1st time permanent builder

[LiLBro]

i will be building a permanant shack over the summer to use next hard water season, any tricks i need to know. also does anyone know any lakes that produce season long in the metro?

[Ole1855]

LilBro,

There's a couple of things that I think are very important. I'll get a lota dump here but vented heater!! Two weekends ago a guy that has his house next to us on Mille Lacs woke up in the middle of the night, luckily, to go pee. He had a really bad headache and felt sick, guess what, he has one of the vent-less heaters that everyone talks about here. Appearently something was wrong with the CO alarm on it. This is #1 as far as I'm concerned. Insulated floor!! This is #2 as far as I'm concerned, being able to have nice warm feet in the house is the only way to go. Then I would say, if you can afford it go with steel siding and some good moisture barrier so your wall studs don't rot. Other than that, it kinda depends on what sort of layout fits your needs. Have fun, it will get sorta spendy!!

Ole

[Ole #1]

I was thinking of building one this summer too. If I wanted to build a basic 8x10 how much would it cost? Just a ballpark. I would like to have 2 bunks and 6-8 holes.

[hanson]

Ole #1

Just finished up my 7'x12'. It is a skid house. 4"x6" skids, 2"x2" wall construction, pole barn steel siding and roofing, pink rigid insulation in roof/floor/walls, 1/4" luaun plywood interior, 2 bunks each end, 8 catch cover hole covers, Empire Direct Vent furnace, RV style door, 2 insulated windows, 3 RV style dome lights, and a couple rattle reels.

Approximate cost $1,500- 2,000.

Approximate weight 1,750 pounds or so.

Easy to move? Not really.

Its essentially a commercial grade fishhouse without a drop axle trailer.

I'm tentatively planning to retrofit a Road King trailer under the house this summer so it will be more usable in the summer & fall months.

[Farley]

Build it on wheels. If you cant afford it, I'd build a small one, like 4X8 that is easy to move around and get on and off a trailer. You wont regret having it on wheels, where you might if you use skids. That's the trick, make it easy to move.

I look at it like this: In the beginning of the year, all your buddies will help get the fish house on the lake, at the end of the year, they are no where to be found. Build something you can move yourself. It makes it that much easier.

Also, build it as light as possible.

[Ole #1]

I already have a nice 8x8 portable, but I wanted to build a decent perm to leave on a lake so I could bring the family out without all the set up.

[freighttrain50]

i have a good ideer if you leave it out all winter. i've only seen this once or twice though. Put a heater coil on the bottom of the house or within the floor somehow so when you go out to get it, all you have to do is hook her up to a battery and she'll pop right up. seen it tons of times when you get boneheads out there with chisels and all sorts of other great tools to try and pry their house loose. just a thought.

[LuckBites]

If your going to panfish in it I think double holes are essential. I've changed all my holes to doubles and can't believe why anyone wouldn't have them. You also want to make your windows low enough so you can see your flags out of them. Both of my permanent shacks are on skids and they come apart in 6 pieces (4 walls, floor, roof). I still need someone to help me put it on but you'll be able to take it off on your own if need be. As mentioned earlier, use 2x2 for your walls. Don't use a paneling equivalent on the interior & don't hinge your hole covers. For lighting I use a brake light in each corner and run it off a 12v.

The lighter the better unless you can afford to build it on a drop down trailer.

[bobO]

If you don't build it on wheels you'll regret having built one. If you can't afford to build one on wheels you should not build one. I built a very light but sturdy 6x8 permo and it was still a pain in the a$$. I would recomend 2x3 for the walls or 2x4 if your making a bigger house. use rigid insulation in the floor and in the walls 1" min. we used corigated fiberglass(white) for our roof. it works slick because it lets in light and does not weigh anything. it was a single sloped roof. went for 6'6" to 7' running the long dim. of the house. You can insulate the ceiling too but it will take away from your light the comes in throught the roof,not a problem if you a night fisherman. If you build it on wheels you'll have the house your whole life, if you don't build it on wheels you'll have it for about 2-3 years and you'll have one sore back if your loading it onto a trailer everytime you move it. wheels are nice because it only takes minute to move and you don't need to line guys up to help you hump your house up onto a trailer. Think of how many times you need to move the house and you'll realize that having it on wheels is with out a doubt the way to go.

[LiLBro]

& don't hinge your hole covers.

Why not? should i just use like a plywood cover?

[Hemlock]

LilBro,

I've got the exact same thread going on the Equipment Expert Forum. I've had a few more responses over there that might help you. Some of the same stuff too. I'm in the same boat as you...rookie perm. house builder.

[LuckBites]

Hinged hole covers -

-They don't support weight

-Ice often freezez in the corners of the hole and they will not close properly anyway

A better option is to build braces in the corners of the double wide holes which will support weight

I built my first shack 14 years ago and it's in as good of shape as ever. It was made HEAVY with 3/4" treated plywood over 2x6's in the floor on 4x6 skids and the walls are 2x3 with 1/4" treated on the exterior. I have changed the insulation in all my houses to the foil back and love it! You can get over a 10 R value by using the 1" and facing the reflective sides towards each other for the addtional 3.2 (?)R. An easy way to load the whole thing on a trailer is by attaching a cumalong to the tongue and then just winch it up.

I think shelves are a necessity and the best ones fold out of the wall, the higher up the better. If your adding bunks I have one shack where it folds out of the wall and only is in the way when in use. You can do the same with a table folding out as well.

Joe