Recent Posts

Small Backyard Farmhouses Book with Open Source House Plans

Small Backyard Farmhouses Book with Open Source House Plans

I’ve been sharing the free house plans for Jay Osborne’s small farmhouses as the designs have evolved. Now, the book is available. It includes the basic plans. More details are available free. They are designed to be easy to modify. Each can be as small 

Planning a Deck or Porch for the Modular Cabin

Planning a Deck or Porch for the Modular Cabin

The plans are approved and stamped, so we meet with a contractor today for an estimate on grading, the foundation and tie-in work, and the utility hookups, sewer, water, and electric, for our new modular cabin. He can also give us a price for the 

Modular Cabin Construction: Framing

Modular Cabin Construction: Framing

They are working fast. This will be the living room of our new modular cabin. The walls are framed and the outside sheathing is on. This room will be the living room and kitchen. This is standing in the living room and looking into the 

Final Stamped and Approved Plan for Our Modular Cabin

Final Stamped and Approved Plan for Our Modular Cabin

We are having a modular cabin built by Westwood Cabins. It is a single modular pre-fab cabin that is being built in South Carolina to be moved to our land in North Carolina. We made revisions to the plans, so they had to be reviewed 

Katrina Cottages, Mississippi Cottages and MAHP Park Models: Part 2

Katrina Cottages, Mississippi Cottages and MAHP Park Models: Part 2

Katrina Cottages, Mississippi Cottages and Park Model Tiny Houses from the Mississippi Alternative Housing Program were developed to provide emergency housing following natural disasters that could continue to be homes to improve the quality of life on into the future. Cottages and  Park Models Features 

Katrina Cottages, Mississippi Cottages and MAHP Park Models: Part 1

Katrina Cottages, Mississippi Cottages and MAHP Park Models: Part 1

After Hurricane Katrina, more than 20,000 campers and trailers were sent to the Gulf Coast. FEMA has been providing emergency housing, but it was meant to be temporary. This time the areas affected and the amount of damage meant it was going to take longer 

763 Square Foot Cabin Blueprint: Living Room and Loft Floor Plans and Electric Plans

763 Square Foot Cabin Blueprint: Living Room and Loft Floor Plans and Electric Plans

The measurements are specific now, so we can be more confident about furniture plans. This lets you know exactly how much space there is and specifically where the windows and doors are. The electric plan lets you know where the outlets and switches are. The 

First Copy of the Blueprints

First Copy of the Blueprints

We got the first copy of the blueprints to go over! So exciting! This is the elevations, the plans for what the outside of the cabin will look like. The first thing that jumps out at me is that the windows don’t line up. This 

How Do I Get a Mortgage on a Trailer?

How Do I Get a Mortgage on a Trailer?

I qualify for a FHA First Time Home Buyers loan. I found a trailer I can afford. What repairs need be made so that it will pass the appraisal? It is a single-wide trailer with an addition permanently set up on land that comes with 

Loft Options for Westwood Cabins Prefab Modular Homes

Loft Options for Westwood Cabins Prefab Modular Homes

Westwood Cabins makes four models. Each model can be arranged in a lot of different ways. When we toured, most of the cabins we saw left the ceiling high and vaulted. But you can have a lower ceiling in some areas to add a loft.