list of everything we’d like to have in a vacation cabin.
I’m drawn to modern architecture, and enjoy the juxtaposition of old and new. Essential simplicity set in a backdrop of organic wilderness. Time-tested materials contrasted with fresh, new ones.
Lots of time on house/floor-plan websites looking at floor plans. And even more time on Zillow.com, Houzz.com, Google Images, Dwell.com, Busyboo.com, Archdaily.com, Design-milk.com, Architecturalrecord.com. You get the picture.
Tons of late-night research on how to best deal with the snow through good, simple design, especially the snow on the roof. I arrived at the conclusion that the European “Alp” architecture has a lot of wisdom. A shallow, “cold” roof that keeps the snow on rather than try to shed it. So I targeted a shed roof design -- no valleys, no peaks. Just simple and flat.
Originally, until we had a “break through” on water availability, I was also planning on collecting rain and snow water off the roof. I’ve since abandoned that due to additional costs and water treatment. It’s also experimental, and I don’t (yet) have money to experiment -- remembering that Edison said he hadn’t had 1000’s of failures designing the incandescent light bulb, he’d just discovered 1000’s of ways NOT to do it.
After downloading a copy of Sketchup and learning how to use it, here’s an example of my first fully realized design.
It’s beautiful, inspiring -- and way too big for us to afford.
What to do? Downsize.
Get rid of the great room. Narrower for regular beams to span. Use common, evenly divisible dimensions. Reduce the number of bathrooms. Reduce the glazing so it’s only on the North and South sides. Finally, after many iterations on floor layouts, I arrived at “the plan.” (Coming soon to a blog post near you.)
I’m drawn to modern architecture, and enjoy the juxtaposition of old and new. Essential simplicity set in a backdrop of organic wilderness. Time-tested materials contrasted with fresh, new ones.
Lots of time on house/floor-plan websites looking at floor plans. And even more time on Zillow.com, Houzz.com, Google Images, Dwell.com, Busyboo.com, Archdaily.com, Design-milk.com, Architecturalrecord.com. You get the picture.
Tons of late-night research on how to best deal with the snow through good, simple design, especially the snow on the roof. I arrived at the conclusion that the European “Alp” architecture has a lot of wisdom. A shallow, “cold” roof that keeps the snow on rather than try to shed it. So I targeted a shed roof design -- no valleys, no peaks. Just simple and flat.
Originally, until we had a “break through” on water availability, I was also planning on collecting rain and snow water off the roof. I’ve since abandoned that due to additional costs and water treatment. It’s also experimental, and I don’t (yet) have money to experiment -- remembering that Edison said he hadn’t had 1000’s of failures designing the incandescent light bulb, he’d just discovered 1000’s of ways NOT to do it.
After downloading a copy of Sketchup and learning how to use it, here’s an example of my first fully realized design.
It’s beautiful, inspiring -- and way too big for us to afford.
What to do? Downsize.
Get rid of the great room. Narrower for regular beams to span. Use common, evenly divisible dimensions. Reduce the number of bathrooms. Reduce the glazing so it’s only on the North and South sides. Finally, after many iterations on floor layouts, I arrived at “the plan.” (Coming soon to a blog post near you.)
The Purchase
Katie and I have been married 2 decades. We just dropped a daughter at school in Idaho. Katie’s driving. I’m surfing Zillow on my iPad as we pass through Coeur d'Alene. Some nice properties, but none we can afford. After we get home I remember “the dream”: A log cabin, in the mountains. We’ve been skiing for the past handful of years at Stevens Pass, so I slowly surf up Highway 2 on Zillow looking for property.
Then I see a little dot about a mile East of Stevens Pass. (What? There’s property there?) The listing shows a few shots of a snow covered Lichtenberg Mountain and a bunch evergreens. Over the next few days I do a little research and realize the listing has been reduced in price each month since it was listed. It’s now ½ price of the original listing, and well below the County’s appraised tax value.
We called our realtor friend to see if he could get us any more information on the property. It just so happened that he had previously worked with the listing agent, so we got “the scoop.” The person who owned the property was ill and in the hospital. He and his wife were trying to divest from as many of his assets as possible because it would be easier to do so before he died than afterward.
We took a trip up to the property to look around. Beautiful view of Lichtenberg Mountain, relatively flat on the front, with a gentle slope for about 100 feet, then a steep slope down to Nason Creek.
I did as much research online as I could to figure out the situation with utilities, water, sewer etc.
They key problem I found was water: Although there was a water system, the property could not hook up to water because they weren’t allowed to hook any more up legally due to water rights being in short supply east of the mountains due to Salmon protection, Indian treaties, etc. But there were a few recent cabins that had been built to use storage tanks, hauling in water during the summer months. We talked to some of the cabin owners, and even found one older guy who lives up there full time in a beautiful secluded log cabin. Another older couple used to live up there full-time, but now only spend brief periods during the year. All of them kind and hardy. This is not hoidy-toidy, gold-plated community of drive-up, ski-out vacationers. There’s a price to be paid in time, effort, and will-power to successfully own and maintain a vacation home in Yodelin.
Winter access is challenging. The road is not ploughed except right near the freeway enough to allow the cabin owners to park their cars. Many owners leave a snowmobile or a snowcat near where they park their cars, and then use them to ferry themselves to their cabins. It’s only ½ mile from there to our cabin.
The biggest challenge is the annual 10+ feet of snow that accumulate there. Most of the cabins set the main floor on the second floor of the cabin, and plan on the first floor getting buried in the winter time. Those who didn’t have enough foresight to do that, have to dig DOWN to their front doors. Even shedding the snow off the roofs causes it to accumulate against the sides of the house, and can create a myriad of problems. Managing snow accumulation is THE problem up there.
I made calls to the county, to the water system commissioner, and to friends in the building trades. Satisfied that we could build *something* up there, we made a full-price offer -- at that time fully 50% off of its original listing price, and frankly not much more than a nice used car. I figured even if we didn’t end up building on the property I should be able to sell it for as much as I bought it for.
Then I see a little dot about a mile East of Stevens Pass. (What? There’s property there?) The listing shows a few shots of a snow covered Lichtenberg Mountain and a bunch evergreens. Over the next few days I do a little research and realize the listing has been reduced in price each month since it was listed. It’s now ½ price of the original listing, and well below the County’s appraised tax value.
We called our realtor friend to see if he could get us any more information on the property. It just so happened that he had previously worked with the listing agent, so we got “the scoop.” The person who owned the property was ill and in the hospital. He and his wife were trying to divest from as many of his assets as possible because it would be easier to do so before he died than afterward.
We took a trip up to the property to look around. Beautiful view of Lichtenberg Mountain, relatively flat on the front, with a gentle slope for about 100 feet, then a steep slope down to Nason Creek.
I did as much research online as I could to figure out the situation with utilities, water, sewer etc.
They key problem I found was water: Although there was a water system, the property could not hook up to water because they weren’t allowed to hook any more up legally due to water rights being in short supply east of the mountains due to Salmon protection, Indian treaties, etc. But there were a few recent cabins that had been built to use storage tanks, hauling in water during the summer months. We talked to some of the cabin owners, and even found one older guy who lives up there full time in a beautiful secluded log cabin. Another older couple used to live up there full-time, but now only spend brief periods during the year. All of them kind and hardy. This is not hoidy-toidy, gold-plated community of drive-up, ski-out vacationers. There’s a price to be paid in time, effort, and will-power to successfully own and maintain a vacation home in Yodelin.
Winter access is challenging. The road is not ploughed except right near the freeway enough to allow the cabin owners to park their cars. Many owners leave a snowmobile or a snowcat near where they park their cars, and then use them to ferry themselves to their cabins. It’s only ½ mile from there to our cabin.
The biggest challenge is the annual 10+ feet of snow that accumulate there. Most of the cabins set the main floor on the second floor of the cabin, and plan on the first floor getting buried in the winter time. Those who didn’t have enough foresight to do that, have to dig DOWN to their front doors. Even shedding the snow off the roofs causes it to accumulate against the sides of the house, and can create a myriad of problems. Managing snow accumulation is THE problem up there.
I made calls to the county, to the water system commissioner, and to friends in the building trades. Satisfied that we could build *something* up there, we made a full-price offer -- at that time fully 50% off of its original listing price, and frankly not much more than a nice used car. I figured even if we didn’t end up building on the property I should be able to sell it for as much as I bought it for.
Alpen Einleitung
As a 12/13-year old scout, I had a young, single scoutmaster who spent every waking weekend assaulting peaks in the Washington Cascades. He relished taking naive twelve and thirteen year old’s with him on a Friday night hike-in for a Saturday summit attempt. If things went *really* well, we might “die screaming.” McClellan Butte. Annette Lake. Dorothy Lake. Mt. Stewart. Kaleetan Peak. Stevens to Snoqualmie pass. A few others I can’t remember. Mostly, we got cold and drenched. Eventually, after a few miserable weekends sleeping in puddles, we learned how to stay dry at night. The last tent occupants to emerge from their tents were summarily awakened with a close-proximity M80, to the giggles of the those who’d learned by previous experience to get up with the sun.
My sophomore year in highschool, a girlfriend asked me if I wanted to go skiing. I borrowed a friend’s gear. One or two trips down the bunny hill with Suzy on Friday evening under the lights at Snoqualmie Pass and I was hooked, soaked Levi’s and all. My penchant for throwing pottery at the highschool and selling it at the annual sale paid for my first set of skis and boots. Snow covered mountains replaced football and weightlifting, and Suzy for that matter.
I was accepted to attend BYU in Provo after highschool. Great academic program. Yeah that’s it: Academics. What? 30 minutes from Sundance and 60 minutes from Snowbird and Alta. What a coincidence! My freshman year ended with about 60 punched ski passes, and a deep dark winter tan from my neck up.
I was Spring skiing in at Mt. Hood in June when my mission call to Switzerland arrived. A mixed blessing. Switzerland in real life is better than any postcard of Switzerland you’ve ever seen. Littered with tram covered mountains and world-renowned ski venues, I was sadly prohibited from donning a pair of skis during my time there due to costs and insurance risks. But I visited every mountain and resort I could: Diavolezza. Gornergrat. Zermatt. St. Moritz. Pilatus. Männlichen. Titlis. Säntis. Schilthorn. Kleine Scheidegg. Wengen. Aletschgletscher. The list goes on.
Each time my churchly-duties compelled me to visit a different far-away city, I’d look at the map to see which mountain pass I had not yet traversed that might plausibly be “on the way”. Turns out, on a map, everything’s “on the way.” Moses went up into a mountain to speak with God. The Savior Himself often retired to the mountains to pray. The mountains are special, even from the driver seat of a 1.3 litre Opel Corsa. I came home with a set of Volkl P9 slalom skis (I promptly bent them the first season in Snowbird’s moguls.) BYU requires a minimum of 128 credits to graduate. I had 128.5 credits. The extra half credit? ...a ski class.
The Hometime series season where they build a big beautiful log cabin aired the year after college graduation. (Oh, yes. You will be mine. Gotta get me one of those.) When I met Katie a few years later, I had plans for a log home in the mountains. She agreed, and we set out dreaming...and raising a family and working long hours in the software industry.
My sophomore year in highschool, a girlfriend asked me if I wanted to go skiing. I borrowed a friend’s gear. One or two trips down the bunny hill with Suzy on Friday evening under the lights at Snoqualmie Pass and I was hooked, soaked Levi’s and all. My penchant for throwing pottery at the highschool and selling it at the annual sale paid for my first set of skis and boots. Snow covered mountains replaced football and weightlifting, and Suzy for that matter.
I was accepted to attend BYU in Provo after highschool. Great academic program. Yeah that’s it: Academics. What? 30 minutes from Sundance and 60 minutes from Snowbird and Alta. What a coincidence! My freshman year ended with about 60 punched ski passes, and a deep dark winter tan from my neck up.
I was Spring skiing in at Mt. Hood in June when my mission call to Switzerland arrived. A mixed blessing. Switzerland in real life is better than any postcard of Switzerland you’ve ever seen. Littered with tram covered mountains and world-renowned ski venues, I was sadly prohibited from donning a pair of skis during my time there due to costs and insurance risks. But I visited every mountain and resort I could: Diavolezza. Gornergrat. Zermatt. St. Moritz. Pilatus. Männlichen. Titlis. Säntis. Schilthorn. Kleine Scheidegg. Wengen. Aletschgletscher. The list goes on.
Each time my churchly-duties compelled me to visit a different far-away city, I’d look at the map to see which mountain pass I had not yet traversed that might plausibly be “on the way”. Turns out, on a map, everything’s “on the way.” Moses went up into a mountain to speak with God. The Savior Himself often retired to the mountains to pray. The mountains are special, even from the driver seat of a 1.3 litre Opel Corsa. I came home with a set of Volkl P9 slalom skis (I promptly bent them the first season in Snowbird’s moguls.) BYU requires a minimum of 128 credits to graduate. I had 128.5 credits. The extra half credit? ...a ski class.
The Hometime series season where they build a big beautiful log cabin aired the year after college graduation. (Oh, yes. You will be mine. Gotta get me one of those.) When I met Katie a few years later, I had plans for a log home in the mountains. She agreed, and we set out dreaming...and raising a family and working long hours in the software industry.
What's the scoop?
I am in the process of building a vacation mountain cabin for my family. I've owned the property for 3 years. And I've been designing and refining for almost as long.
I won't be doing all the work myself. Subcontractors will be a HUGE part of this. If there's one thing I've learned through several DIY home remodels--some quite extensive--it's that I'm a cheapskate and can't stand spending money on things I could do myself. But the other thing I've learned is that every man has his price. And my price tag is going down as I get older.
So the plan of record as I sit here typing is that I will primarily use subs for the excavation and exterior work required to get the house planted in the ground, erected, and protected from the weather: Excavation, utilities, septic, footings, foundation, slap, framing, windows, siding, and roofing.
After it's protected from the weather, I plan to take a hands-on role in the plumbing, electrical, HVAC, insulation, and interior finishes. (Unless I win the lottery, in which case I'll buy a comfy lawn chair and shout directions.)
I won't be doing all the work myself. Subcontractors will be a HUGE part of this. If there's one thing I've learned through several DIY home remodels--some quite extensive--it's that I'm a cheapskate and can't stand spending money on things I could do myself. But the other thing I've learned is that every man has his price. And my price tag is going down as I get older.
So the plan of record as I sit here typing is that I will primarily use subs for the excavation and exterior work required to get the house planted in the ground, erected, and protected from the weather: Excavation, utilities, septic, footings, foundation, slap, framing, windows, siding, and roofing.
After it's protected from the weather, I plan to take a hands-on role in the plumbing, electrical, HVAC, insulation, and interior finishes. (Unless I win the lottery, in which case I'll buy a comfy lawn chair and shout directions.)
Why "Knarrow Haus"?
"Knarrow" is a mashup of my lastname and my wife's maiden name. And the cabin is narrow -- only 16 feet wide!
My lastname starts with "Kn" and people are always pronouncing the "K" as silent, which it shouldn't be in my last name.
My last name is German.
"Haus" is German for House.
Cute, descriptive, and I *think* memorable...
My lastname starts with "Kn" and people are always pronouncing the "K" as silent, which it shouldn't be in my last name.
My last name is German.
"Haus" is German for House.
Cute, descriptive, and I *think* memorable...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)