The Vanderveen House

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Home » Buy and hold real estate investing properties » Cabin Vacation Rental » Cabin phase 1: Pond and driveway

Buy and hold real estate investing properties Cabin Vacation Rental

Cabin phase 1: Pond and driveway

The last step in the site prep and excavation phase of our cabin build was to hire a contractor to dig us a pond and raise up the level of the driveway. 

Pond

We hired B. Moore on Grade as our contractor. He came last weekend and spent a day digging the pond. The reason we wanted the pond was mostly for the fill. The driveway to the cabin was quite low and got very muddy and wet in the spring and fall. We needed fill to raise it up, but rather than buying it we decided the most economical choice was to dig a pond and use the fill for the driveway. Plus, having a pond in our backyard for skating is kind of cool.

Before

This was the pond area a few weeks ago..

DIY tiny cabin

After

…and this is what it looks like now.

It’s basically just a big muddy hole at the moment. Also it’s been drab and dreary with no sun. Hopefully it will fill up over the winter and be an actual pond in the spring. 

Driveway

Let’s take a look at the driveway. This is when it was warm and sunny with colorful leaves…

tiny cabin in the woods

And now.

It’s pretty dreary and gross right now, but it’s progress. It will look a whole lot better next spring and summer when the grass grows and the leaves come out on the trees.

Next post will be the roof rafters and strapping, and floor joists. After that we’ll get the tin, and start closing in the cabin. So far the weather has been okay. We haven’t had a lot of snow yet. We would love to have the cabin closed in before the snow flies and sticks!

 


CABIN DESIGN AND PLAN

PHASE 1: SITE PREP AND EXCAVATION

  • Trench for water line and electrical
  • Basement, gravel pad, blocks, and beams
  • Pond and driveway

PHASE 2: FRAMING

  • Post and beam cabin construction

PHASE 3: CLOSING IN THE CABIN

PHASE 4: INTERIOR FINISHING

PHASE 5: FURNISHING


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Comments

  1. Gail VanderVeen says

    December 9, 2020 at 10:29 am

    Great work! It will be such a beautiful place to relax next summer! Can’t wait to see the next step.

    Reply

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Welcome! We are Tony and Jessica Vanderveen, and are accidental real estate investors in Ontario. Find out how you too can create long term wealth, while maintaining your work life balance. Find out more...

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