The fire, The fire started as I was finishing up the solar container at home, he day after the fire me and a buddy made the trip up there. It was closed off with a road block of fire and police. I was able to BS my way passed it by showing my contractors license and telling them I had equipment up there for the fire. On the forest road on the way up things were still smoking and popping. When we got to my place things were still smoking and a tree or 2 still burning. The 1500 gallon water tank was flat under a tree in the picture. This is how I found the cabin, burned completely around it but not burned. if you look passed the little truck you can see the cabin less than 100' away. I have no idea why the cabin didn't burn, No one tried to put out the fire up there. That big tree was a cedar over 100' tall. On the next trip I started clean up. I swept the roof because the trees dropped a bunch of needles after they got singed, under the needles was about 2 inches of ash, where it had burned during the fire.
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The cabin remodel
- Thread starter m1west
- Start date
I installed the container about a week after the fire, it was still smokey. Backed in on the truck with it hanging over then welded it to the back 2 poles, chained it to the trees and drove out, until there was about a foot left on the truck, then jacked it up and pulled the truck out, welded on the front poles and concreted them in. Next day installed the ramp and the panels on the top frames. The next trip I ran all the cables from the panels to the charge controller and hooked up the batteries. I had already wired the panel in the cabin and ran a cable underground. As soon as I hooked up th 110V and turned it on we were out of the Stone Age. , lights, microwave, flush toilet and no more need for the generator, and that was good because it burned up. No shower yet because the water tank and all the pipe burned up.
First trip for the track van, much more room and comfort than the truck, supercharged 3 cylinder. Plenty of power. One thing we encountered I haven't before was the road was solid ice at least 4" thick. The van did OK but almost didn't make it up the steepest hill sliding all around. I have been slowly here and there been screwing studs in the tracks, almost done. No more of that crap. My son made the trip with me and we did som hiking and shooting.
When the snow melted in 2021 me and the little boy ran 1200' of 1-1/2" PVC along the road supporting it with stakes in the hillside.
Then more digging in that awful soil. Buried the tank 1/2 way so I could leave water in it in the winter, trenching the road really sucked. I started at 7 am it took me 7 hours to dig down a foot across the road. When I started the Pick was sparking and bouncing off. Then we replaced all the buried pipe from the tank to the cabin a foot down, about 350'. Funny story, I first put the new tank in the same place as the old tank, hooked it up and filled it. turned it on and just had a trickle coming out of the yard spickets. the new tank is 600 gallons and the old 1500 gallons and much taller. So I thought I had lost the head pressure due to the tank being smaller. so moved it up the hill about 50' gaining about 10' in elevation. hooked it all up. SAME THING. The underground pipe melted shut about every 30' or so. That was done over 2 trips. Now we have water, power and septic. I bought a new heavy gauge standing rib roof and couldn't put it on last year due to another fire. The fire didn't reach us but it was so smokey on a trip I took up there that we left at 3am because we couldn't take it. When the snow melts this year, the roof is the first project. Should only take 1 trip for that, then I can get on the flooring ( wood look Ceramic tile )and cedar T&G boards on the walls. Long range will include stoning the exterior with the natural stone laying everywhere up there and steel shudders that lock from the inside. I also have a Glenwood Sunny cook stove from the 1800"s thats really pretty that will go in there with Stainless pipe, that I plan to double wall and hold about 10 gallons of water. I want to harden it against fires and thieves. Down the road will be an outside kitchen and a small pond fed by the spring. Likely it will never stop evolving while I can still do it.
Then more digging in that awful soil. Buried the tank 1/2 way so I could leave water in it in the winter, trenching the road really sucked. I started at 7 am it took me 7 hours to dig down a foot across the road. When I started the Pick was sparking and bouncing off. Then we replaced all the buried pipe from the tank to the cabin a foot down, about 350'. Funny story, I first put the new tank in the same place as the old tank, hooked it up and filled it. turned it on and just had a trickle coming out of the yard spickets. the new tank is 600 gallons and the old 1500 gallons and much taller. So I thought I had lost the head pressure due to the tank being smaller. so moved it up the hill about 50' gaining about 10' in elevation. hooked it all up. SAME THING. The underground pipe melted shut about every 30' or so. That was done over 2 trips. Now we have water, power and septic. I bought a new heavy gauge standing rib roof and couldn't put it on last year due to another fire. The fire didn't reach us but it was so smokey on a trip I took up there that we left at 3am because we couldn't take it. When the snow melts this year, the roof is the first project. Should only take 1 trip for that, then I can get on the flooring ( wood look Ceramic tile )and cedar T&G boards on the walls. Long range will include stoning the exterior with the natural stone laying everywhere up there and steel shudders that lock from the inside. I also have a Glenwood Sunny cook stove from the 1800"s thats really pretty that will go in there with Stainless pipe, that I plan to double wall and hold about 10 gallons of water. I want to harden it against fires and thieves. Down the road will be an outside kitchen and a small pond fed by the spring. Likely it will never stop evolving while I can still do it.
Well my son and I were finally able to make a cabin trip. I called my local cabin neighbor up there and was told I could get in with a 4X4.
as the road had little snow left with some muddy spots, the road was not bad most of the way up with some wash out mud and snow.
Not much for a 4X4 but you would not make it in a 2X.
The old place was intact and the ground thawed enough to get water from the water tank.
The tank on the toilet cracked and broke. I left water in it, I grew up in Michigan and never saw a toilet tank do that. Also had a plumbing leak that a PEX shark bite fitting got pushed out from freezing in a low spot.
I was pleasantly surprised that around my property the trees are coming back nicely, I would say at least 75% survived if not more.
There are some areas up there where nothing is going to grow for a while. Im pretty sure thats why the road washes out now.
We hiked around and the kid was able to find a spot he likes for his cabin sight, nice natural flat spot that can be expanded when we cut the road in. Up above it there are some cottonwood trees growing and that normally means water, so with some digging he might have a spring near by.
The next day we went into town for lunch and I was able to get a new shark bite pex fitting and repair my water leak. Now we could shower. I need to make a plan to modify the water system, to make it easier to winterize without taking it apart.
We then did some shooting the next day and relaxed. Then the 5 hour drive home in the morning.
as the road had little snow left with some muddy spots, the road was not bad most of the way up with some wash out mud and snow.
Not much for a 4X4 but you would not make it in a 2X.
The old place was intact and the ground thawed enough to get water from the water tank.
The tank on the toilet cracked and broke. I left water in it, I grew up in Michigan and never saw a toilet tank do that. Also had a plumbing leak that a PEX shark bite fitting got pushed out from freezing in a low spot.
I was pleasantly surprised that around my property the trees are coming back nicely, I would say at least 75% survived if not more.
There are some areas up there where nothing is going to grow for a while. Im pretty sure thats why the road washes out now.
We hiked around and the kid was able to find a spot he likes for his cabin sight, nice natural flat spot that can be expanded when we cut the road in. Up above it there are some cottonwood trees growing and that normally means water, so with some digging he might have a spring near by.
The next day we went into town for lunch and I was able to get a new shark bite pex fitting and repair my water leak. Now we could shower. I need to make a plan to modify the water system, to make it easier to winterize without taking it apart.
We then did some shooting the next day and relaxed. Then the 5 hour drive home in the morning.
The next day we were back out there at 6am, between roof wood repair, pulling nails adding screws and cleaning the roof, it was after lunch before we actually started putting underlay on the roof then layout. Also I bought the roof last year but couldn't install it due to fires up there, each panel has a plastic film that has to be removed 54 panels 10 minutes each to remove the plastic. The panels are standing rib with no exposed screws to leak and I bought it in the heaviest gauge metal they had. We got 4 panels on and quit at 7:30 pm
Next day Back out there at 6am. Got the rest of the panels on the hard side. The roof is 10" on 12" pitch for snow and its friggin steep. Even on plywood you slide down. We used an old piece of carpet and a safety harness with a strap to keep from falling off. The whole thing was a bitch. You wouldn't want to go off, especially the down hill side, long drop onto rocks. We got the underlay on the easy side as well as the lower sheets, then we pulled the plastic from the remaining sheets for morning, 7:30 pm again. Thursday morning, back out there at 6am. Finished all the sheeting and cleaned up. Duct taped the ridge as there was no time for the ridge cap. We were out of there headed home at around 10:30 am and got home around 3:30 pm. ass dragging. Monday I have to make a work trip to WA. state for a couple weeks. When I return I will finish the ridge cap and flashing. That was the last the hard projects, the others were Septic, solar installation and the re do of the entire water system after the fire. After this I can finally do the flooring and walls.
Finally may have enough time to return to the work cabin and finish the roof. Next week I plan to put the ridge cap on. and finish a couple things there wasn't enough time for in June. The weather should be in the 80's up there still, but ifs hit it early and quit around 11 am I should finish in a couple days. Before I go I have to cut the z channels that go between the ribs. Would have been nice if they came that way from the manufacturer. There are 36 pieces at 15-1/2" to cut and de burr. Its not hard work but the roof pitch is steep and the direct sunlight up there is brutal. I am happy to get it done.
Trip got postponed till next week, hot weather extended into the weekend. Even when not hot the sun up there is brutal out in the open. today 108, tomorrow 111, Friday 108, Saturday 94 Next Thursday will be 85 and it drops down from there. 85 here is 65 on the mountain. Then I can work all day rather than having to pack it in at 11 am.
Three more inches of 1"minus base and my cabin site is ready. The company that built our 32'X14' shell last year is ready, anxious actually, to deliver it. The road in was just graded. My 3/4 mile driveway needs a few spots leveled and graveled. Some branches and brush cut back.
It comes a week from this Friday. Getting to the site from Springfield MO will take at least an hour, if not two.
Setting it down on the foundation rock bed one- or two-hours tops.
It is a blank shell, walls and roof only, with a 36"front door we will replace with a 60" double slab glass door set i already have. The two small windows on the front will be replaced with side slide Patio windows. We have four 78"X36" over under's and four 56"X 36" over under's to bring in lots of lights.
Then the fun begins.
It comes a week from this Friday. Getting to the site from Springfield MO will take at least an hour, if not two.
Setting it down on the foundation rock bed one- or two-hours tops.
It is a blank shell, walls and roof only, with a 36"front door we will replace with a 60" double slab glass door set i already have. The two small windows on the front will be replaced with side slide Patio windows. We have four 78"X36" over under's and four 56"X 36" over under's to bring in lots of lights.
Then the fun begins.
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Thats a good start to your project. Sounds like yours is a ways from home like mine. I have until November sometime before the snow comes up there, plus winter is my busy time with real work. I didn't get a lot done this year due to, too much real work. But that is necessary to fund the projects. Once the ridge cap is on the roof. I can start the finish work on the inside. That should go fairly quickly. In my mind I have a couple phases of improvements up there to keep me busy for some time to come.
My project is 250 miles away. However, winter is less of a hinderance as I am in Missouri and at only 1300 feet.
Real work effected me seriously this year as help was dear and I had to literally run packaging lines myself.
The prefab structure is only a beginning. I will be building, from scratch, a 12'X16' kitchen to connect the new building to the old "Bath House" which contains the power panel, water storage tank, workshop and bathroom.
I don't mean to horn in on your thread. But the similarities suggested I do so.
Real work effected me seriously this year as help was dear and I had to literally run packaging lines myself.
The prefab structure is only a beginning. I will be building, from scratch, a 12'X16' kitchen to connect the new building to the old "Bath House" which contains the power panel, water storage tank, workshop and bathroom.
I don't mean to horn in on your thread. But the similarities suggested I do so.
You not horning in, keep it going I need the motivation and maybe get ideas from your project. And yes it is similar. I am 290 miles about 4.5 to 5 hours then in the winter add a couple hours to deal with the track van and slow trip up the road to the cabin. Not to mention daylight hours are short. Not much gets done on winter trips except some hiking and shooting.
Our distance is dead on actually. Springfield MO is 250 miles.. That's where we have our bungalow and go on Friday nights. Saturday it is another 45 miles to the Sailboat or Hippie Ridge.
If we move to Hippie Ridge then the sailboat will be 90 miles away. I'm not sure how that will work out for us.