Stilt homes (also known as pile huts or lake houses) are structures built on stilts above the level of the ground or a body of water. It is also significantly less expensive, less bothersome, and incredibly ecologically beneficial because the earth is not disturbed, and natural drainage is permitted to continue. Concrete base drainage is frequently disregarded.
To build a cabin on stilts, you’ll first need an ideal location, a design, a floor plan, building codes, and estimated costs. You’ll then need to decide upon the type of wood you’ll have to acquire and familiarize yourself with the processes of felling, debarking, and drying.
Before you can install the stilts, you must first determine the proportions of your new home and the nature of the ground you’ll be digging the stilts into. The area where you intend to build your stilted home should be clear of rock and metallic debris.
Read ahead for more information on stilt cabins.
A Step-By-Step Guide
To assemble a cabin on stilts, you will need to follow the following steps:
- Determine the size of the home and placemarks in the ground to designate the location of the corners.
- Mount a number of posts into the ground. Point the ends of the stakes first to make it easier to draw them into the ground. Some stilt houses are built with five rows of four poles each. Double each post for extra strength.
- Begin by laying deck boards over the row of posts, creating five firm lines of boards that span the four posts.
- Lay the platform planks on top of the cross boards to create a deck for the house. The deck panels should go from the back of the home to the front.
- Connect your beams and joists that will support the roof. For a more classic timber frame design, pegs can be used, as can bolts or screws.
- Cover your stilt home and roof with whichever material you like. Make room for the doors and windows.
- Add shingles or other covering material to your roof to make it more waterproof and water-resistant.
Gone With The Wind
Living in a stilt cabin might sound like fun, but there’s always a risk that during tumultuous climates, you and your cabin might go wherever the wind takes you both. Nevertheless, newer stilt houses are constructed on rebar-reinforced pilings dug deep into bedrock. This solid foundation keeps the homes from swaying.
Older homes are typically built on over 100 feet deep piers, allowing for highly flexible design. In the wind, these homes would swing. Houses on stilts, like any other construction, can develop structural flaws as a result of design flaws, negligence, or direct damage.
How High Are Houses On Stilts?
In coastal, hurricane, and floodplain environments, piling and stilt dwelling heights can range from a few feet above ground to 10 to 20 feet or more. Some Topsider stilt houses are built on steel pilings that are over 25 feet tall.
Traditional Stilt Houses in Vietnam
Numerous Vietnamese populations live in flood-prone areas. Therefore, they have to take every precaution to avoid flood impacts, including building their homes on stilts. The stilt dwellings used now are extremely similar to those created and inhabited by the Vietnamese people around four thousand years ago.
A stilt home is where families worship their ancestors and work on chores like weaving and embroidery, in addition to the apparent purposes of a dwelling. The kitchen is the most essential room in the house, and it is generally situated in the middle, where the family gathers every night. Stilt homes are constructed from timber, rattan, or cane.
Traditionally, a chamber for drying rice is located one or two levels beneath the main level of a stilt house. Because the houses are built on piers, there is an opening beneath the house that is normally kept unoccupied or used to shelter livestock. The exterior of the home should ideally face a field and not mountains, rivers, or a forest.
How Long Does It Take To Install A Log Cabin?
This will be determined by the size of the cabin to be fitted, as well as the installer’s standard of DIY ability. Smaller log cabins (2 people to build) will typically take 2-4 hours, whereas bigger log cabins (2 people to install) will take roughly 3-5 hours. If you have ordered Shingles, the build time will be extended.
How Much Does It Cost To Build A House On Stilts?
A typical 1,500-square-foot seaside house on stilts will cost around $450,000 to build. If local material and labour costs are cheap, and you build a modest home of 1,000 square feet, your project may cost as little as $250,000. In more affluent locations, a 3,000-square-foot home may cost $1,050,000 or more.
While building costs vary greatly based on area, material availability, and labour costs, a house on stilts or pilings typically costs $250 to $350 per square foot. A stilt foundation alone costs between $20 and $60 per square foot, including materials and labour.
A stilt foundation costs at least $28,000 in most circumstances, but it can cost up to $80,000 according to your home’s specific demands, including local construction rules and material requirements.
The Difference Between Pilings and Stilts
Pile homes are supported by poles dug into the ground, sometimes known as stilts. Stilt homes are also known as “piled dwellings” since the building is supported by rods or posts embedded in the ground. Piles are the official term for these rods, poles, or stilts.
Conclusion
This article has highlighted the most fundamental elements of building stilt cabins. You might require a couple more pairs of hands for the job, and you’ll have yourself a cabin high in the sky in no time!
