That's a lot of work for a small cabin. I'm guessing this is going to be a weekend getaway kind of place? Perhaps an undisclosed bugout location?
seriously though, why are you building a shed inthe woods?
I'd trade my 4 bedroom 2 bathroom house on a court in a second for 20+ acres of raw land with a cabin on it.
This type of construction will cost more and take longer up front, but not in the long run. I'm playing chess not checkers if/when I build. That's why Ive been looking for land and planning for years at this point. Need the land first but the cabin dictates certain needs from the land. #1 being remote and forested (need wood for heat) #2 being un-level land (water cathcment w/o pumps or electric) #2 is staying away from neighbors (so I can have a shooting range and do what I want when I want w/o big brother looking 0ver my shoulder)
Cabin would be to get away, then possibly retire to and live off the land, and also a bug out spot.
Much easier to build it once the right way then build a place that needs maintenance or major rehab in a decade. I'm thinking more like Europeans build vs our typical 30 year 2x4 stick built construction we do here in the US. Most of the stuff I see here is built to last a decade or two. I want 5+ decades.
Because people suck and having somewhere to get away from them would be nice.
This X 1,000,000
I don't disagree; but if I'm going to spend the money and make the effort, I'd prefer to have running water and more than a hole in the dirt to take a shit.
Different strokes for different folks. Ill be spending the majority of next week camping w/o water, toilets, showers, electric, etc. and thats what I do for fun. Factor in Ive spent close to 40 years in the most densely packed state in the union and Ive always felt out of place, I do not like crowds, I do not like the speed at which people live up here, nor do I like the crappy attitudes that I think are fostered in this area. When I take breaks I like total isolation from the outside world besides the few good people that are with me.
Cat holes and shit pits don't bother me, but I'd build an outhouse if the local ordinances would allow one. Water falls from the sky for free so I'd set up some sort of gravity system, but in a region that's below freezing for 4-5 months a year plumbing is a huge PITA. Thats why most budget Alaskan homes are dry. Think someone here posted this last week "when you carry your water, you will learn the value of every drop" and that summarizes my personal relationship with nature.
