catahoula
Caught the Bug
If we were paying cash we would do the work but the bank requires a "legit" contractor. Whatever.
I took a dog run/trot design and enclosed the center breezeway which essentially turned it into a rectangle. 1600 SF heated, two 300 SF porches. Block and beam foundation. Open first and second floors. Only one bedroom located on the second. Closets in the dead space second. First will have living, dining, kitchen and utility room with W/D, water heater, second toilet with a small bar sink, and cat litter box with a small door in the people door. 2 dormers. Dog crate in dead space under stairs. Mini split HVAC and a wooden stove just because. Propane appliances. Maybe propane tankless WH. Well and septic. We want board and batten exterior, metal roof and pine paneling inside walls. However, with Hurricane Harvey, wood prices are gonna skyrocket and will be hard to come by so we may have to forgo some of that wood for now and perhaps replace as the years go by. So then drywall with wood accents and molding would be the interior. 2x6 flooring. We want it as rustic as possible. Tough part has been locating a contractor since cabins aren't that common. There's a big names like Southland, Leland, etc but they are double our budget.
We ran into the same problem. Need a GC. Bullshit! Our plan is to pay cash build small. I love your plan and ideas. I built a small opening framed it out from my laundry room into my utilities room and built an enclosed litter box room within. I go in there and open up to scoop litter. Helps prevent the dog from eating cat shit! One thing we will do to save a shit ton for wood paneling inside is either get a dado blade and make our own ship lap. Or get pallets, break down and either leave as is or plane then attach to studs. Best to use pallets that are 48 x 48 so whether 16 O.C you hit it 3x's or 24 O.C. then 2x's. I would either use roof felt over studs or a black moisture barrier so as to not see between slats. Google pallet floors, wood ring floors. So many ways to save. Pallets you can any where from a few bucks to free!!!! Shit you could even torch them to add more character.
I dig the mini splits as well. We want an on demand WH as well. I'm torn between a propane or wood pellet gravity fed stove.