Way back in the origins of this blog, part of the impetuous for writing it was to document the construction of the Bed and Breakfast we were making. Hence the title. I learned a lot in those days of building. From knowing almost nothing about construction to being a passable carpenter. That was in no small part thanks to my friend and construction manager Gary. Well, wholly in part. His patience, skill in teaching, attention to detail, and absolute rock star carpentry skills was the sole reason I learned anything.
A few years back Leah and I had decided we wanted to build a cabin and settled on a spot near her parents' cabin on the far shore of Victor Bay. It is now in its' third year (and really the first year of winter work) and is nearing completion.
Here is a first instalment of that build.
Part of the joy of building, at least for me, is that it make me think, to plan ahead, to problem solve. The bulk of early work, the framing etc was done by me, alone. That forced me at times to get creative. From time to time I'd have some help. And now Leah is there much of the time helping with the finishing. Early on though it was me, and occasionally Leah, Hilary, Travis, my father-in-law, and some muscle to raise a couple of walls. The roofing and solar were different stories, and I couldn't have done it without the help of another friend, Abe.
There was no plan. I had a floor size in mind and knew I wanted a loft, and therefore needed a steeper pitched roof to accommodate that loft space. Sketches on some paper were the plans, and how I figured out the material I needed. A note to the wise: If you ever need a material takeoff done for a construction project you'd be smart not getting me to do it.
We started building August 2024, laying down, and insulating the floor and joists. The good news is no one died when we flipped it over after putting the bottom
More to come…
Comments
2 responses
I look forward to reading more about the building of this cabin. What a stunningly beautiful view you have there.
It is a beautiful view, and a beautiful spot. This will end up being a short overview as its three years of catching up on the construction. So many little stories that would have made posts on their own.