5 Ideas for Building a Cheap Hunting Cabin Under 10k

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Last Updated on August 24, 2024 by Paul Clayton

5 Ideas For Building A Cheap Hunting Cabin Under 10k

Exploring cost-effective solutions is a crucial part of any construction project, and the same holds when considering ideas for building a cheap hunting cabin. Utilizing innovative ideas, careful planning, and budget-friendly materials can make this project feasible for anyone.

• Simple Design: Opt for basic, functional layout plans.
• DIY Construction: Save on labor costs by building yourself.
• Opt For a Small Size: Minimize material needs with a compact cabin.
• Use Local Materials: Utilize nearby resources to cut transportation costs.
• No unnecessary Amenities: Stick to essential features to save money.

Hunting cabins have garnered huge popularity over the years. If you’re looking for shelter for a hunting session during winter days, hunting cabins are affordable to every individual.

Even though these cabins are small and rustic, they are completely worth the price.

How do you build a small hunting cabin for under $10,000? The dollar amount depends on the cabin size you’re planning to build. You could be ready to spend under $10,000 for a small cabin. However, apart from this, you can go for other alternatives too:

• Yurt
• Shipping Container Cabins
• Prefabricated Cabins
• Pole Barns 

These can be great choices, and you can build your dream cabin without spending much of your savings. Let’s discuss each of these options in further detail.

Small Cabins

Small cabins are the miniature version of big houses and are a little bigger than tiny houses. They are easier to stand on their own constructed foundation than wheels. However, they still retain the small stature characteristics of small houses.

Such small bare-bone cabins can be easily constructed for just $500. However, you would have to wait for people to donate things like windows, stoves, and doors before you can start living. But it is possible.

 The $500 cabins are a fragile form of Spartan, while hunting cabins are the luxurious space for a good living. The building will take about eight months, especially if you plan to build these cabins without experience. 

With your $500, you can build a cabin around 16 by 10 feet in size. It will be relatively small but will suffice for staying after hunting.

 It would help if you used logs to build a small cabin. Logs are the perfect medium between effectiveness and reasonable price, so they are the best choice. Then, bring your inner child joy by building your ideal Lincoln Log Small Cabin.

Surely, if you live in a state like Idaho or Colorado with forest acreage, you would know how to cut logs. After cutting logs by yourself, put them together using a square cut.

If you’re willing to spend more, safeguarding the wood against parasites and harsh weather is suggested.

You can also fill the gaps between the logs to prevent the wood from bugs. This preserves the log’s quality for a longer time. A log check sealant or rope caulk can be used to seal the cracks of the log.

The loft can also be included in the $500 budget as it fills the floor space and makes your cabin look better. Additionally, it can be extended out to any side to build a ladder further into the wall.

But ensure that the loft is secured tightly to the sides of the cabin. 

When building the roof of your cabin, you would just need to construct some tresses at a 45-degree angle. Next, wrap a good-quality tarp around the roof.

However, securing the roof against harsh weather or large birds wouldn’t be enough. You would need to splurge a little on shingling the cabin roof for proper protection.

Conversely, building a bathroom for the cabin in this budget will be challenging. In this scenario, the woods would be nature’s toilet, and rivers would be nature’s showers.

Not to mention, your cooking skills will be tested with meager cooking space. So, it would help if you learned to live on prepared meals and campfires during your hunting days.

Along the same line, the cabin would lack insulation or a heating system. Thus, you would have to wait for that donation to happen or spend a little to install a wooden stove.

You could still exploit the caulk to fill log gaps because propane is a suitable power source. This will at least provide a little insulation, but you would still require a proper heating system. 

Since we could construct an adequate cabin for a small amount, you can’t complain about the cheap floor. Nevertheless, you can make the foundation of a concrete slab, but that would be an extra expense.

So, at best, after digging beneath the cabin, you can lay down a few cinder blocks on the floor. Then, level the entire floor evenly. 

However, you would risk your cabin with warping and burrowing animals perking in because the floating floor is not connected to the cabin.

But, apart from saving a lot, this type of floating floor gets dirt off quickly, which is crucial when constructing a cabin. 

So, here we are. This was the cheapest possible way of building a small cabin. It is small, rusty, and crafty, but it would be the most fulfilling cabin at this budget. 

Yurts

Yurts are simply a version of the likable wants of mountain men and hippies. Both want it a little rough, except that hippies are more inclined towards “glamping.” 

When it comes to the characteristics of a yurt, it is typically a better stable edition of the tent. Unlike the small cabins, it stands on a wood platform, so you can say the floor is above the ground and has stable wooden flooring.

It is also good for keeping warm and protecting against flooding or burrowing animals. A yurt is easy to carry whenever the hunting location or weather changes. 

Compared to tiny portable houses, a yurt can be carried along the same way but causes a minor inconvenience, significantly when often relocated. These yurts are feasible, but the wooden platform isn’t meant for frequent moving. 

The total expenses of building a yurt will be around $5000; however, if you wish to include certain upgrades, a budget of under $10,000 would be well-suited. For me, the rough estimate came out to about $8500. 

I started by selecting a yurt with a radius of 6 feet. Even though it was a little small, I got to choose my color. Well, that was exciting! I added a deadbolt, door awning, and screen door to my list.

The purpose of adding up the awning was that it would avoid pilling up snow straight in front of my yurt door. Not to forget to tell you, it will significantly reduce the chances of getting blocked with snow inside my yurt.

Besides, I added gutters to the budget to prevent rainwater pooling. 

Since every yurt already includes two windows, I incorporated window covers and roof insulation into my budget.

In addition, my yurt needed insulation to keep it warm on cold days, so I added that as well. Insulation avoids condensation growth, which can lead to various other issues. 

I also included a stove flashing. A stove flashing is required when you plan to put your wood stove in the yurt. So, you’d need space for a vent for the pipe in your tent. 

Indeed, including the wood stove in your yurt would not only make it harder to relocate it but also come with an extra cost. However, it would make hunting during extreme cold climates more accessible, so the additional cost wouldn’t be bothersome. 

These yurts are generally made of high-technology architectural fabric, whereas their dome is acrylic. They have the capability of withstanding even against extreme climate.

Therefore, they are highly demanded in states like Alaska. You can also add center posts to your yurt to increase its capacity to withstand snow load.

In contrast to small cabins, yurts can be customized according to your needs and budget. For instance, you can add revolving ceiling fans and modern appliances. Also, lights and furniture can be fitted that couldn’t be included in the crafty DIY small hunting cabin.

However, yurts, too, run a little low in the case of plumbing and electric supply. You would have to run errands while installing solar panels, which will run by a generator.

Solar panels make a significant investment to the small yurts. In addition, hooking up a propane tank or gasoline-power-driven generator can be used.

You can also add a water conductor and running water. However, ensure that the water tank is filled up often and doesn’t run out of water.

When it comes to defecation, self-composting bathrooms are becoming popular these days. This is because they convert human waste into fertilizer that can be used effectively. Thus, you can also build a garden in your yurt. 

Therefore, yurts are a better version of hunting cabins. Although they come with a higher price tag, one can’t deny the conformability offered. They are easily portable and can be used for the long term.

Not to mention, the extra space and insulation provided in these yurts are worth it.

Shipping Containers

Many people sell their previously owned shipping containers at a relatively discounted price. You can also usually find shipping container sales on websites like craigslist.com.

They are sold in two dimensions: 40x8x8 ft and 20x8x8 ft containers—the first costs about $4000, and the second costs around $2000. 

The most significant disadvantage, which comes with a considerable expense, is the shipping cost when you purchase them through a company. They will ship the container wherever you want, but the shipping charges are high.

So, here comes craigslist.com to your rescue. You can purchase locally without being troubled by shipping costs. In addition, you can inspect the shipping container beforehand, which is cheaper.

There might be chances of a damaged container being delivered when you’re buying it from a company.

You can purchase the already-built range of container homes through websites like Craigslist.com or Etsy.com. Some people construct shipping container homes to earn money.

Thus, you can contact them to buy such homes or someone else who builds them in exchange for some commission. 

The usual problem encountered while constructing a cabin from shipping containers is the inadequate square footage offered. They are quite narrow but long, making them incompetent to install hardware like essential closets. 

However, they are the quickest and easiest to install on our list of hunting cabins. The transport companies that deliver these shipping containers have enabled swung trucks significantly.

With this help, the shipping container can be effortlessly lifted and placed on the foundation. Also, if no crane or swung truck is available, a rough terrain forklift can be rented.

After the container is successfully placed on the foundation, a large crowbar should be used to make adjustments. 

If you plan to do it yourself, you should know you have two choices when laying the foundation. You can choose either the concrete slab foundation or the pier foundation.

Concrete slab foundations offer a more stable foundation for the container. They are also used when you’re not planning on moving the shipping container anytime soon. I suggest welding the corners of the container to the foundation using embedded steel posts.

If you set up the base on a pier foundation, you must dig beneath two troughs to make space for cinder blocks on each side of the container.

Also, place the cinder blocks down the middle part of the container at equal intervals at the same level. Most people prefer a pier foundation because they are on a reasonable budget and offer portability features. 

Pier foundations are less invasive, but concrete foundations provide more stable land. Another drawback of a concrete base is that checking on wires and pipes can sometimes be a little tricky.

However, the pier foundations offer space below the cabin because they are laid above the ground. So, you can check up on wires or set up an exterior insulation system below the cabin. 

Additionally, you would have to set up windows and doors in your cabin, which would require breaking through the walls. I suggest using jigsaws to work on small sections of the cutting and plasma cutters for the wall. 

The floors of these shipping containers need to be treated with pesticides. You can use epoxy for treatment and isopropyl alcohol for a quick solvent wash. The best thing is that you can replace the floor as you wish.

First, installing a proper insulation system and then enclosing the interior is advised. This will avoid condensation and keep the place warm.

You should cover the foam insulation better to prevent rats from eating off the wiring and destroying the system. After completing the insulation set-up, you can start sealing up the cracks, if any. 

Before enclosing the container, complete the electrical wiring and any remaining plumbing installation.

Similarly, gasoline or a power-driven solar generator can effectively run power in the outlets. I also recommend propane for running power appliances like water heaters or stoves. 

Regarding plumbing with shipping containers, you finally have enough space to construct a full bathroom. So, you would require a water tank for this purpose.

However, drain the grey water regularly and refill it with drinking water. In the case of black water, you can attach it to an available septic tank or an automatic composting bathroom. 

There are a few options for framing the container using steel or wood studs for your space. Steel studs are an excellent choice for saving space, but you’d be giving up on structural integrity.

This is because they are not durable when holding up against drywall.

However, it can be adjusted by setting the studs at small intervals. Plywood also works here if you build the container in moderate climate conditions.

Here, the wood studs offer better structural integrity and a strong foundation. Even though they take up a little more space than steel studs, they are worth the quality.

They are equally durable and can handle drywall weight, making wood studs ideal for framing the container.

With these shipping containers, you wouldn’t be required to construct a roof for your cabin. However, building a simple shed roof is better if you’re shifting to where it snows a lot.

You can quickly build the shed roof by following a few YouTube videos and calling over some friends for help. Thus, your cabin will have a well-built standing roof in just a few days.

I would say here that these container cabins are easy to install but require a lot of work and effort. When it comes to budget, it would cost you around $10,000.

You would require plumbing, sealing, setting up an insulation system, and many other setups. Indeed, that’s too much work, but you never know; it might be fulfilling. 

Prefabricated Cabins

You wouldn’t have to put in too much work with prefabricated cabins. They can be installed quickly and do not require on-site setup like yurts.

They could be considered buildings that are constructed off-site rather than on-site. Upon completion, they are trucked to their place.

These cabins are constructed in typical warehouses, which prevent them from exposure to brutal weather during construction. Thus, you can expect these cabins to be transported to your place in the best possible shape. 

Customization all depends on your needs. You can include that in any installation you require. However, most of the prefabricated cabin per square cost is about $150, so keep your budget under $10,000 in mind.

Frankly, the most minor work you would need to do is prepare the land for your cabin. Just clean up the location and place the foundation.

Additionally, have a quick phone call with the hired company to know what else you can prepare before the cabin arrives. These cabins generally take only eight weeks to build.

Pole Barns

Unlike prefabricated cabins, pole barns require to be constructed on-site. They are a great choice when you need space for parking vehicles such as four-wheelers during hunting days.

They are a version of shops with garage doors and concrete flooring. Additionally, they have some space for cooking and sleeping at the back. The shop offers ample space for storing vehicles and hunting gear during your stay. 

There are two specific choices when it comes to building these. You can hire a company to visit the site and construct it or buy the pole barn kit and make it yourself.

These bare-bone pole barns, 24x32x10 feet in size, cost around $7,000. Besides this price, the final cost depends on the other installations you would include in the barn.

I, made a budget by including all the potential costs and ended up budgeting around $9,000. The installations added were rot protection, windows, an insulation system, a wall, and a simple shed roof.

Also, roof sheathing is included in the list, and that’s all I think one would require for building a pole barn. 

Related Questions

What are hunting cabins?

Hunting cabins are simply cabins with the bare minimum of accommodation. Typically, they serve as shelter and sleeping cover in the mountains during hunting days.

They have facilities for easy cooking, insulation, and plumbing. Additionally, some have electrical systems. Some people indeed prefer to keep it rough, and this is rough.

Can hunting cabins be easily moved?

This question is quite tricky because it varies on the type of hunting cabin one would select to build. The small hunting cabins made of log material are not portable.

Similarly, even though yurts are featured as a portable option, it is not easy to move them frequently. However, with the help of rigs, you can easily pull it along with your truck.

Final Words

When planning a hunting retreat, budget is often a significant concern. Fortunately, several ideas exist for building a cheap hunting cabin that does not sacrifice functionality or comfort.

Adopting a simple design is one of the most effective ways to reduce costs. Opting for a basic, functional layout plan can significantly reduce the cost of expensive architectural features.

Another cost-saving measure is taking the DIY approach to construction. Building the cabin can eliminate labor costs and provide an added sense of accomplishment.

In terms of size, a smaller cabin requires fewer materials, reducing overall expense. A compact cabin can offer all the necessary features while minimizing material needs.

Another effective cost-reduction strategy is to use local materials. Utilizing nearby resources eliminates transportation costs and adds a touch of local character to the cabin.

Finally, it’s important to focus on essential features and avoid unnecessary amenities. A hunting cabin must be functional, so sticking to the basics can save considerable money.

In conclusion, these ideas for building a cheap hunting cabin can help create a cost-effective retreat without compromising essential comforts and functionality.

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