www.Plan3D.com

Plan3D is a great resource to help you take ideas and begin the process of design. Even through I had some training in AutoCad back in college, a long time ago, I found this tool to be so simple and expect no experience is needed in using design software. It’s tutorials are all that you need to help create a three dimensional view of your cabin or home remodeling project. This product supports many different views (including blueprints) which allow you to not only design your building but virtually walk through it to find potential design or placement errors. Even though most designs are always changed over time, it allows you to really work your brain for helping you come up with the best end product. For folks looking to help come up with a budget, it also converts the design into a bill of materials list which provides some prices but allows you to insert prices you would find for your local resources.

Old Cedar Fencing

To get the rustic feel for the ceiling of the family rool I took old cedar fencing (a Craigslist.com purchase at $300) and used a planer to get a re-newed look out of old stained and weathered boards. For the same amount, I received many 2″x8″ cedar top rails and 2″x6″ treated pine retaining wall boards which will be used later in my design for an outside deck. So far, it has been enough to cover a 20′x24′ family room and a 14′x22′ general purpose play room. We still have several more panels to go and I fully expect it to work for at least a couple more rooms.

I had seen many restaurants (for example, Randy White’s BBQ in Frisco, TX) take old fencing and use it as is. However, this being cedar I figured it would smell great and look even better if I brought it back to life. My son and wife help pulled a bunch of nails and after we were finished it has been one of the items my friends love the most about the cabin.

Yes -The ceiling is really just old fencing someone was going to throw away!!!

Knotty Pine Siding

I purchased this knotty pine paneling using Craigslist.com for about $350. All I had to do was take it down, remove the nails and use the back side of each plank. I also changed the direction of the panels from vertical to horizontal to provide more of a log siding appearance. By the way, for the same price I also got four doors and two cabinets that I was not expecting to get!!! He just didn’t want them left.

After - Knotty pine

www.servicemagic.com

Service Magic has proven a wonderful on-line resource for me when I can’t do the work and need help from a professional. Types of professionals that I have used so far include: concrete contractor, metal roof installer and a carpet installer.

www.ebay.com

www.ebay.com is another great on-line resource that I have used to purchase things for my cabin.  I have not had as great a success finding local items in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, but when I don’t mind having an item shipped it is a GREAT resource.

www.craigslist.com

As one of the goals I had in building my cabin was to minimize the need to purchase new materials, I have found Craigslist.com a fantastic resource to link up with local people that typically need to get rid of excess materials or items they no longer use.  Even though there are some people that are making Craigslist a way to make money, most of the people that I have worked with and even sold things, are using it to achieve the same goal.  That goal being recovery of some cost for goods they no longer need and a means of connecting with people that are local and avoiding the potential hassle of dealing on-line auctions.  Many people do not want to have the hassel of paying for listing their product, shipping to someone they do not know, virtual money exchange methods and yes…dealing with the occasionally dishonest person!  Craigslist.com has been a wonderful resource for me to see what I am buying, offer a fair price, take delivery immediately for products I purchase, and not have to worry about shipping costs.