Well guys I am tired of googling this and decided to ask where I may actually get answers. I am not the most construction educated but am finding out
if you ask 10 different people you get 10 different answers. I am wanting to break ground on a 28' x 36' cabin. I have decided to go with a foundation.
I was not going to have a crawl space, just back fill after block and cement. I have two semi retired contractors that will be doing most of the work but I need to guide them to what I want.



this is the general slope of where its going and the actual design I want. It will have two stories but I want the top floor only 1/2 to 3/4 of the cabin so it overlooks the kitchen, living area. The contractors are trying to talk me out of the gable roof but I like the looks as I think its more cabin/barn looking? If I stay with the gable roof can I lift the top level to have 8' sides so its not shorter with the roof. Also, contractors is trying to push putting down floor joists and wood flooring as they say it will be too cold without. I just don't understand why I'd put down $6000 worth of concrete and still do this?

I hope to keep this thread open as I will have lots of questions and like others I'd like to update progress along the way as I thought that was pretty cool. Any advise or pointers would be greatly appreciated.

The term for that style roof is "gambrel" not gable. It is a good idea to create more usable space on the second floor.

Are you pouring a slab on grade? It doesn't sound like it if you are going to have a crawlspace. If you are building foundation walls then I agree with your contractors, set floor joists and wood sub-floor. It makes a better job.

I would not be against your roof design

But I would not use screwed cheap pole barn tin. I would ice and water shield the whole roof and the. Use standing seam metal

Cheap pole bar tin will leak and is the worst roffing you can do

I would advocate for a wood floor also. Easier on body

Will this cabin be heated all the time in winter or just on weekends? That answer is how I would now want I want for a floor

Looks cool, good luck hope it turns out well!!

My Dad was a contractor and did my in-laws place in northern WI. He did a crawl space for the pest factor, and the gain of short headroom storage, the wood floor I think is a must either way.

The big advantage to having a crawl space with a wood floor built over it is you can have easy access to all plumbing and other mechanical.

I like heat in crawl space that makes the main floor feel warmer.

The only thing I don't like about gambrel roofs is they have little ventilation.

I'd advise keeping an open mind with your builders.
I tend to agree with them on the thoughts you posted, and, many you did not lol.
IME, when the inexperienced "guides" the experienced, value vs cost can suffer.
Try to communicate your thoughts and ideas and ask why they have theirs.
Initial planning is important, and so is all being on the same page.

If you build a soffit into them they can be vented the same as a standard gable roof with vented soffit and a ridge vent. You just have to make sure air can flow through the plates at the pitch breaks.

In the pic above the porch would need vented soffit on the part of the roof overhanging the beam, or a couple of vented panels on the porch rafters inside the beam.

you have 2 options it would seem with the foundation

you have to lay foundation walls , with footers and concrete block

1 fill with gravel and then do concrete floor with vapor barrier and insulation under the concrete

2 leave a crawl space and insulate the walls.

I would take option 3 or 4

if your building on a grade like that I would do half crawl space on the uphills side and a full on the down hill side , you already have to keep you footings 4 feet below grade so what is 3 more coarse of block to have a usable basement

you can make it just a gravel floor with a pad to have the furnace and hot water heater on

4 do a full basement with full 8 foot ceilings a great place to have a shop , storage , and while it will cost more up front , your building a house larger than the one my family of 5 lives in , it will be worth much much more as a full house with a full basement yet most jurisdictions don't charge taxes for unfinished basement square footage.


as for the roof , materials wise it is virtually the same to do the barn type roof or a strait wall with a roof the same angle as the porch , yes it is more siding and less roofing , but then you can have windows all along that 36 foot wall up high for great ventilation and light

maybe the first question should have been will this cabin larger than my house have electricity and plumbing? I assumed it would. even if you never store a thing in the basement it is a great way to make your heating , water and electrical much easier to run and access later as well as keep a space warm


I had a 24x26 garage at my last house with a barn roof like that and a finished room above you give up a bunch of the space to those side walls about 2-3 feet on each side depending on slope and the loss of being able to have windows for light and ventilation the room was 18 x 26 with a cut out for the stairs it had 3 windows in the room they were north south and not east west the way the wind normally blew so even with the windows all open it was hard to catch a breeze.

I agree with this option and always recommend it to my customers who are considering crawlspaces. GREENCOUNTYPETE's assessment of this option is spot on and hits many of the points I use to try and convince my customers.

I too would go full basement. NEVER seem to have enough storage space.

I'm a contractor. You just got some great advise. Be wise and use it. Your contractors will appreciate doing a project done correctly.

I don't advise the gambrel roof. Just go up with the second story walls and standard roof. When you get older, that second story is for young people to sleep in. The older you get, the less stair ways you will need or want.

first thing I didn't like about the one pictured is NO side windows upstairs...limits light and ventilation

great advise so far above

Standing seam is nice if you can afford it.

Make sure you consider noise from rain. Standing in an un-insulated metal barn in a light sprinkle is surprisingly pretty noisy. When you add a new standing seam roof they put it over your shingles and it helps with the noise. I don't know how they do standing seam as a new install but something to keep in mind.

I built a barn and I wish I would have sat down and spent an hour with the guy just talking trusses up front. I would have went another way.

The upstairs of my house has a half wall out the outside like your thinking. Dry walling that short knee wall wasn't exactly 4', and then that joint ties into the 45* portion which also wasn't exactly 4', which ties into another joint at the ceiling. Getting all of that to line up and look right kind of stinks. I tried to cover mine with trim then and it still don't look super great.

If I was pouring a floor I spend a few hundred dollars and run pex through it so I would have the option of heating it in the future. I'd also have plenty of conduit and pvc laying there and coming up and capped in the utility room from outside.

Also if I had a porch like on a slope like that wherever the height was just right I'd have a drive there and a loading dock. Great for delivery's and moving.

Wherever that dock was, Id have the widest french door in the wall right behind it. Great for moving in/out couches, huge refrigerators, etc...

Depending on whats around you there you might consider a cupola with access from inside facing toward a food plot.

Thanks for all the tips guys, still quite overwhelming. I guess I should start at the footer. I DID NOT want a crawl space or basement. I know some said its not much more but this is a second home and watching the $$. I have an out building already up for any work/hobbies. I was thinking this route.




I was going to fill the blocks with cement and put my bolts to attach the 2x6's for the walls. With pic one and the cement floor would I still want/need floor joists? I know its easier and warmer but could I put down something where I was going to tile, carpet or wood flooring? I just don't see a need to put down cement if I am going to joist and floor it. I could just put down a vapor barrier. I know I have to get plumbing in line going this route. My reasoning for no crawl is A. I don't want to go under it, I'm 52 now and B> critters

My reasoning for not having a full basement is there is already a 120 year old farmhouse on this property and the basement foundation is one of the reasons I'm tearing it down and building new. Also, with a 28x36 and half the upstairs I am already at 1500 sq.foot which is more than enough for my wife and my second home. I already have a 2600 sq. ft. house with no kids at home anymore.

If it's on a slope..........I would consider excavating a bit and put a garage under the first floor. It might not add all that much to the cost.

Love porches to enjoy the views....also attached garage -especially up north

will you be heating it all the time or just when you are there?