The sequence in which we built is not quite the sequence I would recommend for anyone else. Of course, a series of carved-in-stone building procedures can’t be derived at without considering the site, it’s location and the cabin owner’s personal situation. It is a judgment call more than a recipe. But, generally speaking, gaining easy access to is likely to be step one.

For instance, our site is on a slope. A fairly severe one. The very first thing to do would be to build a deck (preferably level) from which to operate. That would give us access to balance and order. So, for us, a deck was priority one. It shouldn’t have been. Step one, perhaps, should have been ‘getting-up-the-rock-strewn-beach’. Hard to say. But we definitely erred next and went for a small boat shed for step two. It seemed like the right thing to do. Beach access should have been 1st or at least second.

The boat shed would provide tools and materials storage and a rough and ready temporary cabin. And we wanted that. We built it the same size as the deck it was attached to – 12 x 20. All of this was done with lumber ‘boated’ in and our power source was a ‘gifted’ Coleman genset.

In retrospect, the deck should have been larger by twice, the wood sourced locally and the concrete foundations ‘contracted out’ before we even arrived because locals have their infrastructure, tools and expertise more than at-the-ready. We really did not need the experience of mixing Reddi-mix in wheelbarrows with totes of water brought from a mile away. So a little beforehand research might have saved us a great deal more than it cost us in energy and hardship.

The boat shed was good but a tent would have sufficed a bit longer or, perhaps, the next bit of infrastructure should have come before – like the beach steps, more deck, piped water or just a better beach landing.

If I had road access and any kind of level gradient, I would have a shipping container delivered. Two of them, if the property was large enough. Shipping containers are cheap – even compared to building the same square footage yourself – and they are ‘instant’. Tools, camping supplies, materials can all be stored readily and one of the units can be a temporary ‘live-in’ or workshop or both. Quite frankly, I think shipping containers are the single biggest boon to remote cabin builders going.

Once the shed and deck was ‘operable’, I built the better-late-than-never sea-stairs and then the funicular. The sea-stairs are just ‘level’ steps leading into the sea so as to make beach access possible. That was difficult and necessary and no one could do it but an obsessed owner. Not something to contract out.

Same for the funicular. It is an 80 foot ‘tram’ that carries heavy crap up the hill. This was a good idea. But I should have made it a 120 foot length since materials have to go up past the building site so that one has the room to build. I took it just to the building site and then had to move it all forty feet further to make room for myself. Stupid.

One might think that building steps to the building site should come ahead of the funicular. Nope. The funicular was hard enough to erect on that slope. Stairs would only have gotten in the way. Instead, one (me) should have built a winch pad at the 130 foot mark and used a temporary 12 volt recovery/truck winch to pull up the funicular bits and pieces because even tho the funicular is, in effect, a glorified winch, one really needs a funicular to build a funicular.

It was around that time that the need for piped water began making itself felt. We didn’t do it right then but we should have. In fact, we didn’t pipe in water until our neighbour initiated the project a year later. Stupid us #2.

I guess I am just repeating myself but it is clear to me that the cabin is the last item on the list of things to be built. By setting yourself up properly (which we half-did) you have a much better chance of doing a good job on the cabin of your dreams.