Building my first perm. fish house...any suggestions?

[Hemlock]

Well, I know it's the wrong time of the year to start this, but I am just starting the planning right now. I was just at the lumber yard and they put together a quote for me to build an 8 X 12 house. Here's the recipe...

2 8' 4X4 all weather wood $9.40 ea.

2 12' 4X4 all weather wood $14.10 ea.

8 sheets 1" white styrofoam (R-4) $8.49 ea.

60 econo 2x4 studs $ 1.29 ea.

6 26X96" Alsynite (plastic stuff for roof)$16.00 ea.

10 sheets 7/16" OSB plywood $14.38 ea.

Grand total before hardware and taxes: $417.96

I don't need this thing to be plush (If I find a deal on a door or a couple windows, great, otherwise no biggie)

Where can these plans be tweeked for better economy or to make a better fish house?

Would love to hear from those who have been there, done this.

(Prices are in Canadian funds. Multiply the price by .84 to get an accurate US value)

[picksbigwagon]

Reading all of these has got me to thinking, which is very dangerous...... I have a friend who has access to corrogated plastic, looks liked thick corrogated cardboard, but this stuff is strong and water proof. He said farmers in iowa like to use them for Farrowing huts for their pigs. The stuff isn't too spendy, windy proof and water proof. would that be a better option than siding? or would you be looking at a rain forest on the inside? Of course the plastic is kind of transparent so if you used pink foam insulation, you would have a pink house, with snow camo curtains, and a nice beige carpet...Heck you might as well put in a huge table so the women can do their stamping and scrap booking.....Now there's an idea hemlock, put a stamping/scrap booking wing onto your ice house, that would definately bring in the women then........oh wait this is an ice house right?

[Piker]

I seriously had someone tell me that if you want to get the women in the fish house you've gotta have carpet. With that logic, would lack of carpet repel women/wives?

About the hitch, if you can get a welder I'd make a hitch that is hinged from the bottom then get a piece of 3"x3" tubing and attach a store-bought hitch on that. You can then swing the hitch up against the wall for transit/storage and then fold it down to move it on skids. You could also make it removable. You could even carpet the hitch.

[efgh]

We used laura sheets on the inside of our house, seal the inside with poly or varnish before putting it up, apply poly, then the panel,what worked best is to install the paneling on the frame, cut your door and window holes, install any hidden wire ect. then use dense foam for insulation, ty vec next, put the outside covering on and then install the windows and door. you can finish the inside paneling any way you want after the house is finished. good luck on your project, don;t forget to draw a diagram on the shop floor of the fishouse floor to get the holes positioned where you want them.

[picksbigwagon]

what is the best floor design? Four holes in the corner? long sides of the ice house cut out from wall about a footon both sides of the house, or put a one foot strip down the middle of the house and then benches on the side?

just wondering what you guys have done in your houses

[Finlander]

Ifinz your targeting panfish alot, go with six holes.

One in each corner, and one on each side in the middle.

Just make the one in the middle have a cover that is hinged so you don't have an open hole all the time. Just have a hinged cover for all the holes to keep the critters out during the off season. Also help keep the snow out while dragging the house accross the lake!

[Nordern]

I tried the trailer tongue idea on my permanent and it did

not work. It always takes a good "tug" on the chain to get the shack moving. It is not possible to "tug" the shack with a trailer tongue. I have a 3 X 3 X 1/4" steel angle fastened across the front of my shack with the chain bolted to it about 10" in from each end. This will really save you from goofin' up your skids when you move the shack.

[Hemlock]

Picksbigwagon, that plastic isn't a bad idea. Would it hold up for season after season use? I'd have to see the stuff.

Piker, I like your hitch idea, that's what I had in mind and Nordern, I think you are right about needing a chain (with a bit of slack) to give it a tug. Certainly once you have your house clear and onto the ice road, the truck would pull the house with the hitch? If not, that's what the friends standing around with their hands in their pockets are for...give 'er a push.

[Piker]

That plastic stuff should hold up for the life of the shack, if it's the same as a hyfax on a sled.

I guess you probably would need a little tug to free it, unless you were to block it up by making some removable jack mounts on the sides front and back. That's how my house is made, the jacks mount on a stub shaft and a pin holds it. Like a jack on a cultivator or something that's removable like that. Then you could jack it up and put a 2x4 or two underneath to keep it from freezing.

[picksbigwagon]

It has to be somewhat sturdy if you're going to make farrowing houses out of it, pigs aren't gentle, but I don't know how well it would hold up to the cold either.

[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.

[Hemlock]

Where can I get a good look at this corrugated plastic? Email: [email protected] if you have any info for me please.

BobO, wheels are ruled out. House will only move two times a year. I've got lots of helpers for those two times.

[Iceseeker]

If you're going to have carpet and curtains then you might as well with the candle lighting as well so that you don't have to worry about the lanterns.

[Hemlock]

Does anyone know where I can find 12v red lights and a lava lamp?

What ever happened to advice on building a good ol' fish house? This carpet and curtain thing has gotten way out of hand!

[GoodToGo]

I made my holes round so that I can slide a 5 gallon pail with the bottom cut out of it down till it hits the ice. Helps seal off drafts, keeps the hole clean, etc. Now I also put another 5 gallon pail, with bottom, filled with insulation, into the first 5 gallon pail, to keep the holes open for a few days while I'm away.

Also, the down wind side will be most free from drifting snow, you may want to put your pulling attachments and your door on the same side.

[picksbigwagon]

I'll try and track it down, but I know if you contacted a farm implement shop, they can probably steer you in the right direction.....

[hanson]

Hemlock-

Did you put all the pieces together yet????

I'm an architect in my 'other' job so I have alot of experience with design. Fish houses aren't my specialty, that's for sure. I spent 2 years planning, drafting, and re-drawing my house in CAD before it was built. 10 minutes into the project, I was changing dimensions??? Go figure.

My not so humble opinion is if you are looking for the biggest, lightest, no $$$$ spared house, build all the walls, frame, etc. out of alum. tube and call it a day. If that is not in your budget, you will have a house that is difficult to move. My 7x12, of previously mentioned construction, drags fairly easily with a 1/2 ton GMC 4x4. It becomes much more difficult to move once its off of the lake.

Someone stated earlier about a wheeled house or nothing. I tend to disagree with that because not everybody can afford that. But, I plan on having Road King make me a trailer next year to put under my house. My limited experience with moving my new house has taught me I should have done wheels in the first place. Oh well, expensive lesson learned. I had no idea the finished house would weigh as much as it did.

Other than that, I'm a fairly new house owner so fire away. I think I'm still early enough in the learning curve to throw out some ideas.

[Snag]

We use a pvc pipe and roll our house onto the trailer. It works slick and no lifting is required. I was surprised how easy it is. Then ice grippers come in handy when trying it on the ice.