One Man Cabin Build Thread

Looks like a 100 amp service? Are you going with electric baseboard heating, or propane, or both, or something else?

I am planning a cabin on some land I just bought in Colorado, thinking of going straight electric, no propane. I figure electric baseboard will be enough to keep the cabin above freezing when I'm not there, with wood stove heating it pretty quick after I get there...

 

Have you considered a hydronic slab ?

 

Yes, but not sure of the cost or practicality of radiant heat. Due to slope of lot I won't be slab-on-grade - will have some crawlspace and probably a full-height basement in one corner for storage. I am on a tight budget, not a builder, but I am planning on doing a fair amount of the work myself.

 

You can do 1 1/2" concrete over conventionally framed floors too

Great thermal mass and retention of heat , I run my system off a conventional electric HWT

 

Yeah, I hear ya. Radiant makes a lot of sense. What I'm struggling with is the monthly energy costs of radiant vs baseboard elec for a weekend getaway house.

Radiant is great when you're in it. 90% of the time this house will be unoccupied. Baseboard is not an efficient way to heat, but offers max controllability per room.

It's hard to find real-world data on these systems on the interweb.

 

All things being equal as far as insulation etc , slab radiant will be more efficient because of the heat retention of the thermal mass of the concrete . You can also run seperate zones for different areas . We use ours as you describe , the radiant keeps the house at a pleasant temperature which we supplement with our woodstove

 

What do you think the % difference is in first cost, 900Sf single floor radiant heat (including concrete slab) vs traditional wood floor with elec baseboard?

I know that's difficult to quantify... just a guess is fine.

 

Too many variables for local pricing but without a doubt the up front cost of the radiant will be more

 

10-4. Thanks for the insight. Definitely something I will consider.

 

Super cool cabin build and great info in this thread.

 

Yes it is a 100 amp service. My plan is to have a propane furnace to keep temp while I'm not there and a wood stove for when I am there.

 

Where's your main breaker at for your electric service? Your panel looked to be main lug only. NFPA 70E/ NEC states no more than 6' of un-fused conductor inside a residence. Love the cabin. Wished I was in your position to do that.

 

I did buy a panel that was main lug only by accident (that's what I get for not checking the box before I left) but I then went and bought the main breaker conversion kit for said panel.

 

Conduit up into cabin:
Panel ground run to 8' copper rod outside:

 

^^^^haha.

Thanks for the cool thread and for giving me something to live vicariously through OP!

 

Sub'd.

 

One of my favorite build threads.

 

Landed incoming service wires in cabin panel and also in meter panel. Flipped meter breaker, walked over to cabin and flipped main breaker. Flipped fridge/range breaker and plugged in light to test.....Success!!!

Now I won't have to travel as far to the fridge while I'm working!

 

Milestone acheivement unlocked

 

Working after dark won't be a hassle now.