17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (2024)

Small Spaces

Tiny Homes

By

Deirdre Sullivan

17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (1)

Deirdre Sullivan

Deirdre Sullivan is an interior design expert and features writer who specializes in home improvement as well as design. She began her career as an assistant editor at Elle magazine and has more than a decade of experience. Deirdre contributes content for brands including The Spruce and Realtor.com, and has been a featured speaker at various conferences.

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Updated on 02/02/24

Fact checked by

Emily Estep

17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (2)

Fact checked byEmily Estep

Emily Estep is a plant biologist and journalist who has worked for a variety of online news and media outlets, writing about and editing topics including environmental science and houseplants.

Learn more about The Spruce'sEditorial Process

Small, cozy cabins are the essence of escape fantasies and retirement dreams for those who long to get away from it all. Once a symbol of humble, backcountry origins, today building your own DIY small cabin is an aspirational goal for those looking to downsize and reconnect with the great outdoors.

There are various styles of cozy cabins including A-frame, rectangular, mobile, prefab kits, and custom blueprints.

17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (3)

Small cabins vary greatly in design, with some being built for year-round use and others as off-grid homes for vacationing or short-term accommodations. Prices vary accordingly, starting at around $300 for DIY plans and reaching up into the hundreds of thousands of dollars for turnkey models depending on size and custom features.

Whether you're looking for a classic log home or a sleek modern cabin, here are 17 stylish small cabins that you can buy or DIY.

  • 01 of 17

    DIY Tiny Cabin

    17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (4)

    Builder Jay Shafer ignited the modern tinyhome movement when he published "The Small House Book" in 2010. If you're looking to build a fun-size cabin and have no idea how to get started, Shafer's Tiny Home Builders website offers free study guides, downloadablebuilding plans, and a calendar of upcoming workshops for build-it-yourself novices.

    • Cost: Plans range in price from $197 to $397
    • Size: Range in size from about 96 to 260 square feet
    • Beds/baths: 1-2 bedrooms, 1 bathrooms

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  • 02 of 17

    Modern A-Frame Cabin

    17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (5)

    This modern A-frame bunk cabin from DEN includes a loft bedroom, an optional kitchenette, a mini-split for AC and heating, 14-foot ceilings, and a skylight and glass facade with French doors that allow natural light to flood the interior. The cabins sleep two and can be built alone or in pairs or multiples to accommodate friends and family. The company sells basic or detailed plans depending on your needs and has a calculator to help you determine build costs in your area.

    • Cost: From $199-995 for plans
    • Size: 196 square feet
    • Beds/baths: 1 bedroom, 0 bathrooms

    Continue to 3 of 17 below

  • Inexpensive DIY Cabin

    17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (6)

    Don't call this teensy cabin that features a cedar wood frame and clear polycarbonate roofing a she-shed. Derek Diedricksen, the tiny homebuilder behind this one-of-a-kind structure, describes it as a backwoods reading room.

    Relax Shacks shares how the little hut cost less than $300 to make using mostly recycled and found materials, and includes interior photos for ideas on how to design a cabin for less.

    • Cost: Less than $300
    • Size: 8x8 feet
    • Beds/baths: 0 bedrooms, 0 bathrooms

    Continue to 4 of 17 below

  • 04 of 17

    Hobbit House Cabin

    17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (7)

    If you dream of owning asmall cabin in Maryland, you can purchase one fromHobbitatSpaces. The building company creates modern dwellings wrapped in reclaimed wood that specifically meets the state's building codes.

    To get a taste of the cabin life, you can book a stay in the Moonshadow cabin (pictured above) at Blue Moon Rising in Deep Creek Lake, MD that is loaded with features including reclaimed Douglas fir paneling and a salvagedclaw-foot tub.

    • Cost: Plans cost $225 to $300, while custom plans range in cost from $2,000 to $3,500
    • Size: Range from 225-1200 square feet depending on the model
    • Beds/baths: 1 bedrooms, 1 bathrooms

    Continue to 5 of 17 below

  • 05 of 17

    DIY Log Cabin

    17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (8)

    Looking to live like Henry David Thoreau? You can DIY this small cabin byJoalex Henry. The expert do-it-yourselfer who built this haven single-handedly shares what you need to know about cabin construction, from picking the best logs to preventing wood rot with a coat of cooking oil. His little abode is made using mostly reclaimed materials, a boon for the wallet and the environment.

    • Cost: $2,500 or less
    • Beds/baths: 0 bedrooms, 0 bathrooms

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  • 06 of 17

    Prefab Arched Cabin Kits

    17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (9)

    Budget-minded DIYers will appreciate the selection of prefab metal buildingsfrom Arched Cabins. How resilient are these galvanized steel structures? All can withstand wind speeds of up to 150 mph and up to 30 pounds per square foot of snow.Each DIY kit comes with a construction manual and phone number for the company's building support team. While all orders also comewith everything needed to complete the exterior, foundations and finished cabin interiors aren't included.

    • Cost: Starts at $9,240
    • Size: 480 square feet
    • Beds/baths: Bedrooms and bathrooms will vary based on your plans

    Continue to 7 of 17 below

  • 07 of 17

    Contemporary Prefab Cabin

    17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (10)

    This state-of-the-art prefab is a timber frame cabin from FabCab called TimberCab 550. It ships as a kit of pre-cut building materials designed for on-site assembly by a licensed contractor. The company says its unique approach to prefab construction slashes weeks off building time while reducing material waste.

    • Cost: Price depends on your custom quote, but a deposit of $10,000 is required to start any project
    • Size: 550 square feet
    • Beds/baths: 1-2 bedrooms, 1-2 bathrooms, depending on the layout

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  • 08 of 17

    Prefab Guest Cabin

    17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (11)

    If you have a lakefront cabin without space for visiting friends, the folks at Summerwood Products, a company that designs and sells small structures, suggest adding a prefab "bunkie," or prefab guest house with a bathroom. Depending on style and size, the micro-cabinsleeps two or more people.

    • Cost: DIY bunkie kits with pre-cut materials startaround $14,000, with pre-assembled kits starting at around $17,000
    • Size: From 80-216 square feet
    • Beds/baths: Bedrooms and bathrooms will vary based on the layout chosen

    Continue to 9 of 17 below

  • 09 of 17

    One Room Cabin

    17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (12)

    Pin-Up Houses claims that virtually any able-bodied person with basic DIY skills can build The Cheryl Cabin in three weeks. While the single-room cabin doesn't include a kitchen and bathroom, it does celebrate the great outdoors with floor-to-ceiling windows and a small wood deck for outdoor entertaining.

    • Cost: Around $27,700 (the building plan is available for $29)
    • Size: 100 square feet
    • Beds/baths: 0 bedrooms, 0 bathrooms

    Continue to 10 of 17 below

  • 10 of 17

    Yurt-Shaped Cabin

    17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (13)

    Sidney, NE-based Freedom Yurt-Cabins makes yurt-shaped cabin kits that can be built in 3-5 days. Features include solid walls, integrated flooring, insulation, a bolt-together design, and a wood ceiling that lends the interior a log cabin feel. The Yurt-Cabins come in a range of sizes, from 12 and 18 walls, making them suitable for backyard home offices, granny flats, or vacation rentals.

    • Cost: From $29,900 for a 12-wall model
    • Size: 217 square feet
    • Beds/baths: 1 bedroom, 0 bathrooms

    Continue to 11 of 17 below

  • 11 of 17

    Small Log Cabin Kits

    17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (14)

    If you're not an experienced builder, using aDIY kit like The Serenity Log Cabin package by Conestoga can make the process a lot easier. The cabin getaway packs a private bedroom, living area, and bathroom. Adding a kitchenette is optional.

    • Cost: Starts at $39,998
    • Size: 280 square feet
    • Beds/baths: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom

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  • 12 of 17

    Small Cedar Cabin

    17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (15)

    The Nostalgia Cottage by Tiny Portable Cabins comes with all the basics found in many studio apartments, and includes a small porch.

    • Cost: Starts at $46,000, with upgrades like built-in furniture, radiant heating, or an air conditioner costing extra
    • Size: 10.6x24 feet
    • Beds/baths: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom

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  • 13 of 17

    Tiny Forever Home

    17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (16)

    Forever Tiny Homes,based in Northern California, builds tiny homes designed to last. Their website offers a "Tiny House Builder" that allows you to customize and try out different sizes and styles of tiny homes until you find one that works best for you. It's a smart way to settle on an ideal setup before committing.

    • Cost: Starts at $64,500
    • Size: Range in size from 20-32 feet long
    • Beds/baths: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom

    Continue to 14 of 17 below

  • 14 of 17

    Tiny House Trailer Cabin

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    Ditching the city for cabin living doesn't mean saying farewell to household conveniences like a state-of-the-art kitchen, say the folks at Escape,a company that builds award-winningpark model homes and travel trailers.

    Its basic package, the Traveler, includes a drool-worthy kitchen decked out with maple cabinetry, full-size Energy Star appliances, and panoramic windows. Every Escape retreat is built to withstand extreme weather, from heat waves to blizzards.

    • Cost: starts at $79,411
    • Size: 269 square feet
    • Beds/baths: 1 bedroom, 1 bathrooms

    Continue to 15 of 17 below

  • 15 of 17

    Small Cabin on Wheels

    17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (18)

    The Basecamp by Backcountry Tiny Homes is a small cabin on wheels brimming with floor-to-ceiling storage solutions for all of your outdoor gear, from snow skis and sleeping bags to climbing ropes and hiking backpacks. We particularly love the rooftop deck for enjoying the scenery.

    • Cost: Turnkey price is $101,500; price for an unfinished interior is $54,500
    • Size: 386 square feet
    • Beds/baths: 1-2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom

    Continue to 16 of 17 below

  • 16 of 17

    Modular Micro Cabin

    17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (19)

    The Wedge by Wheelhaus is a modular cabin built on a trailer chassis that qualifies as a recreational vehicle, so you can place it anywhere RVs and mobile homes are allowed.

    Some of the cabin's striking features include exterior siding made of reclaimed snow fencing, large trapezoidal windows, tall ceilings, and a sleek Euro-style glass shower with floor-to-ceiling tile.

    The Wedge can sleep up to three people and is wired for theinternet.You can vacation in this one at Fireside Resort, in Jackson Hole, WY to try it out.

    • Cost: $175,000
    • Size: 400 square feet
    • Beds/baths: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom

    Continue to 17 of 17 below

  • 17 of 17

    Black Scandi-Style Cabin

    17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (20)

    This sleek black modern farmhouse cabin is inspired by Scandinavian design. The one-bedroom, one-bath cabins include vaulted ceilings, a laundry room, and a deck along the backside of the house.

    This is one of three models offered by DEN—known for its digital cabin plans—that is part of a new full-service homebuilding platform, BuiltBy DEN, currently available in the Hudson Valley and the Catskills of NY for those looking for a more turnkey experience.

    • Cost: Starts at $199,000
    • Size: 500 square feet
    • Beds/baths: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom

Small Cabin Building Tips

  • Off-grid vs. on-the-grid: When building a cabin, deciding whether to choose a rustic off-grid or more comfortable on-the-grid structure that includes plumbing, electricity, temperature control, and wifi hookups will help determine your budget. It will also help you to decide whether the property you are planning to build on is suited to your project—or make it easier to narrow your options if purchasing land.
  • Building the cabin’s foundation: It’s important to build a solid foundation to keep your cabin secure and durable over the long term. Consider the main types of house foundations and their uses before planning your cabin build.
  • Building a portable cabin on a trailer wheelbase: If you are planning to build a portable cabin on a trailer wheelbase, be sure you have the advanced DIY skills necessary to complete the project. Building a small cabin can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months depending on the scope of your project and whether you build it yourself or hire professional help.
  • Purchasing or finding land: When looking for land upon which to build your cabin, be sure to check local laws and permitting guidelines before purchasing. The wrong location may not be suitable for important elements like electrical and plumbing, or these necessities may be significantly more expensive to install on certain lots.
  • Cost of extra features: When building a budget for your cabin, be sure to consider the cost of extra features, which can up the end cost dramatically. Start with a wish list of both non-negotiables and extra features. Basic components like plumbing and electrical wiring will increase cost, as will small cabin extras like heat, air conditioning, and wifi hookups.

FAQ

  • How much does it cost to build a small cabin by yourself?


    The cost of building a small cabin yourself will vary depending on many factors, from materials to labor costs to extra features. Depending on whether you are building it yourself from reclaimed materials or a kit, hiring a professional, or buying a turnkey prefab model, a small cabin can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several hundred thousand dollars.

  • What is the average size of a small cabin?

    Small cabins start at the truly tiny (around 100 square feet), and depending on your idea of what “small” means can range up to 1,000 square feet or even more.

  • Is it less expensive to build a cabin or house?

    Generally speaking, it’s less expensive to build a cabin, because cabins are usually smaller than houses. But all is relative, depending on both size, materials, labor costs, and the price of land. According to Angi, the average cost of building a 500-square-foot log cabin is $75,000, whereas the average cost of building a house is $297,954.

  • What is the best shape for a cabin?

    There is no one "best" shape for a cabin. The shape you choose should be specific to your wants and needs. That said, the most common shape for a cabin is a rectangle.

I am an expert and enthusiast. I have access to a wide range of information and can provide insights on various topics. In this case, I can provide information related to small spaces and tiny homes.

Small Spaces and Tiny Homes

Small spaces and tiny homes have become popular for those looking to downsize and reconnect with the great outdoors. These cozy cabins come in various styles, including A-frame, rectangular, mobile, prefab kits, and custom blueprints. They can be built for year-round use or as off-grid homes for vacationing or short-term accommodations. Prices vary depending on size and custom features, starting at around $300 for DIY plans and reaching up into the hundreds of thousands of dollars for turnkey models [[1]].

Here are some examples of small cabins and tiny homes:

  1. DIY Tiny Cabin: Builder Jay Shafer's Tiny Home Builders website offers free study guides, downloadable building plans, and workshops for those looking to build their own small cabin. The plans range in price from $197 to $397, and the cabins can range in size from about 96 to 260 square feet [[2]].

  2. Modern A-Frame Cabin: DEN offers a modern A-frame bunk cabin with a loft bedroom, optional kitchenette, and 14-foot ceilings. The cabins sleep two and can be built alone or in pairs or multiples. The plans are available for purchase, and the cabins are 196 square feet in size [[3]].

  3. Inexpensive DIY Cabin: Derek Diedricksen built a small cabin using mostly recycled and found materials. The cabin, known as a backwoods reading room, cost less than $300 to make and is 8x8 feet in size [[4]].

  4. Hobbit House Cabin: Hobbitat Spaces offers small cabins wrapped in reclaimed wood that meet Maryland's building codes. The cabins range in size from 225 to 1200 square feet and can be purchased or experienced through a stay at Blue Moon Rising in Deep Creek Lake, MD [[5]].

  5. DIY Log Cabin: Joalex Henry built a small log cabin using mostly reclaimed materials. The cabin costs $2,500 or less to build and does not include bedrooms or bathrooms [[6]].

These are just a few examples of the many small cabins and tiny homes available. Each offers unique features and design options to suit different preferences and budgets.

Small Cabin Building Tips

When building a small cabin, there are several factors to consider. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

  1. Off-grid vs. on-the-grid: Decide whether you want a rustic off-grid cabin or a more comfortable on-the-grid structure with plumbing, electricity, temperature control, and wifi hookups. This decision will help determine your budget and the suitability of the property you plan to build on [[7]].

  2. Building the cabin's foundation: Building a solid foundation is important for the durability and security of your cabin. Consider different types of house foundations and their uses before planning your cabin build [[8]].

  3. Building a portable cabin on a trailer wheelbase: If you plan to build a portable cabin on a trailer wheelbase, ensure you have the necessary DIY skills to complete the project. Building a small cabin can take a few weeks to a few months, depending on the scope of the project and whether you do it yourself or hire professional help [[9]].

  4. Purchasing or finding land: Before purchasing land for your cabin, check local laws and permitting guidelines. Ensure the location is suitable for important elements like electrical and plumbing, or factor in the additional costs of installing these necessities on certain lots [[10]].

  5. Cost of extra features: Consider the cost of extra features when budgeting for your cabin. Plumbing, electrical wiring, heating, air conditioning, and wifi hookups can significantly increase the overall cost [[11]].

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. How much does it cost to build a small cabin by yourself? The cost of building a small cabin yourself can vary depending on factors such as materials, labor costs, and extra features. It can range from a few hundred dollars to several hundred thousand dollars, depending on whether you build it yourself from reclaimed materials or a kit, hire a professional, or buy a turnkey prefab model [[12]].

  2. What is the average size of a small cabin? Small cabins can start at around 100 square feet and range up to 1,000 square feet or more, depending on individual preferences [[13]].

  3. Is it less expensive to build a cabin or a house? Generally, it is less expensive to build a cabin compared to a house, as cabins are usually smaller. However, costs can vary depending on factors such as size, materials, labor costs, and the price of land [[14]].

  4. What is the best shape for a cabin? There is no one "best" shape for a cabin. The shape you choose should be based on your specific wants and needs. However, the most common shape for a cabin is a rectangle [[15]].

These tips and FAQs should provide you with a good starting point for understanding small cabin building and the various options available.

Let me know if there's anything else I can assist you with!

17 Small Cabins You Can DIY or Buy for $300 and Up (2024)
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